OFFICE OF KENTUCKY LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAMS

							           OFFICE OF KENTUCKY LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAMS
                                  310 LEXINGTON BUILDING
                                  201 WEST SHORT STREET
                                    LEXINGTON, KY 40507

RICHARD SECKEL, DIRECTOR                                          PHONE 859-233-3057
RICHSECKEL@PRODIGY.NET                                            FAX   859-255-6227




FAMILY LAW TASK FORCE
DATE:      May 9, 2007                                            via fax -- 3 pages

TO:        Family Law Task Force

FROM:      Karen Alfano, Deborah Spring, Rich Seckel

RE:        Agenda for May 24 meeting

___________________________________________________________________


Here's the proposed agenda for the next legal services Family Law Task Force meeting:

              Date:           Thursday, May 24
              Time:           10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
              Place:          Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Community Room
                              498 Georgetown Street
                              Lexington

Agenda: The issue made headlines last year, but has anything been done about “quick
trigger” removals and terminations of parental rights of low income parents? We‟ll see
where things stand. Plus, case discussions, Kentucky‟s new human trafficking law, free
box lunches!

                       __      Yes, I’m coming to the meeting.

Name: ______________________________ Program: ____________ Office:________

Here‟s a suggested topic: __________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

                Please sign up to help us get an accurate lunch count!

                            Fax to: Rich Seckel at 859-233-0007
                             Family Law Task Force

                                 Proposed Agenda

                                   May 24, 2006


             Something new! Call Karen, Deborah or Anne Marie!

        To prepare for case discussions, we invite you to call the chairs or Anne Marie
        before the meeting to have an initial consultation:

                   Karen Alfano:          606-439-2315
                   Deborah Spring:        606-679-7313
                   Anne Marie:            502-584-0349

10:45   Welcome and Introductions

10:50   Update and Discussion: Quick Trigger Removals and Adoptions

        The question has made headlines and triggered legislative hearings and a Blue
        Ribbon Panel. Is Kentucky engaging in “quick trigger” child removals,
        terminations of parental rights and adoptions?

        Anne Marie gives us an update on the issues, the proposals and what comes
        next. We‟ve also asked some friends to join us for the discussion: the
        Children‟s Law Center, KDVA, Women in Transition, attorney Robin Cook
        and Rep. Susan Westrom.

        Should programs represent more parents and kids? We‟ll then discuss the
        legal services response. Despite the availability of payment for private
        counsel, should programs represent more parents? What if lawmakers provide
        state funds? Deborah Spring reports on a new work group.

        Meanwhile, you can look at Anne Marie‟s recommendations to the Blue
        Ribbon Panel and several recent studies and reports:

              OKLSP - Comments for Blue Ribbon Panel on Adoption(final).doc

11:50   CATS assessments: Are they useful and perceptive reports or recitations of
        boilerplate? We‟ve heard varying reviews from parents and advocates about
        the “CATS” assessment the state uses to evaluate “ability to parent.” The
        acronym stands for Comprehensive Assessment and Training Services.
        Deborah Spring starts off the discussion.

12:10   Lunch
12:50   Issue Updates and Resources

        Grandparent handbook: Take a look at the new online version of Help: A
        Handbook for Kentucky Grandparents and Other Caregives at
        www.kyjustice.org. David Godfrey of AJF took the lead, with several
        collaborators and funders, in developing this comprehensive guide. We‟ve
        invited David to do a show and tell.

        Human trafficking: The General Assembly has passed Senate Bill 43, a bill
        defining human trafficking and making it a crime under Kentucky law.
        OKLSP‟s Cori Hash and Rich Seckel worked on the legislation. We‟ll cover:

        o What the bill does and what more may be needed next year
        o Signs that you may be dealing with a trafficking victim
        o Services that may be useful to victims

1:30    Case Consultation

        Bring „em on. Call Deborah, Karen and/or Anne Marie for a pre-meeting
        consultation. This time is set aside for practioners. We will also get a brief
        update on:

            Warning order attorney: Should IFP clients or legal services programs
            that represent them have to pay fees for warning order attorneys? A client
            won at the Court of Appeals, in a decision that said Kentucky Legal Aid
            did not have to pay the fee. Now the case goes to the Supremes. Anne
            Marie Regan is working with Natalie Bash of Kentucky Legal Aid.