Department for Children and Families

The suit was initially filed in January on behalf of a single plaintiff, a woman called “A.V.” But the ACLU wanted to make a larger point about how the state surveils people it believes aren’t cut out for parenthood.

Vermont law requires the court to appoint a guardian ad litem whenever the Department for Children and Families tries to take a child into its custody. The judiciary says the state could use more people to fill that role.

Lawmakers last year passed Act 173, which allowed former foster care children to see their state records for the first time.

Vermont hasn’t had a permanent facility for justice-involved youth since 2020. The lack of a secure facility has meant more juveniles have been held in adult prisons.

The bill’s backers say a homelessness response system centered on the community level would be a better way to spend state money and serve people in need. It’s an idea with a long history.

The state argues that its family court system has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether a child needs care or supervision, and that the plaintiff can't relitigate custody decisions via a lawsuit.

The Department for Children and Families unconstitutionally conspired with private service providers to monitor a pregnant woman, attempt to coerce her into a cesarean, and wrongfully take custody of her child, the ACLU of Vermont alleged in a lawsuit.

“On short notice and for a temporary timeframe… you’re going to have to pay a premium for that,” said Department for Children and Families Commissioner Chris Winters.

Families will need to contact the state in order to get access to the Williston and Waterbury shelters, which will remain open until April 1.

In May, the Department for Children and Families unveiled a plan to build a new secure youth facility in Vergennes — partially on land that once housed the Weeks School, a former youth detention center with a troubled history. Some advocates say it’s a physical reminder that the state hasn't done enough to reckon with the past.