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“CCWRO BOARD APPROVED SERVICE PRIORITIES FOR 2010-2011 Staff shall provide consultation, welfare information, litigation support and welfare training to legal services field programs within the State of California. The areas of services will be: 1. CalWORKs Welfare to Work; 2. CalWORKs Cash Aid Program; 3.Medi-Cal; 4. Food Stamps: ”

“COALITION OF CALIFORNIA WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INC. 1901 Alhambra Blvd., 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95816 Telephone: (916) 736-0616 Fax: (916) 736-2645 CASE ACCEPTANCE POLICY No case is to be accepted prior to discussion and approval of the case by the CCWRO Litigation Committee. (In emergencies, the advocate shall discuss the case with at least one attorney member of the Litigation Committee.) At the case review discussion, the advocate who wants to take a case shall be prepared to discuss the legal and factual issues. Factors to be considered in deciding whether to accept a case shall includes: (1) Client Eligibility Standards and Guidelines; (2) Program Priorities; (3) Unacceptable probability of success; (4) Potential benefit outweighed by excessive costs of pursing matter; (5) Case load limitations; (6) Alternative agencies in community; and (7) Whether the case, if won, could establish negative public policy. In accepting a case, CCWRO shall affirmatively select cases that focus resources on cases which offer the possibility of eliminating a practice, rule, or problem which affects a large number of persons within the State of California. When a case is not accepted for representation, the reasons shall be noted and the individual shall be informed that CCWRO is unable to represent her or him. The individual will be given the name of other community resources that may be able to assist the individual. ”

“COALITION OF CALIFORNIA WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INC. 1901 Alhambra Blvd., 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95816 Telephone: (916) 736-0616 Fax: (916) 736-2645 CASE OPENING PROCESS 1. When a potential client contacts CCWRO, determine the referral source, i.e., which legal aid office made the referral. Ascertain the legal problem. If the issue is one of current public assistance benefits, the individual would be eligible under the income guidelines. 2. Ascertain the person’s income. If the income for the family is within the Superior Court Fee Waiver Guidelines so that the family would be eligible for a fee waiver, then the family is eligible for CCWRO’s services. 3. If possible, arrange for an office interview. Otherwise have the person send any and all correspondence relating to the problem, the position statement, the administrative hearing decision and all of the available papers. 4. Inform the person that CCWRO has not accepted the case and must evaluate the case before CCWRO can decide to take it. Tell the person that CCWRO has not contacted him\/her within 20 days from mailing the information to CCWRO, to call CCWRO at (916) 736-0616. 5. Upon receipt of the packet of information, review the documents. (a) If the case has no merit, send a letter to the individual declining representation and return the documents. (b) If the case has merit, discuss the case with the Litigation Committee. If the case is approved, contact person and complete an intake form during the interview process. (c) If the Litigation Committee decides the case is not acceptable, send a letter to the individual declining representation, suggest that the person contact legal services and return the documents. 6. Notify the client that CCWRO is willing to accept the case. Be specific in describing which services CCWRO will be providing. Tell him\/her that CCWRO will send a Retainer Agreement and blank Releases of Information for a signature and date. Tell him\/her to carefully review the retainer agreement and if she has questions to call before signing. Then tell the person to date\/sign the retainer and releases and return it to CCWRO. 7. Upon receipt of the retainer, sign and date it and send the client a copy. Open a file in the client’s name. 8. Add client’s name to Active Case list. ”

“COALITION OF CALIFORNIA WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INC. 1901 Alhambra Blvd., 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95816 Telephone: (916) 736-0616 Fax: (916) 736-2645 CASE REVIEW POLICY The CCWRO Litigation Committee shall meet at a minimum of once a month to review ongoing cases as well as new cases. Between meetings, CCWRO staff shall confer with an attorney member of the Litigation Committee: (1) whenever issues arise which requires advice; or (2) whenever the case has moved to a new stage. ”

“COALITION OF CALIFORNIA WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INC. 1901 Alhambra Blvd., 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95816 Telephone: (916) 736-0616 Fax: (916) 736-2645 CONFLICTS When CCWRO staff interviews potential clients, staff shall ask the potential client if any members of her\/his family or friends have been represented by CCWRO. Staff shall review cases to determine if CCWRO has any other cases with that client or with the client’s opponent. If an apparent conflict exists, the CCWRO staff review the case to determine if there is an actual conflict. If there is no actual conflict, the CCWRO staff will discuss the apparent conflict with the client. If the client wants CCWRO to represent her or him, the CCWRO will have the client sign the retainer agreement. ”

