VT H0797

Requires the Defender General to establish an interdisciplinary legal representation program providing attorneys, social workers, and peer advocates to children and families involved in abuse/neglect substantiations and related petitions, both before and after petitions are filed.

Mandates the program work with the Department for Children and Families to leverage federal Title IV-E funding, with employee compensation comparable to Attorney General and State's Attorneys' offices.

Creates a 14-member Defender General's Citizens Advisory Board to evaluate program effectiveness through policy review, case review, community input, and annual public reporting.

Board membership includes appointees from Vermont Law School, UVM Social Work, state agencies (DCF, Education, Mental Health), the judiciary, Vermont Bar Association, the Governor, and four individuals with lived experience as parents or children in abuse/neglect proceedings.

Effective July 1, 2026, with the Advisory Board required to be fully constituted within 90 days and hold its first meeting within 120 days of passage.