Description
The Maryland Department of Human Services is seeking 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 selected contractor will provide legal services in all 24 jurisdictions in Maryland. The contract will be for a three-year base period with two one-year options. The contractor must have at least one attorney with a minimum of one year of experience in child welfare, juvenile, or related family law proceedings, and at least one attorney with a minimum of one year of experience in adult guardianship, elder law, or related protective services proceedings.
• The contractor will be responsible for providing legal representation to children and adults in various types of cases, including shelter care hearings, adjudication and disposition proceedings, permanency planning hearings, and appeals.
• 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 provide sufficient qualified staff to meet the requirements of CINA/TPR or related case representation.
• The contractor must adhere to the Maryland Standard of Practice for Lawyers who represent children involved in child abuse and neglect cases.
• The contractor must require all staff providing legal representation under this contract to obtain twelve hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and training annually in practice areas related to the representation of children involved in CINA, TPR, and related proceedings.