Dependency Advocacy Center

What it reported doing in 2024

Dependency court program: dependency advocacy center (dac) is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation serving indigent parents and children involved in the juvenile dependency system in santa clara county, California. Dac's primary activity is the provision of court-appointed legal representation, free of charge, to indigent parents and children in juvenile dependency court in santa clara county. In santa clara county, when a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, or when there are substantiated allegations of such, the department of family and children services files a petition with the court requesting that the child either be removed from the home or remain in the home with court supervision. Approximately 60 percent of (continued on schedule o) these petitions include allegations of parental substance abuse, and many include allegations of intimate partner violence, mental health issues, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or general neglect. Each parent is entitled to an attorney if they request one. If the parent is indigent, the court appoints an attorney for that parent at no cost to the parent. The child is also appointed an attorney, frequently at no cost to the family. As of october 1, 2008, by contractual arrangement with the judicial council of California (jcc), dac is the provider of these legal services. Dac represents parents and children in santa clara county's superior court, as well as in its therapeutic drug treatment court (dependency wellness court), which is a subset of santa clara county's dependency court system, engaging in more specialized and holistic dependency solutions. Dac's staff attorneys provide legal representation free of charge throughout the life of the case, including representation at uncontested hearings, mediations, trials, and settlement conferences. In its client representation, dac utilizes an interdisciplinary approach which in addition to an attorney, may include a mentor parent and a social worker. Dac's social workers offer trauma-informed clinical services to its youth and parent clients. Dac social workers partner with attorneys and peer mentors to effectively advocate on behalf of clients and empower them to take a proactive role in preserving their families. Dac's clients receive skilled, clinical social worker support as they navigate a complex court system and face the possibility of permanent family separation. A social worker's training, experience, and role greatly differ from that of the attorney, and their clinical expertise is an invaluable contribution to the advocacy our clients receive. Services by dac social workers include providing limited or ongoing case management, making referrals to community services, generating assessments and written reports to attorneys and the court, interfacing with other service providers providing direct services to clients, participating in alternative dispute resolution forums and attend court hearings, attending visitation between parent and child as part of an assessment, and offering expert testimony.along with the direct representation of parents and children, dac participates in monthly meetings during which the dependency court stakeholders engage in open discussions about policy issues and collaborate in the development of best practices for serving families in the child welfare system. Dac also participates in trainings throughout the state and related to dependency, including trainings for social workers, child advocates, and mediators. Throughout the years of operation, dac made great strides in establishing itself as an important stakeholder in santa clara county's juvenile dependency system. Dac attorneys have been persistent and zealous in their client advocacy which has led to a more frequent use of experts and an increase in desired outcomes for their clients both at trial and through settlement negotiations. Dac has taken leadership roles in various committees to improve services provided to our clients and

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87%; rating input score 87
• Program expense ratio: 89.3%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $31.22 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2.6%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.62; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.32; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.1%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings