Fourth Upstate Model Family Representation Office Grant

ILS announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from New York State counties outside of New York City to establish a model Family Representation Office (“Model Office”) to provide legal representation to parents1 in child protective proceedings under New York Family Court Act Article 10 and termination of parental rights proceedings (“state intervention cases”). The intent of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is to improve the quality of legal services provided to parents in Family Court matters under County Law Article 18-B by establishing a Model Office that will implement standards and best practices in state intervention cases as established in ILS’ Standards for Parental Representation in State Intervention Matters.

In accordance with the ILS Parental Representation Standards, the defining feature of the Model Office will be client-centered and interdisciplinary representation that addresses both the legal and social service issues confronting parents impacted by the child welfare system at all critical stages of their interaction with the system, including the child welfare investigation stage. This “family defense” model, in which attorneys, social workers, parent advocates, paralegals, investigators, and experts work as a team, is deemed a best practices approach by the Children’s Bureau of the United States Health and Human Services Department and the American Bar Association, and it was endorsed by the NYS Unified Court System’s Commission on Parental Legal Representation “Parent Representation Commission”).

Implementation of this Model Office is designed to improve the overall quality of parent
representation in the grantee county, and thus, outcomes for families impacted by the child welfare system.