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TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: David Coleman, Public Defender -;1=,;�.n ,;'� , Costa
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DATE: March 14, 2006 °STA EOOtz County
SUBJECT: PUBLIC DEFENDER- DEPENDENCY CASE ASSISTANT
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION: ORIGINAL
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Defender to execute a contract with Robert Smayda in
an amount not to exceed $39,400 to continue to provide Dependency Case Assistance services
for the period March 8, 2006 through March 7, 2007.
FISCAL IMPACT
Estimate no impact on the General Fund. The cost of dependency case services is reimbursed
100% by the Superior Court under California Rules of Court, rule 810, which identifies the cost
eligible for the Trial Court Funding Program.
BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S):
Attorneys assigned to represent minors in dependency cases are obligated by state law to visit
the minor clients in the homes and placement settings at least once every 6 months. Such
"home visits" may also entail consultations with families or other professionals such as social
workers, teachers and psychologists. The home/school visits provide information from and
consultation with the minor child that, in turn, form the basis for advocacy on behalf of the
dependent children clients in W & 1 300 proceedings.
Dependency Case Assistants (DCA) work with, and under the supervision of, attorneys in the
Public Defender's Office assigned to handle Welfare and Institutions Code Section 300 cases
for minors in Juvenile Court.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT. _X_YES SIGNATURE.
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-,-'-RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
yAPPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
Action of Board on: Approved as Recommended_ Other
47
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES: SHOWN. �f
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: �� /r,
ATTESTED
CONTACT: David Coleman(335-8079) JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISOOUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
CC: Superior Court Administration
Office of the Sheriff
County Administration BY ODEPUTY
4
March 15, 2005
Page 2
Utilizing contract DCAs is both cost-efficient and sensible: (1) attorneys are paid more on an
hourly basis than contract DCAs and such home visits involve travel time and other scheduling
duties which can be carried out by DCAs at a lower hourly cost; and (2) DCAs often have
backgrounds in social work, child development, education, criminal justice, and other allied fields
which gives them an expertise not necessarily possessed by attorneys in the Public Defender's
Office.
The tasks of the DCA often require work on weekends and in the evenings and sometimes at
locations that require lengthy automobile trips. Given the alternative and irregular work
schedules required, as well as other work experience characteristics of the DCAs, recruitment,
retention and payment as contract employees works best for the Department. Hopefully, too, in
the best interests of continuity in their interaction with younger minors, a bond of trust will be
established with these clients.