Yolo County Services in Action:
One judge, one family, Yolo County's
Unified Family Court promotes the health and welfare of children and
family in unique, compelling and collaborative way.
The following composite sketch lets
us see how it can work for a family with multiple legal issues.
To protect the confidentiality of all participants, this sketch
describes a fictional family, not an actual family.
We will call the children
"David" and "Evan". The brothers barely remembered their mother,
who had abandoned them with their father when they were toddlers and
completely vanished out of their lives. Because of this, their father
had finally obtained a default dissolution of the marriage in Yolo
Superior Court and they had moved into their grandmother's house. His
commission as a sales associate was not enough to afford child care and
rent on a place of their own, but they didn't mind. Grandma, we will
call her "Sarah", was great and they both adored her. It was she
who took most of the responsibility for their care. Their father
had become very depressed, often yelled at them for no apparent reason,
and had taken to drinking heavily after work. They heard Sarah
begging him, over and over, not to drive when he was intoxicated but
one night he had been arrested for DUI. It was not his first DUI, but
this time it was worse - he had hurt someone. Conviction and a lengthy
prison term would follow.
Both boys felt the loss of their father keenly. Fifteen-year-old David
displayed his misery in angry outbursts, began cutting classes at
school, and stayed out late. Finally police picked him up and charges
of fighting and vandalism on the school campus were brought. He was
expelled from school, and ordered to appear in Juvenile Court. Yolo
County Probation Department recommended David to the Juvenile Violence
Court, part of the Yolo Unified Family Court.
Thirteen-year-old Evan was often short of breath. He coughed all night
and most days just wanted to stay in bed. Sarah made the decision to
take him to the emergency room at the local hospital where he was
diagnosed with asthma. Treatment without insurance, and they had none,
would be expensive and Sarah's resources were modest. She was also
shocked to learn that, since she was not actually his parent, she
had no legal right to make medical or educational decisions for either
David
or Evan. The knowledgeable hospital social worker advised her to
seek legal guardianship of Evan immediately and provided referrals to
Legal Services of Northern California and the Guardianship Facilitator
at the Unified Family Court. Sarah called Legal Services of Northern
California first, to ask for advice. She was also concerned about
David's impending court date.
Evan's case was straightforward. The Legal Services representative
explained the process and called the Guardianship Facilitator to set up
an appointment. She also offered to help find legal representation for
David when he appeared in Court. When Sarah presented herself at the
Courthouse on the following Wednesday morning, she was assisted to
complete the extensive temporary guardianship petition application for
the boys by a helpful staff attorney and a paralegal from Legal
Services. She was advised that after a satisfactory background
check, the Judge at the Yolo Unified Family Court would grant a
temporary guardianship petition, and because David was Evan's brother,
he would be assigned to the same judge in the same court when his case
was heard.
The Court, recognizing the family's plight, referred them to DESS, the
Department of Employment and Social Services for assistance in
obtaining TANF benefits, and to enroll both David and Evan in Medi-Cal.
Because serious substance abuse had been the major factor in the loss
of their father and abandonment by their mother, an appointment was
made with
the Unified Family Court Mental Health Clinician for counseling through
Yolo County ADMHS (Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services). CASA,
Court Appointed Special Advocates, provided trained volunteers to
mentor the boys and report their progress back to the Court, and Sarah
was referred to a support group known Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren. The referral was timely and would provide welcome
friendship and advice from her peers. When David's case was heard in
the Juvenile Violence Court he was represented by the Yolo
County Public Defender. He had begun receiving counseling and to
understand why he felt so angry. Taking this into account, and acting
on the recommendation of the Probation Department, the Judge placed him
in the 6-month rehabilitative Juvenile Violence Court program for
youthful offenders. There he would learn, among other important
lessons, to manage his anger. He would also begin work towards his GED
with the Unified Family Court Literacy Program.
Sarah is now the boys' permanent legal guardian. When their father is
released from prison, Court Mediation Services will help establish a
family visitation schedule for him. David completed the Juvenile
Violence Court program and helps support the family by working at a
local market. With proper medication, Evan's asthma is under control,
and he excels in sports at his junior high school.
Yolo Crisis Nursery, taking a
collaborative approach to provide coordinated emergency services to
support young families in crisis.
It was early on a hot July morning
when, homeless and desperate, Ellen called the Yolo Crisis
Nursery, a program of Families First Inc. which is supported in
part by the Yolo County Children and Families Commission. The
Nursery counselor who took the call could hear young children crying in
the background. Ellen explained that her husband had left her some
months earlier, their home in Davis had been foreclosed on, and now she
was unable to find apartment that she could afford. The first and last
month's rent were far beyond her dwindling resources. Her car would not
run and she had outstayed her welcome at her sister's house. Tired,
hungry, and afraid of the exposing her children to the intense summer
heat, she had wearily decided that to protect them she must give them
both, an infant and a toddler, to foster care, or even adoption. She
had seen a Crisis Nursery flyer on a public bulletin board - could
anyone there tell her how to go about doing this?
The Counselor listened to Ellen, and explained that there was another
alternative. He arranged transportation to get her to the Crisis
Nursery quickly. There the family were welcomed with breakfast and the
children bathed, dressed in clean clothing, and then settled in the
family room under the supervision of friendly care givers.
Her children safe, Ellen sat down with the case manager and together
they set up an action plan. The children would be able to stay at the
Crisis Nursery at no charge for up to a month, giving Ellen time to set
about rebuilding her life. She must find shelter for herself, then
address her own chronic medical condition, get her car repaired, look
for longer term housing for her family, and find employment. Meanwhile,
her children would be safe and cared for at the Crisis Nursery. Greatly
relieved, Ellen made phone calls and found a bed at the Shelter run by
Davis Community Meals. The baby still needed immunizations and Nursery
staff helped Ellen arrange for this to be done at a Communicare
Clinic the following day.
The case manager also set up a regular visiting schedule for Ellen and
the children. During visits the nursery staff would spend time with her
to, explaining the routine of the day and relating in detail how the
children were doing. This way Ellen would feel closely connected and
develop an appreciation of how a structured and nurturing home can be
managed.
At the Crisis Nursery Ellen also received the important referrals that
would help reverse her situation. She was eligible to receive
nutrition assistance for herself and her children through the
WIC, Women Children and Infants, program. At DESS, the Department
of Employment and Social Services, she was able to enroll the children
in Medi-Cal, apply for federal TANF benefits and enroll in the
Cal-Works program. Through Child Care Services in Davis she applied for
a child care subsidy which would enable her to work to support her
family. She was also referred to the D.A.'s Office to find out how to
get a child support order.
Ellen focused on getting well and finding a safe place for her children
to come home to. Supported by Crisis Nursery staff, and with growing
confidence in herself, she accomplished these tasks. In just 25 days
she was in good health and had rented an apartment. She had found a job
at a local supermarket and had almost earned enough to get her car
repaired. Meanwhile, Child Care Services had helped her arrange
subsidized child care so she could continue to work when the family
were reunited. STEAC, Short Term Emergency Aid Services in Davis,
provided the family with the basics needed to set up house again. The
children left the Crisis Nursery with their own personal packages of
clothing, toys, toothbrushes and special blankets.
During a thirty day follow up phone call from the Nursery Case Manager,
Ellen reported that her husband had been located and child support
payments would shortly begin. She was taking a parenting class provided
by Hands Together and had also been assigned a Sister- Friend to mentor
her through the months ahead. Secure in her new position, Ellen has
become an advocate for the Crisis Nursery and, inspired by her
accounts, her new co-workers are donating supplies to the program.
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