Dependency Advocacy Center
Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization providing interdisciplinary family defense legal services to indigent parents and children involved in Santa Clara County’s child welfare system. Our adult clients face the removal of their children due to concerns of abuse and neglect with a myriad of issues presented, including poverty, trauma, substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health. DAC’s goal is to promote timely reunification and preservation of these families in a safe, healthy environment.
DAC's client often have criminal backgrounds and some programs are targeted to providing services and supports specifically to parents with criminal justice system involvement. Client visits often occur at court, in an office, in a public community setting, or in a client's home. Staff/ volunteers are encouraged to conduct client visits in the community or in a client's home in pairs and to provide information to other staff in advance regarding the scheduled meeting.
Staff/ volunteers will be expected to meet independently with clients or with peers (vs. supervisors) and will not always be directly supervised by their supervisor during all client meetings. Clinical supervision is provided to all individuals fulfilling mentor parent roles at DAC in the form of 1:1 and group meetings with the clinical supervisor twice a week.
- POPULATION SERVED: Students will be working with individuals who have a known criminal background or history of violent behavior.
- SUPERVISION: Students will be supervised less than 50% of the time.
8-6