[title size=”3″]Notes from Executive Director Chris Henderson[/title]
Welcome to our updated quarterly newsletter! We asked OCR Attorneys for feedback on the quarterly newsletter, and we have implemented several changes in response. We replaced the previous PDF with an email bulletin format—this allows you to browse streamlined contents of the newsletter directly in your inbox and to click “read more” links to dig into longer pieces. I welcome your input! Other key changes include:
We’re introducing Attorney Shout-Outs in lieu of the “Meet an OCR Attorney” and “District Spotlight” features.
Case Law Updates are now housed in a searchable online archive. In the past, each newsletter PDF was the sole source for that quarter’s summaries, but now we will archive all summaries in one place. The archive includes a “Search” box for case abbreviations or key words. Each summary features a link to the case in Westlaw. Each newsletter will still notify you of new case summaries— just click the case name to find that summary.
I have enjoyed meeting so many of you on my “Four Corners” tour, and I look forward to meeting many more of you as I complete this tour in early 2019. Learning about the challenges you face and hearing examples of the incredible advocacy you provide on behalf of each and every child on your caseloads makes me prouder than ever to be a part of the GAL community. We have begun the process of presenting our budget request to the Joint Budget Committee, and I am excited to explain the important work you do to members of the Joint Budget Committee and General Assembly during the upcoming legislative session.
Please know that at OCR we are committed to providing you with the resources you need to support the critical work you do on behalf of children throughout Colorado, and we are always open to feedback and ideas for how we can best support this work. Recently, Staff Attorney and Legislative Liaison Ashley Chase assembled a Legislative Committee to tap into the brain power of our contractors—learn more in Legislative Updates. We also developed a one-stop guide to contractor resources—find it in Streamlined Website. Be sure to join us at noon Friday, Dec. 14th for a Billing Webinar and Wed., Dec. 19th for an Audit Update & Changes to the Applications Process Webinar (both will be recorded and posted online). In the latter, we will be discussing and soliciting your feedback on our plans for implementing the recommendations that came out of the 2018 OCR audit.
Last but not least, Happy Holidays from the OCR! I had the pleasure of visiting with many of you at our annual holiday party, and I want to wish each of you the very best for this holiday season and peace and joy in the New Year.