Description
The Maryland Department of Human Services is seeking proposals for legal representation services for children involved in Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) and Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) proceedings, as well as indigent adults involved in Adult Protective Services (APS) and Adult Public Guardianship Review Board (APGRB) hearings. The contract will be for a three-year period with two one-year options. The contractor will be required to provide legal representation services in all 24 jurisdictions in Maryland.
• The contractor must have at least one attorney with a minimum of one year of experience in Maryland-specific child welfare legal experience or five years of general litigation experience.
• The contractor must provide sufficient qualified staff to meet the requirements of CINA/TPR or APS/APGRB case representation.
• The contractor must ensure that each attorney providing legal representation under this contract does not exceed a 1:100 attorney-client ratio.
• The contractor must deliver legal services to indigent, alleged disabled adults and zealously advocate for the needs of each client.
• The contractor must dedicate the necessary hours per case to adequately prepare for and represent a client in an APS/APGRB hearing, but no less than six hours per case annually.