JCIP's Safety Framework Training

What is the ABA Safety Framework

The ABA Safety Framework is an analytical framework created for use in dependency legal work. It was developed by the American Bar Association in their 2019 publication Child Safety (link at the right) as a comprehensive approach for attorneys and judges to develop, organize, analyze, and argue safety-related information. This in turn improves advocacy and decision-making, shared safety language across court professionals, and clarity for families about safety decisions made by courts.

Safety Framework Benefits

Provides a clear structure for creating a detailed and accurate court record
Improves skills in gathering and analyzing safety related facts and evidence
Organizes information judges need to make safety decisions
Improves clarity and understanding of safety decisions for families

Recorded Training

Introduction to the ABA Safety Framework Training Video (click to expand)

This introduction video is intended to provide a broad overview of the ABA Safety Framework for professionals working in Oregon dependency courts. It will dive into the specifics of the ABA Safety Framework, its application to legal arguments and decisions about child safety, and the potential outcomes of implementing the framework. This introduction is not intended to replace participation in JCIP’s Safety Framework Training, solely to provide a grounding and shared understanding of the framework and its applications.

This asynchronous training is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. 1 Ethics Oregon CLE credit is available for this training: ABA Safety Framework Training 101, Program Number: 126957. If you attended the 2025 JCIP Safety Framework Training Pilot please be aware you have already received CLE credit for this content.

2026 Oregon Safety Framework Community of Practice

Join fellow dependency practitioners across Oregon who are using the ABA Safety Framework to improve outcomes for children and families. This Community of Practice offers a space to:

Share real-world successes
Problem-solve implementation challenges
Exchange ideas and strategies
Build a strong, supportive network

Held quarterly from noon to 1 pm: January 13th, April 14th, July 14th, October 13th 2026
Who Should Attend:
Practitioners familiar with the ABA Safety Framework.
If you haven’t yet participated in JCIP’s Safety Framework Training, please watch the introductory webinar below before attending.
Oregon 2026 Safety Framework Community of Practice Flyer

2025 JCIP Safety Framework Training Pilot

JCIP conducted a 2025 pilot training of the ABA Safety Framework. Thank you to all of the counties that participated for their engagement and feedback! The training was designed by JCIP in collaboration with Casey Family Programs and an Oregon team that included a judge, attorneys, Child Welfare, CASA, and a parent mentor with lived expertise. The pilot was a regional, in-person training series focused on equipping judges and legal professionals with a comprehensive analytical approach to make critical safety decisions, including removal, conditions for return, and family time.

Model court teams including judges and local attorneys were joined by a group of court partners, fostering a collaborative environment that encouraged shared learning and supports continued use of the Framework in practice. The training covered a range of topics not limited to the framework itself, including relevant statutes and OARs, the neuroscience of decision-making, motivational interviewing, improving families' court experience, bias mitigation, and cultural considerations.