“Coalition of California Welfare[image: ] CCWRO Rights Organizations, Inc. Kevin M. Alsanian Executive Director Grace A. Galligher, Directing Attorney 1111 Howe Ave., Suite 150, Sacramento, CA 958125-8551 Tel. (916) 736-0616 Fax (916) 736-2645 Cell (916) 712-0071 [email protected] www.ccwro.org CCWRO CLIENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES When a client seeks to submit a written grievance against a CCWRO staff member, staff shall review the written complaint and forwards it to the Board President on the day the complaint was received. [bookmark: _GoBack]Within three working days, the Board President shall discuss the complaint with the CCWRO staff. (1) If it is determined that the grievance is valid, the Board President shall raise the grievance before the CCWRO Board of Directors and the Board of Directors shall take corrective actions within ten (10) days during a special meeting. The Board President shall prepare a letter to the client and inform the client of the steps that will be taken to correct the problem based on decision of the Board meeting within five (5_) working days. (2) If it is determined that the grievance is not valid, the Board President shall prepare a letter to the client and inform the client of the reason why the grievance was not valid within five (5) working days of the Board meeting. The client will be allowed to submit further statements why the grievance is legitimate. When a client seeks to submit a written grievance against a CCWRO attorney, the client submits the complaint to the CCWRO Executive Director who reviews the written complaint and forwards it to the Board President on the day the complaint was received. Within three working days, the Board President and the Executive Director shall discuss the complaint with the attorney. (1) If it is determined that the grievance is valid, the Board President shall raise the grievance before the CCWRO Board of Directors and the Board of Directors shall take corrective actions. The Board President shall prepare a letter to the client and inform the client of the steps that will be taken to correct the problem. (2) If it is determined that the grievance is not valid, the Board President shall prepare a letter to the client and inform the client of the reason why the grievance was not valid. The client will be allowed to submit further statements why the grievance is legitimate. ”

” HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBER: MAXIMIZING BOARD IMPACT Presented by: Marla Cornelius, CompassPoint Webinar Objectives Understand underlying reasons that board work is often ineffective and\/or disconnected from needs of the organization Introduce governance framework used to restructure board work to mission impact Understand how new framework might be applied to your organization Less than the sum of our parts? Most boards are comprised of talented, bright, dedicated people. Not realizing the tremendous potential; waste of valuable resource Why and what can we do? Common Board Problems Board meetings are not engaging Poor meeting attendance Committees aren’t as effective as can be Problems recruiting good or desired board members Unclear relationship with the ED and\/or staff Disconnected to staff and\/or work of org. Not fundraising or connecting w\/ stakeholders Not sustaining or developing leadership Contributing Factors: Structure Traditional Models Paternalistic frameworks; separate board and staff Governance has power: power over others, vs. power with others? Overemphasize fiduciary responsibilities Inwardly focused Rigidity structures not responsive Not reflective of communities Contributing Factors: Governing Processes If it’s in the board room it must be board business. Is this really a board decision? Boards \u2260 Governance Agenda misaligned with priorities Unclear decision-making processes Agents of Governance Clients Govern’t Board StaffStake-holders Funders Coalition Desired Mission Impact Governance as Leadership Richard Chait, William Ryan and Barbara Taylor, 2005 Premise Focus on the right work at the right time. Understand what already doing; provide frame for new practices Board performance lies in board purpose. Need to distinguish what type of governance is needed when. Roles and responsibilities say nothing about the organization. Three Governance Modes Generative Governance as Leadership Fiduciary Board’s central purpose Stewardship of tangible assets Board’s principal role Sentinel Board governs The Productive Organization Board’s core work Oversee operations Ensure legal compliance & fiscal accountability Ensure efficient & appropriate use of resources Strategic Board’s central purpose Ensure winning strategy Board’s principal role Strategic partner to senior management Board governs The Logical Organization Board’s core work Scan internal and external environments Set priorities Review and modify strategic plan Monitor performance against plan Generative Board’s central purpose Source of leadership for organization Board’s principal role Sense maker Board governs The Expressive Organization Board’s core work Decide what to decide Discern challenges & opportunities Probe assumptions, logic, values behind strategy Type I Fiduciary Type II Strategic Type III Generative Board’s role Steward Strategic Sense maker Key question What’s wrong? What’s the plan? What’s the key question? Problems are to be Spotted Solved Framed Way of deciding Reach resolution Reach consensus Reach understanding Community Engagement Governance Judy Friewirth and Alliance for Nonprofits Governance Affinity Group Premise Who are we account- able to? Board models often do not reflect who they are accountable to and they do not have practices to ensure this accountability. Accountability is at the core of governance. Brings the community into the governance process Governance Functions Planning Advocacy Fiduciary Care Evaluation Board Competencies Organizational learning Mutual accountability Strategic thinking Shared facilitated leadership Cultural competency Implementation of Frameworks Diagram current model Components of board model Board policies Work structures Meetings Agendas and reports Communications Decision making Board membership Testing of Model You’ve set your own rules Make them work for YOU. What components facilitate the type of governing desired? What’s getting in the way? Migration strategy Considerations: Stage of organizational development Size of organization Adaptive capacity Constituency Community readiness Nonprofit sector\/field Migration strategy Change management team Plan, objectives, timeline, process Identify barrier areas to address Selective adoption Customized, unique and flexible Marla Cornelius [email protected] Questions and Comments? mailto:[email protected] How to Be an Effective Board Member: Maximizing Board Impact\ufffd Webinar Objectives Less than the sum of our parts? Common Board Problems Contributing Factors: Structure Contributing Factors:\ufffdGoverning Processes\ufffd Agents of Governance Governance as Leadership Premise Three Governance Modes Fiduciary Strategic Generative Slide Number 14 Community Engagement Governance Premise Governance Functions Board Competencies Implementation of Frameworks Components of board model Testing of Model Migration strategy Migration strategy Questions and Comments? ”