Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second Region, honored with Governor’s Sterling Award
Group members representing the Regional Counsel performed a skit demonstrating the steps of a dependency court case. Through this exercise, the team showcased the benefits provided by social workers who assist the legal team, a partnership that results in vast financial savings by shortening the time children remain in foster care and reducing the time to family reunification.
Some normally low-profile government lawyers have earned a prestigious award for developing procedures in dependency cases that result in shorter foster care stays and faster family reunifications.
The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Region Two, received the 2024 Governor’s Sterling Award in the Team Showcase Competition. The award was presented at the annual Sterling Leadership Conference in Orlando May 29-31.
“Governor’s Sterling Award recipients are considered role model organizations that are doing things the ‘right way,’” said Regional Counsel Ita M. Neymotin. “Receiving the Sterling Award validates that our office is thinking outside the box to reduce children’s time in foster care while saving taxpayer money.”
Formed in 1992, the Sterling Council is a public/private not-for-profit supported by the Executive Office of the Governor.
“Our core business is the management of the Sterling/Baldrige National Criteria for Performance Excellence as a member of the National Alliance for Performance Excellence,” the Sterling Council notes on its website.
At the annual ceremony, Regional Council members presented a skit that demonstrated the steps in a dependency case.
“Through this exercise, the team showcased the benefits provided by social workers who assist the legal team, a partnership that results in vast financial savings by shortening the time children remain in foster care and reducing the time to family unification,” according to a statement.
The group projects that once it is implemented region-wide, the dependency program will save taxpayers $30 million and reduce a dependent child’s time in foster care by six months.
The Second Region covers 12 counties, from Collier through Pasco and inland communities. The Regional Counsel represents indigent defendants in certain criminal, dependency, and civil cases, as well as appeals and post-conviction relief.
