CASA/GAL Program Overview
The work of CASA/GAL programs is to recruit, screen, train, supervise
and support volunteers to serve as CASA/GAL to abused, neglected and
dependent children in the court system. The CASA/GAL volunteer:
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Researches/investigates the
child’s circumstances through a records review (children’s
services, school, medical, criminal, etc.);
Interviews the child and
others having relevant information;
Observes the child’s behavior
and interaction with others such as parents and siblings;
Provides an objective
recommendation to the court at hearings;
Monitors the case; and
Advocates for the best
interests of the child. |
The mission of CASA/GAL programs is to provide thoroughly researched,
independent and objective recommendations to the court and quality
advocacy for abused, neglected and dependent children in the court
system. CASA/GAL volunteers must complete at least 30 hours of training
before they can be appointed to a case using the National CASA
Association Training Curriculum. The CASA/GAL volunteer is assigned to a
small number of cases (1-3) so that the children receive the one-on-one
attention they need and deserve. Volunteers are asked to commit
themselves for the life of the case, providing much-needed consistency
in the child’s life. Volunteers provide a critical connection between
the community and the child welfare and court systems.
CASA/GAL programs must have a primary focus on serving abused, neglected
and dependent children. Some Ohio programs provide GAL services for
custody and visitation cases in both the juvenile and domestic relations
courts. This is permitted as long as the program provides additional
training to prepare the volunteer for these cases and provides
supervision. The primary focus however, must be directed to the abuse,
neglect and dependency population.
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CASA/GAL program may be established as a non-profit organization, a
court-based organization or a court-based organization with a non-profit
component. There are advantages to starting and operating a court-based
CASA/GAL program in that resources such as office equipment, fiscal and
personnel management can be shared with the court. Additionally, the
process of establishing and maintaining a non-profit organization
entails fulfilling both federal and state requirements such as filing a
501 (C) (3) application, federal tax forms and an Ohio charitable
organization registration. However, a non-profit program, by its nature
is independent, a fundamental CASA/GAL value. In Ohio, many of the
court-based programs also have a non-profit component which conducts
fundraising to support program activities such as volunteer recognition,
in-service training and program expansion. Some programs decide to
start as a court-based program and add a non-profit component with the
goal of becoming an independent non-profit organization.
The Ohio CASA/GAL Association was established in 1993 to provide
leadership and support to local CASA/GAL programs. There are currently
32 programs serving children in 35 counties. During 2003, local
programs supervised over 1,800 trained community volunteers serving over
7,000 children. The Association manages the Celebrate Kids! specialty
license plate funds, directs the implementation and monitoring of
National CASA Association Standards, provides training and technical
assistance to volunteers and program staff, hosts an annual conference,
and serves as liaison to social service and criminal justice
organizations at the state and national level. Additional information
on the CASA/GAL network may be obtained by visiting the Ohio CASA/GAL
Association web site at
www.ohiocasa.org
or the National CASA Association web site at
www.casanet.org.
Getting Started
The first step in developing a CASA/GAL program is to work with the
court responsible for juvenile matters in the county in which the
program is to be established. The support of juvenile court is
critical, as it is the court that makes the appointment of cases to the
CASA/GAL volunteers.
When court support is obtained, the next step is to establish a planning
or steering committee. This group should include representatives from
the court, children’s protective services, the prosecutor’s office,
community service providers and community representatives. Local
business and woman’s groups are valuable resources in starting and
supporting a CASA/GAL program.
The planning/steering committee should gather the following
data/information to help in its planning:
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number and type
of child abuse and neglect reports received by the Public Children’s
Protective Services Agency (PCSA); |
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number of child
abuse, neglect and dependency petitions filed with the court; |
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number of
children in the custody of the PCSA and the average length of stay; |
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the percentage
of cultural and ethnic groups represented in the child welfare
population and in your community; |
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number of
children currently waiting adoptive placements and the average time
between termination of parental rights and finalization; |
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duration of the
court process (from filing to case termination) for child abuse, neglect
and dependency cases; and |
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the current system for appointing
Guardians ad litem for child abuse and neglect cases in the court
system. |
A
mission Statement, defining the work of the program, should be
established early in the planning process. Samples of several mission
statements of CASA/GAL programs in Ohio are provided in Appendix I.
