(1) The office has the following duties, at a minimum:
(a) Enhancing the provision of respondent parent counsel services in Colorado by:
Ensuring the provision and availability of high-quality legal representation for parents involved in dependency and neglect proceedings brought pursuant to article 3 of title 19, C.R.S., and as provided for in section 19-3-202, C.R.S.; and
Making recommendations for minimum practice standards to which attorneys serving as respondent parent counsel shall be held;
Establishing fair and realistic state rates by which to compensate respondent parentcounsel. The state rates must take into consideration any caseload limitations placed upon respondent parent counsel and must be sufficient to attract and retain high-quality, experienced attorneys to serve as respondent parent counsel.
Enforcing, as appropriate, the provisions of this section;
Working cooperatively with the judicial districts to establish pilot programs, as appropriate, designed to enhance the quality of respondent parent counsel at the local level; and
Annually reviewing and evaluating the office's performance to determine whether theoffice is effectively and efficiently meeting the goals of improving child and family well-being and the duties set forth in this section. The report must be submitted on or before January 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, to the state court administrator's office.
Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (SB 14-203), ch. 281, p. 1141, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2017: (1)(e) amended, (SB 17-241), ch. 171, p. 624, § 4, effective January 2, 2020.