Bring Best Practices to Professionals in Your State Improving Outcomes helps to bring best practice resource-sharing systems to states. States aspiring to create or improve their methods for distributing best practice information can now connect with states that have successfully deployed resource-sharing systems. With the efficiency of offering information through the internet, Improving Outcomes has focused on webbased solutions for disseminating expertise across a state. Your state may choose to implement a web-based solution that is a simple collection of basic information or a comprehensive online resource center that provides a one-stop source for a wide array of services and tools. You Can Start a Statewide Initiative Impassioned individuals can make a difference in their states. Even an individual judge or attorney can begin a movement in a state to effectively share information, expertise, and resources. Additionally, various types of organizations are capable of implementing an online resource center, including court systems, nonprofit organizations, children’s law centers, law school clinics, child advocacy centers, child welfare boards, or professional associations, among others. Free Consulting Expertise Texas Lawyers for Children (“TLC”) offers free assistance to states by demonstrating various models currently in use and discussing types of information, tools, and implementation strategies to help your state. TLC is available via telephone at (800) 993- 5TLC (5852) or by email at TexasLawyersforChildren@yahoo.com. TLC is also available to visit a limited number of states annually at no charge. Examples from Other States Several states and organizations around the country have implemented websites with information and tools designed to improve the handling of child abuse cases in their states, including the Children’s Law Center of the University of South Carolina, and KidsCounsel of the University of Connecticut Law School. Texas has a state of the art, widely-used best practices website with an online resource center, communication tools, and a pro bono network. California has also implemented a similar site. Both of these sites are based on a proven model, the Texas Lawyers for Children website template. Click here for more information about the template. Potential Funding Sources Funding for such an effort can come from federal grants, such as the Children’s Justice Act Project (“CJA”) and the Court Improvement Program (“CIP”), private foundations, or state agencies.