At A4 Safety Alliance, we are committed to advancing policies that truly protect children—especially in the context of family court and custody-related risks. Through our Amber Alert Review & Reform initiative, we are investigating how the system can better serve children abducted or unlawfully withheld during custody disputes.

Currently, Amber Alerts are often limited to stranger abductions, leaving dangerous gaps when a known parent or caregiver violates court orders, refuses to return a child, or poses a credible threat. We believe the system must be reformed to respond when:

• A child is unlawfully retained in violation of custody orders;

• There is a history or evidence of domestic violence, coercive control, or child abuse;

• A parent or guardian’s actions indicate intent to conceal or flee with the child.

Our work centers on making the Amber Alert system more responsive, trauma-informed, and equitable—so no child slips through the cracks due to legal technicalities. We aim to ensure that the lived experience of survivors and affected families helps shape reforms that put children's safety first.

At A4 Safety Alliance, we recognize that mental health plays a critical role in parenting—but it must be understood in context, not used as a blanket judgment in family court. Many parents experience mental health challenges, yet remain loving, stable, and capable caregivers. Our initiative focuses on improving how mental health is assessed in custody cases, with safeguards to prevent stigma or weaponization.

We advocate for evaluations that distinguish between manageable conditions and true safety risks, ensuring that support—not punishment—is the default response when appropriate.

Military Families & Mental Health Services

We are also examining how military mental health systems affect parenting assessments in custody and family court settings. Military service members and veterans often face unique stressors—including combat-related trauma, limited access to specialized care, and concerns over career impact when seeking help.

Survivors of intimate partner violence often carry deep trauma—yet this trauma is too often mischaracterized in custody disputes. Instead of being seen as a symptom of surviving abuse, it’s wrongly interpreted as instability or “parental alienation.” At A4 Safety Alliance, we are working to reframe this narrative.

Trauma should never disqualify a parent from protecting or caring for their child. Courts must understand the complex effects of IPV and coercive control, and recognize that healing and safety are not signs of weakness—but resilience and strength.

Substance Use, Parenting, & Court Responsibility

At A4 Safety Alliance, we advocate for clear, safety-centered responses when substance use affects a parent’s ability to provide a stable and protective environment. While substance use disorder is a treatable health condition, its impact on parenting—especially when ongoing or untreated—can place children at significant risk, even before visible harm occurs.

Courts must be trained to recognize the early red flags of impaired caregiving, including when substances are present in the home, and to understand how addiction can impair judgment, emotional regulation, and safety awareness. We believe there must be standardized, trauma-informed protocols in place for responding to failed drug tests and toxicology reports—not as punishment, but as a path toward accountability, safety planning, and support.

Children should not have to wait for harm to occur before protective action is taken. Early intervention can prevent long-term trauma—and save lives.

RCW 26.09.191 Parenting Plan Restrictions & Legislative Reform

At A4 Safety Alliance, we are working to strengthen the use of Washington’s RCW 26.09.191 parenting plan restrictions—laws that are meant to protect children from being placed with a parent who has a history of domestic violence, child abuse, or substance misuse. These safety provisions are critical, but in practice, they are often misunderstood, inconsistently applied, or ignored entirely.

Our policy work is focused on advancing reforms that ensure courts take protective action early—before harm occurs—not after. This includes requiring courts to consider clear evidence of coercive control, abuse, and substance use when making custody decisions, and to apply appropriate restrictions such as supervised visitation or limited contact when a child’s safety is at risk.

Survivors and impacted families have consistently shared how trauma and safety concerns were minimized or dismissed in court. Their lived experience is at the heart of our advocacy. These stories reveal a systemic failure to prioritize children’s wellbeing—and they guide our push for legislation that ensures RCW 26.09.191 is applied as it was intended: to keep children safe.

We are committed to reform that centers survivor voices, holds courts accountable, and transforms family law to reflect the realities families are facing.

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children & the Need for Trauma-Informed Court Practices

Domestic violence doesn’t just affect adult survivors—it deeply impacts children, even when they are not the direct target of the abuse. Exposure to coercive control, threats, and emotional or physical violence creates toxic stress that can alter a child’s development, affect their mental health, and shape their understanding of safety and trust for years to come.

In custody disputes, this trauma is often minimized or misunderstood by the family court system. Too often, children are ordered into unsupervised contact or shared custody arrangements with a parent who has caused harm—under the mistaken belief that maintaining both parental relationships outweighs the need for safety.

At A4 Safety Alliance, we are calling for comprehensive, trauma-informed training for judges, guardians ad litem, evaluators, and other court professionals. Courts must be equipped to recognize the full impact of domestic violence on children, understand the signs of trauma, and make custody decisions that prioritize healing, protection, and stability.

Children should not be re-traumatized by the very system that is supposed to protect them. It’s time for courts to align their practices with what the research—and survivors—have long made clear: safety must come first.

Behavioral Health & Family Court: A Critical Intersection

Behavioral health—including mental health, trauma response, and substance use—is at the heart of nearly every issue we address at A4 Safety Alliance. Whether in custody disputes, dependency cases, or domestic violence proceedings, the emotional and psychological wellbeing of both children and parents plays a crucial role in safety, stability, and long-term outcomes.

Too often, courts misinterpret behavioral health symptoms—viewing trauma as instability, treating addiction without context, or overlooking the impact of chronic stress on parenting. We advocate for systems that respond with understanding, not punishment. That means training court professionals to recognize how behavioral health challenges manifest, how they intersect with abuse and coercive control, and how they can be addressed with support and accountability—not shame or dismissal.

Our work bridges the gap between lived experience, trauma-informed research, and policy reform. Behavioral health is not a side issue—it is central to protecting children, supporting survivors, and creating a court system that truly promotes safety and healing.