The planning/steering group will want to determine whether the program
will be:
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A court-based
program, meaning the court serves as the governing body for the program
and provides funds and in-kind resources such as salaries or a portion
of salaries, office space, equipment and personnel and fiscal
management. Obviously, the court will need to be willing to establish a
court-based CASA/GAL program in order for this to be an option.
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A non-profit
program, meaning the program is governed by a Board of Trustees, has a
501(c) (3) tax status, and is responsible for securing and managing
funds for the program’s operations. Many non-profit CASA/GAL programs
receive partial funding, free office space and other office supports
from the court and/or county government.
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A court-based
program with a non-profit status, meaning the program is governed by the
court yet conducts fund raising activities to enhance the funding
received from the court or other sources. The majority of court-based
CASA/GAL programs in Ohio have a non-profit component to enhance their
program in such areas as funding volunteer attendance at in-service
training, volunteer recognition and marketing the program. |
Identifying funding for the program will be critical to a successful
startup. Potential funding sources include:
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Juvenile Court;
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County
Government;
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United Way;
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Ohio CASA/GAL
Association Startup Funds
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The National
CASA Association (Grant Applications Due in March);
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Victims of
Crimes Act (VOCA) managed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office (Grant
Applications Due in May);
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Community Fund
Raising; and
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Local
foundations, private industry and business and women’s groups. |
Major Budget items for a CASA/GAL program include:
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Staff (salaries,
taxes and benefits); |
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Office space,
furniture & equipment; |
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Office supplies;
and |
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Volunteer
support and training. |
Developing a First Year Plan
The Steering/Planning Committee will need to develop a First Year Plan
that should cover the following:
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Steering/Planning Committee |
Identify the progress in establishing a
steering/planning committee, the membership and major issues for the
Committee to address;
Identify the program expenses and the
sources and amount of funding needed for the first year of operation and
the plans to obtain such funding. Indicate any funds which have been
committed
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Fund Raising
Activities |
Identify fundraising activities that have
been conducted or are planned, if appropriate.
Identify the position(s) dedicated to the
program, whether these positions have been filled, and will work
full-time or part-time for the CASA/GAL program. Identify the
qualifications for each position and the job responsibilities. You may
submit a job posting in lieu of a description of the qualifications or a
job description in lieu of a description of job responsibilities. A
sample job description for program staff is provided in Appendix II.
Address the provision of clerical support,
fiscal management, legal consultation and personnel management for the
program; and
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Volunteer
Recruitment & Public Education Activities
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Identify how the program will educate the
community about the program and begin to recruit volunteers. These
activities may include hosting a community forum, speaking engagements
with local organizations, and media outreach (many programs especially
in smaller communities are able to obtain coverage in local newspapers,
and on the radio or television.)
Application Process
The Ohio Court Appointed Special Advocates/Guardians ad litem (CASA/GAL)
Association accepts applications for new CASA/GAL programs through out
the year. An application is available upon request. The application
serves a dual purpose 1) to request to establish a CASA/GAL program, and
2) to apply for startup funds.
Applicants must demonstrate:
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A mission and
fundamental principals in line with the National CASA Association
standards of practice;
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Court and
community commitment to support a CASA/GAL program; and
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Progress in
initial program planning and development;
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in order to be approved to become a CASA/GAL program.
Awards for startup funds will be competitive and determined by a panel
of Ohio CASA/GAL Association board members, directors and staff.
Appropriation of start up funds will be based on the level of court and
community commitment to support a CASA/GAL program, progress in initial
program planning and development, the number of children to be served
and the availability of funds. The panel will review the applications
and determine the applicants to receive approval to establish a CASA/GAL
program and startup funding.
Completed applications should be sent to the Ohio CASA/GAL Association
and must be post marked no later than May 6, 2005 to be considered.
Applicants will be informed of the panel’s decision no later than June
10, 2005.
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