Judicial Council marks 25th Court Adoption and Permanency Month and hears a foster‑care survivor's testimony

The council formally recognized Court Adoption and Permanency Month for the 25th consecutive year and heard testimony underscoring the importance of permanency pathways beyond adoption, including reunification, guardianship, and placement with devoted resource families.

Justice Terry Cody, co‑chair of the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee, told the council the month highlights a range of permanency outcomes and praised extended foster‑care reforms, noting the positive postsecondary and employment outcomes among youth who benefited from extended care. She said the council co‑sponsored civic‑learning activities and juvenile‑court outreach connected to the initiative.

A lived‑experience representative, Cash (KaShay) Rain Jones, shared her foster‑care and adoption narrative, describing multiple placements and the importance of a stable, supportive family. "I'm here before you as a neighbor, a friend, a mother to my beautiful daughter," Rain Jones said, recounting how permanency in her teenage years led to educational opportunities and a judicial fellowship that opened career paths. Her testimony was cited by members as a powerful reminder of how permanency can change life trajectories.

Council members thanked presenters and underscored the continued need to focus judicial resources and community partnerships on pathways to permanency. No formal vote was required for the resolution presentation; the resolution signed earlier on November 1 was noted as already in place.