§185.3. Indigent Parents' Representation Program; duties of the office; subject to
appropriation
A.
(1)Subject to appropriation or the availability of other monies made available to
the program, the office shall administer a program to provide representation, including
curatorship appointments, of indigent or absent parents in child abuse and neglect cases as
required by the Children's Code.
(2)Except for the inherent regulatory authority of the Louisiana Supreme Court
provided for in Article V, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana regarding the regulation
of the practice of law, the board and the office shall have all regulatory authority, control,
supervision, and jurisdiction, including auditing and enforcement, and all power incidental
or necessary thereto to administer a progra
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§185.3. Indigent Parents' Representation Program; duties of the office; subject to
appropriation
A.(1) Subject to appropriation or the availability of other monies made available to
the program, the office shall administer a program to provide representation, including
curatorship appointments, of indigent or absent parents in child abuse and neglect cases as
required by the Children's Code.
(2) Except for the inherent regulatory authority of the Louisiana Supreme Court
provided for in Article V, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana regarding the regulation
of the practice of law, the board and the office shall have all regulatory authority, control,
supervision, and jurisdiction, including auditing and enforcement, and all power incidental
or necessary thereto to administer a program to provide for the delivery of indigent or absent
parent representation throughout the courts of the state of Louisiana.
B. In the administration of the Indigent Parents' Representation Program, the office
shall:
(1) Regularly collect detailed data from judicial districts, where applicable, relating
to workload, resources, employees, and expenditures relating to representation of indigent
or absent parents.
(2) Review and evaluate the operations of the program and emphasize special
training for counsel representing indigent or absent parents.
(3) Review and approve an annual budget for the program.
(4) Review and approve an annual report on the operation of the program and submit
such report to the legislature, the governor, and the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme
Court.
(5) Review and approve the strategic plan and budget proposals submitted by the
district public defenders on behalf of the districts.
(6) Make an annual report to the legislature regarding the state of the office's
operations and the status of representation of indigent or absent parent services it regulates.
Such report shall include at a minimum:
(a) Recommendations for all needed changes in the law regarding the office or any
regulated activity.
(b) A complete report on the receipt and expenditure of all funds received by the
office, including district level data.
(c) Comprehensive workload data.
(7) Ensure that the policies, procedures, and public pronouncements of the office
recognize the unique and critical role of parents' attorneys in safeguarding fundamental rights
and promoting the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in the child welfare
system.
(8) Promote accessible child welfare, family preservation, medical, educational,
substance abuse treatment, and mental health resources for children and their parents in the
child welfare system.
(9) Take such actions as necessary and appropriate to secure private and state,
federal, or other public funds to help support the program.
(10) Institute or cause to be instituted such legal proceedings as may be necessary
to enforce and give effect to any of the duties or powers of the program.
(11) Provide for the employing or contracting with and training of attorneys and
other professional and nonprofessional staff that may be necessary to carry out the functions
of the program. All attorneys representing indigent or absent parents through this program
shall be licensed to practice law in Louisiana and qualified in accordance with standards and
guidelines adopted by rule of the board.
(12) Have the ability to contract with organizations or individuals for the provision
of legal services for indigent or absent parents in child abuse and neglect cases.
(13) Administer an efficient and effective statewide program for the representation,
including curatorship appointments of indigent or absent parents which safeguards their
rights and facilitates timely and fair decision making concerning children's safety,
permanency, and well-being.
(14)(a) Establish, and modify as necessary, a plan of organization to conduct the
business of regulating and controlling the delivery of services for the representation of
indigent or absent parents under its jurisdiction efficiently and thoroughly.
(b) The plan of organization shall provide for the capacity to:
(i) Administer the granting of contracts.
(ii) Analyze and review investigative and audit reports and findings.
(iii) Provide for enforcement of board rules as is necessary for the efficient and
thorough regulation and governance of representation of indigent or absent parent services
under its jurisdiction.
(15) Develop and disseminate standards, procedures, and policies that will ensure
that the representation, including curatorship appointments, of indigent or absent parents is
provided consistently throughout the state.
(16) Prepare and submit to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget on or
before March first of each year an annual financial report which outlines the expenditures of
local, state, and federal funds for the previous calendar year.
(17) Prepare, as of June first of each year, an estimate of unexpended balances in
every account in the custody of the office and submit a copy thereof to the governor, the
legislative auditor, and the legislative fiscal officer.
(18) Develop and maintain a comprehensive information system on the receipt of
revenues by the office and the districts from local, state, and federal sources, as well as the
expenditure of these revenues, and submit a summary of this information annually to the
legislature.
(19) Assign appropriate staff to:
(a) Coordinate training of attorneys representing indigent or absent parents in current
aspects of criminal and civil law and procedure involving the representation of indigent or
absent parents.
(b) Establish and supervise a training and performance evaluation program for
attorneys and non-attorney staff members and contractors.
(c) Establish specialized training and educational programs for all attorneys
providing indigent or absent parent representation. Such programs shall not be "continuing
legal education" as mandated by the Louisiana State Bar Association. The training sponsored
by the state program shall be practical training based on models in other states, including trial
advocacy and civil and criminal procedure in the nature of mock trials, working seminars,
and mentoring. Such educational programs shall also include annual educational programs
and introductory educational programs for attorneys prior to providing indigent or absent
parent representation.
(d) Consolidate information on important aspects of public defense and provide for
a collection of official opinions, legal briefs, and other relevant information.
(e) Provide assistance with research or briefs and provide other technical assistance
requested by a public defender providing public defender services.
(f) Apply for and assist in the disbursement of federal funds or other grant money to
aid the statewide Indigent Parents' Representation Program, provided that such gifts, grants,
and donations are not otherwise prohibited by law or rule.
(g) Assist the district public defenders in the compliance with standards and
guidelines adopted by the board pursuant to this Section. The office staff shall assist the
district public defenders with implementation of standards and guidelines and supervision
policy and procedures to verify compliance.
(20) Work with representatives of all three branches of state government and child
welfare stakeholders, including judges, social service personnel, district attorneys, the Child
Advocacy Program, court-appointed special advocate programs (CASA), service providers,
and others to promote sound child welfare policies and practice.
C. The powers and duties provided for by this Section shall be in addition to the
powers and duties provided for in R.S. 15:147 or as otherwise provided by law.
D. Repealed by Acts 2024, 2 nd Ex. Sess., No. 22, §3, eff. March 20, 2024.