To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Sam Olson, Juvenile and Probate Court Administrator
title
RE: Approval of a contract extension between Genesee County and Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, in the amount of $140,000.00, to provide pre-petition and post-adjudication ancillary legal services involved in child welfare cases; the term of this agreement is from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; the cost of this agreement is budgeted and will be paid from 2915-662.00-801.004
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
The Court is requesting approval of a contract extension between Genesee County and Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, in the amount of $140,000, to provide pre-petition and post-adjudication ancillary legal services involved in child welfare cases; the term of this agreement is from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; the cost of this agreement is budgeted and will be paid from 2915-662.00-801.004.
BACKGROUND:
The Court was awarded the Child & Parent Legal Representation Grant for FY 2025-26. The present request is an extension to the contract, reflected in Res # 2024-1346, with Legal Services of Eastern Michigan to provide such services consistent with the grant award.
DISCUSSION:
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan will provide pre-petition and post-petition ancillary services for indigent parents who are at-risk of becoming involved in child protective proceedings, or post-adjudication ancillary legal services that could expedite the resolution of their case. Legal services may be provided in areas such as family law, fair housing, governmental benefits, education, employment, probate, or civil/individual rights.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
None.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
The grant was included in the FY 2025-26 budget.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
This request furthers the county’s priorities of enhancing community growth by allowing for necessary legal services to be provided to families in need of assistance and resources to avoid children entering the child welfare system.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Juvenile and Probate Court Administrator to authorize extending the professional services contract between Genesee County and Legal Services of Eastern (LSEM), whereby LSEM will provide pre-petition and post-adjudication ancillary legal services for families involved in child welfare cases for the period commencing October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, at a total cost not to exceed $140,000 to be paid from account 2915-662.00-801.004, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the October 8, 2025 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the contract extension on behalf of Genesee County.