Children's advocate Mimi Graham wins award for creating 'Baby Court'

Children's advocate Mimi Graham received the Medal of Honor Award from the Florida Bar Foundation for children's advocacy and for spearheading the creation of "Baby Court."

Baby Court, or Early Childhood Court (ECC), focuses on child welfare cases for children under age 3. Its goal is to find young children permanent homes and improve child safety while addressing non-legal issues like children's mental health.

More:'Baby court' model could help the revolving door of the child welfare system

The Medal of Honor is the highest recognition the Florida Bar Foundation grants to non-lawyers. She also co-founded the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health (FAIMH) in 2002. 

Graham, director of Florida State University's Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy, said people who experienced abuse as children tend to abuse their own kids later in life.

It's something Graham calls "multigenerational trauma." She said she hopes to "change the tragedy that brings families into our systems into an opportunity to heal."

Baby Court had its 1,000th child this year, according to Graham. Although there are 24 Early Childhood Courts in Florida, they serve only about 4% of eligible children in the state, she said.

"If I had one wish, it would be that we could serve all of the children who are eligible," Graham said.

Baby court children find permanent homes nearly five months before children who don't go through the process, according to the Florida Courts website. 

Casey Chapter is the deputy news editor of the FSView & Florida Flambeau. Reach her at Casey.Chapter@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @CaseyChapter.