October 11, 2018 - The Role of the Parent Attorney and GAL in Case Planning

The Role of the Parent Attorney and GAL in Case Planning:

Christina McCabe, J.D., Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office and Lisa Finkey, J.D., a guardian ad litem and parent attorney with Finkey Law, LLC in Gillette, Wyoming will provide information about the role of the guardian ad litem and parent attorney in Department of Family Services (DFS) case planning. A case plan is a document created in partnership with the family in collaboration with formal and informal support and may be created during a family team meeting, multi-disciplinary team or other appropriate meeting.  In Wyoming, case plans are required for all open DFS cases. Case plans are especially important in abuse and neglect, Child in Need of Supervision (CHINS) and delinquency cases filed in Wyoming juvenile court. The role of each attorney in case planning can be confusing. The presenters will provide an overview of Wyoming statutes and DFS policy related to case planning, talk about each stakeholders’ role, discuss practical tips for successful case planning and clear up common misconceptions related to case plans and communication. Additionally, the presenters will discuss the requirements related to case plan distribution, goal updates and changes and how and why a case plan should be filed with the court.