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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 3, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No.~- G_ <br />SUBJECT: Amendment to Current Year Contract with Northers Blue, L.L.P. to Provide DSS <br />Legal Services for the Remainder of FY2007-08 <br />DEPARTMENT: Social Services <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Contract Amendment <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Nancy Coston, 245-2800 <br />Denise Shaffer, 968-2000 <br />PURPOSE: To amend the current contract for DSS legal services for the remainder of FY2007- <br />08. <br />BACKGROUND: The Department of Social Services (DSS) requires extensive legal <br />representation particularly related to child welfare cases. All actions related to agency custody <br />of children, protection orders, adoptions, adult protective service orders and guardianships <br />require court hearings. There is an increased emphasis on assuring that all child welfare cases <br />are handled as quickly as possible to assure that children live with permanent safe families. <br />The law firm of Northers Blue, L.L.P., has provided legal representation for Social Services since <br />1979. Carol Holcomb of that firm has provided consultation and representation for children and <br />adult. services at Social Services for over 10 years. Ms. Holcomb has comprehensive <br />knowledge of juvenile law and Guardianship proceedings and litigates court hearings with skill. <br />Ms. Holcomb remains on-call after hours to assist staff when the agency must assume <br />emergency custody of children at night and on weekends. Her knowledge is valued by the DSS <br />social work staff, the Guardian ad Litem office and the courts. <br />Social Services files petitions with the court for custody of an average of five children per month <br />and participates in all court reviews for children in custody. There are additional court actions <br />necessary to terminate parental rights and pursue adoption, to handle adult guardianship cases, <br />and to handle the increasing numbers of appeals of child welfare court actions. <br />The Board of County Commissioners approved the original contract with Northers Blue, L.L.P. <br />for $141,000 in June of 2007. <br />