From Mandatory Reporting to Mandatory Supporting: Building Stronger School Systems for Families

Joyce McMillan is a nationally recognized advocate and movement leader working to remove barriers that harm Black, Brown, and low-resourced families. As the Founder and Executive Director of Just Making A Change for Families (JMACforFamilies), she has been at the forefront of efforts to examine and transform the family policing system, commonly referred to as the “child welfare system.” Her work centers on building sustainable, community-driven supports that strengthen families rather than subject them to unnecessary surveillance or separation.

A central focus of McMillan’s advocacy is how schools engage with families in moments of concern. JMACforFamilies’ 4th Amendment Project emphasizes that, under the United States Constitution, every child has the right not to speak to Child Protective Services (CPS) and not to have their bodies inspected without parental consent or a court order. Her work encourages school communities to think critically about the role of mandatory reporting, and recognize that while educators are often acting in good faith, many reports stem from unmet needs related to poverty rather than abuse.

McMillan highlights research showing that a significant number of child protective investigations (disproportionately affecting Black families) are ultimately unsubstantiated, yet can still result in disruption and trauma. In response, she works alongside educators to identify alternative pathways: connecting families to supports such as food assistance, housing support, and school-based services that address root causes while keeping families intact.

In addition, McMillan is the Founder of the Parent Legislative Action Network (PLAN), a statewide coalition that brings together parents, young people, advocates, attorneys, social workers, and academics to advance systemic change. She serves on the board of the Women’s Prison Association and on the Advisory Committee for the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School, where she is also a visiting fellow. In these roles, she elevates parent voices and fosters critical dialogue about the intersection of education, family regulation, and social policy.

Her leadership extends to civic and legal advocacy as well, having served as a member of the NYC County Committee and as a Supreme Court Judicial Delegate. She has held fellowships with Law4Black Lives and the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, and in 2024, she received the Trailblazer Award from Brooklyn Defender Services.

McMillan has testified before the United Nations in Geneva on systemic racial disparities and has presented at the White House, where she addressed due process concerns within the child welfare system and the impact of federal policy on family separation. A sought-after speaker, she has been invited to share her work at institutions including Columbia University, Harvard University, New York University, and the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Her advocacy has been featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, ProPublica, Politico, and Al Jazeera.

Courtnie McMillan draws on her lived experience of being impacted by the “family policing system,” commonly referred to as the “child welfare system,” to advocate for Black and low-resourced families. Her work calls attention to and addresses the damaging, life-altering consequences of state custody and family separation as part of a broader push for systemic change, and she engages the public and policymakers through narrative change, community engagement, and art.

Courtnie holds a BS in Marketing from Bentley University, and through her writing and visual work, she seeks to inspire political action in New York State and beyond. She currently volunteers as the Communications Manager and Project Partner at JMACforFamilies and works as the Communications and Engagement Manager at the Center for New York City Affairs (CfNYCA) at the The New School.