06-17-2010 - Broomfield Cornerstone Conference
Click here to register for our September 13 & 14 Cornerstone Conference in Broomfield!
05-10-2010 - RFP Process Information
The RFP is available here.
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RFP UPDATE: OCR is pleased to announce that we have successfully concluded our Request for Proposal project with the selection of three proposals to establish multidisciplinary law offices to provide GAL representation to children. We received numerous promising proposals and, along with our Screening Committee, worked hard to select the proposals which we believe will be most effective in improving outcomes for children through the adoption of Cornerstone Advocacy and a multidisciplinary team approach.
In Denver : we will be contracting with Stephanie Villafuerte, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center to provide GAL representation on new D&N appointments in two divisions of Denver Juvenile Court. We will also be contracting with The Denver Children’s Alliance, a new entity formed by several independent contractors including Kate Radley, Gabriela Sandoval and Kelley Southerland to provide GAL representation on new D&N appointments in the third division of Denver Juvenile Court.
Additionally, we expect to contract with several GALs in each division to provide overflow/conflict representation on new D&N cases. Delinquency cases in Denver will continue to be handled by independent contract attorneys.
In Arapahoe County: we will contract with a new firm, Bettenberg, Sharshel and Valdez LLC to provide GAL representation on both new D&N and new delinquency appointments in Arapahoe County. The new firm includes current independent contract attorneys Alison Bettenberg, Ranee Sharshel, Maria Valdez, Laura Dunbar, Dana Tartar, Mark Dalessandro and Tracy Maguire. We also expect to contract with several GALs in Arapahoe County to provide overflow/conflict GAL representation.
We are currently in the process of negotiating contracts with the above entities. Contracts will commence on January 1, 2011 and continue for a two and ½ year term through June 30, 2013.
The establishment of Law Office Models of GAL representation is considered best practice in child welfare but is a major change for OCR and change is unsettling. Going forward there will of course be many issues and challenges to resolve. We will work closely with these multidisciplinary offices, our independent contractors and all involved in the child welfare system with only one goal: improving attorney services for children.
The OCR thanks those who submitted proposals. We respect all of the time and energy that went into this process. Most importantly, we appreciate that you are open to new ideas about the best way to deliver high quality representation to children. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact OCR's Executive Director, Linda Weinerman.
05-04-2010 - Interesting Article re: Change in New York’s Statute for GALs
07-08-2009 - OCR Summer Newsletter
Read the OCR's most recent newsletter by clicking HERE.
06-29-2009 - 2009 Juvenile Law Benchbook
This year's Juvenile Law Benchbook is now available! Visit http://www.cobenchbook.com to view and download the material.
09-29-2008 - 2008 General Assembly Report
The 2008 General Assembly Report is now available. To view it, follow the link http://coloradochildrep.org/images/uploads/attachments/2008_GA_Report.pdf or look for it under the About OCR tab.