DEPENDENCY ADVOCACY CENTER

DEPENDENCY COURT PROGRAM:DEPENDENCY ADVOCACY CENTER (DAC) IS A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION SERVING INDIGENT PARENTS AND CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. DAC'S PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS THE PROVISION OF COURT-APPOINTED LEGAL REPRESENTATION, FREE OF CHARGE, TO INDIGENT PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN JUVENILE DEPENDENCY COURT IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY. IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, WHEN A CHILD IS AT RISK OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, OR WHEN THERE ARE SUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF SUCH, THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES FILES A PETITION WITH THE COURT REQUESTING THAT THE CHILD EITHER BE REMOVED FROM THE HOME OR REMAIN IN THE HOME WITH COURT SUPERVISION. APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT OF (CONT. ON SCH. O) THESE PETITIONS INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF PARENTAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND MANY INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, PHYSICAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, AND/OR GENERAL NEGLECT. EACH PARENT IS ENTITLED TO AN ATTORNEY IF THEY REQUEST ONE. IF THE PARENT IS INDIGENT, THE COURT APPOINTS AN ATTORNEY FOR THAT PARENT AT NO COST TO THE PARENT. THE CHILD IS ALSO APPOINTED AN ATTORNEY, FREQUENTLY AT NO COST TO THE FAMILY. AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2008, BY CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA (JCC), DAC IS THE PROVIDER OF THESE LEGAL SERVICES. DAC REPRESENTS PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY'S SUPERIOR COURT, AS WELL AS IN ITS THERAPEUTIC DRUG TREATMENT COURT (DEPENDENCY WELLNESS COURT), WHICH IS A SUBSET OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY'S DEPENDENCY COURT SYSTEM, ENGAGING IN MORE SPECIALIZED AND HOLISTIC DEPENDENCY SOLUTIONS. DAC'S STAFF ATTORNEYS PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FREE OF CHARGE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CASE, INCLUDING REPRESENTATION AT UNCONTESTED HEARINGS, MEDIATIONS, TRIALS, AND SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES. IN ITS CLIENT REPRESENTATION, DAC UTILIZES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH WHICH IN ADDITION TO AN ATTORNEY, MAY INCLUDE A MENTOR PARENT AND A SOCIAL WORKER. ALONG WITH THE DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN, DAC PARTICIPATES IN MONTHLY MEETINGS DURING WHICH THE DEPENDENCY COURT STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGE IN OPEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLICY ISSUES AND COLLABORATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICES FOR SERVING FAMILIES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. DAC ALSO PARTICIPATES IN TRAININGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND RELATED TO DEPENDENCY, INCLUDING TRAININGS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS, CHILD ADVOCATES, AND MEDIATORS. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF OPERATION, DAC MADE GREAT STRIDES IN ESTABLISHING ITSELF AS AN IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY'S JUVENILE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM. DAC ATTORNEYS HAVE BEEN PERSISTENT AND ZEALOUS IN THEIR CLIENT ADVOCACY WHICH HAS LED TO A MORE FREQUENT USE OF EXPERTS AND AN INCREASE IN DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR THEIR CLIENTS BOTH AT TRIAL AND THROUGH SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS. DAC HAS TAKEN LEADERSHIP ROLES IN VARIOUS COMMITTEES TO IMPROVE SERVICES PROVIDED TO OUR CLIENTS AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ORGANIZING AND PARTICIPATING IN EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND STATE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, DAC'S SUPERVISORS, ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND MENTORS HAVE TAKEN ACTIVE STEPS TOWARD EDUCATING PROFESSIONALS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM.

FIRST CALL FAMILIES:FIRST CALL FOR FAMILIES IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM RUN BY DAC. THE GOAL OF FIRST CALL IS TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM BEING REMOVED BY CPS AND BECOMING INVOLVED IN THE FORMAL CHILD WELFARE COURT SYSTEM. THE PROGRAM'S MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THRIVING, INTACT FAMILIES ROOTED IN STRONG COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF THREE COMPONENTS: - THROUGH KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS, THE FIRST CALL TEAM PROVIDES INFORMATION TO FAMILIES ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE REMOVAL OF A CHILD BY CPS. - THE FIRST CALL WARM LINE IS A TOLL-FREE PHONE NUMBER FOR FAMILIES TO CALL FOR SUPPORT, BASIC ADVICE, AND/OR REFERRALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. FIRST CALL MAY ALSO PROVIDE MORE INDIVIDUALIZED (CONT. ON SCH. O)SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES WHO REQUIRE MORE SUPPORT THAN OUR OTHER SERVICES PROVIDE. THIS MAY INCLUDE SERVICES SUCH AS PEER SUPPORT, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND LEGAL ADVICE BEFORE A COURT CASE BEGINS.THE FIRST CALL FOR FAMILIES TEAM IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM COMPRISED OF AN ATTORNEY, MENTOR PARENTS, AND A SOCIAL WORKER. THE ATTORNEY IS THE LEADER TEAM. THEY PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE AND LIMITED LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING ON NAVIGATING A CHILD WELFARE INVESTIGATION AND RELATED CIVIL LEGAL ISSUES. THE MENTOR PARENTS HAVE HAD FORMAL INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, AND SUCCESSFULLY REUNIFIED WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE MENTOR PARENTS' LIVED EXPERIENCE ALLOWS THEM TO PROVIDE HOPE AND A SENSE OF AGENCY TO FAMILIES, AND BREAK DOWN BARRIERS THAT ARE PREVENTING PARENTS FROM EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE SOCIAL WORKER PROVIDES CLINICAL SUPPORT TO CLIENTS. DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE PARENT AND/OR FAMILY, THE FIRST CALL SOCIAL WORKER MAY PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS CLINICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS, SAFETY PLANNING, CASE MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT AT CHILD AND FAMILY TEAM MEETINGS, AND/OR LINKAGE TO CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY.