Section B: Standards I - IV

 

Standard I: CASA Program Mission and Purpose

Page 2

Standard II: CAS A Program Governance

Page 5

Standard III: Program Development and Implementation

Page 9

Standard IV: Graphics

Page 10

 

 

 

Program ID:      

“The primary purpose of a program that is a member of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association is to represent the interests of abused and neglected children in court proceedings by providing advocacy primarily with volunteers.”

 

A. The CASA/GAL program has a defined purpose that guides the administration of its services and is consistent with the NCASAA mission.
(Standard I.A.)

1.      Is the program’s primary purpose to provide trained community volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children involved in the court system primarily because of alleged abuse or neglect? (100% required)

2.      Do your CASA/GAL program’s services reflect the mission of providing advocacy primarily by volunteers? (100% required)

3.      Does the CASA program assure that volunteers have regular, in-person contact with the child sufficient to have in-depth knowledge of the case and make fact based recommendations to the court?     (100% required)

B.  The CASA/GAL program has a defined purpose which guides the administration of its services and is consistent with the NCASAA mission.
(Standard I.A. cont.)

1.      Does your program have a written mission statement?

2.      Has the mission statement been approved by the relevant body with policy-making authority for the program?

3.      Does the CASA/GAL program operate consistently with its mission?

4.      If the CASA/GAL Program provides child advocacy in private custody disputes where there are issues of abuse or neglect, does the program require that volunteers receive training, in addition to the core 30 hour CASA/GAL volunteer training, to handle these cases with the equivalent level of expertise expected in abuse/neglect cases?
(If yes, how many additional hours?)      
N/A: Program does not provide advocacy in custody disputes.

 

5.      Have you achieved a CASA/GAL program whose volunteer advocates, Board members, and employees reflect the diversity of the children they serve and their community?

C.  The CASA/GAL program has legal authority to operate.
(Standard I.B.)

1.      Has the program, within the past year, reviewed state law or court rule to assure the CASA/GAL program offers services in a manner that reflects the responsibilities the program must assume?

      Questions 2–3 refer to non-profit organizations. If the program is publicly administered, please skip to question 4.

2.      Is there clear evidence that the CASA/GAL program is legally authorized to operate?

3.      Have articles of incorporation or other governing instruments been approved and filed with the proper state or local authorities? (100% required)

 

      Question 4 refers to publicly administered programs. If the program is a non-profit organization, please skip to question D1.

4.      Is the program authorized and established by statute or as a sub-unit of a public entity with which a clear administrative relationship exists?

 

D.  The CASA/GAL program is recognized and supported by the court.
(Standard I.C.)

1.      If the CASA/GAL program is a non-profit or if it is publicly administered other than by the courts, does it have a written agreement with the juvenile or family court that defines the working relationship between the program and the court?

 

2.      Does the CASA/GAL program regularly communicate with and seek input from the court?

3.      Does the CASA/GAL program collaborate with the courts, public agencies, and community groups?

 

 

      Briefly describe how and to what extent the CASA/GAL program is recognized and supported by the court. The space will grow as you type.

     

 

 

 

Comments: Add any clarifying information related to the questions or Indicators of Compliance for Standard I (Optional).

     

 

 

 

 

 

“The CASA Program has a governing body responsible for assuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, adopting its policies, defining its service, guiding its development, and assuring its accountability to the courts and community. When the governing body is not itself a voluntary board of directors (as in the case of a CASA program under public auspices), there is a voluntary advisory council.”

A.     The CASA/GAL program has a governing body responsible for adopting its policies and procedures, guiding its development, overseeing its program of services and assuring its accountability to the community. (Standard II.A and B)

1.      Does the program assure compliance with applicable laws and regulations?

2.      Does the CASA/GAL program have access to legal counsel with relevant expertise to clarify the meaning of laws or regulations governing or relating to its program operations?

3.      Is legal counsel available to advise the organization on start-up and ongoing legal requirements?

i.                     If the program is a non-profit organization and in those instances when the legal counsel is also a member of the CASA/GAL program board, are the roles of the counsel differentiated and clarified so as to keep the two functions separate?

4.      Does the governing body maintain personnel policies and adopt changes as needed?

5.      Do the governing instruments or bylaws of the CASA/GAL program, or its written operational procedures in the case of a sub-unit of an organized legal entity:                                                                     

 

i.                     Describe the organizational structure and responsibilities of the governing body or advisory council?

ii.                   Establish the mechanisms for selection, rotation, and duration of membership and for election of officers?

iii.                  Set the minimum number of formal meetings of the full governing body or advisory council?

iv.                 Set the quorum for these meetings as at least a simple majority of the current membership of the governing body or advisory council?

 

6.      Does the governing body:

 

i.                     Appoint the chief executive office/program administrator or in the case of an umbrella agency designate the appointment of the CASA/GAL Program Director to the chief executive officer of the umbrella agency?

ii.                   Delegate authority and responsibility for program and fiscal management?

7.      Does the governing body of a CASA/GAL program:

 

i.                     Review fiscal reports at least quarterly with attention to the relationship between budgeted expenditures and revenues?

ii.                   Approve the annual budget?

iii.                  Hold the chief executive officer/program administrator accountable for the program’s performance?

iv.                 Adopt or recommend agency policies?

v.                   Engage in strategic planning?

vi.                 Assist with diversity outreach?

vii.                Actively develop resources for the program?

8.      Does the governing body meet at least quarterly?

i.                     Are up-to-date records prepared and permanently retained for all governing body and advisory council deliberations and decisions?

 

B.     The CASA/GAL program is administered in accordance with established policies and effective management principles.
(Standard II.C)

1.      Are responsibilities delegated to and carried out by the appropriate parties?

 

 

2.      Is communication and collaboration among employees, volunteers, and governing body members promoted by:

 

i.                     Inclusive mechanisms such as participation on appropriate committees by personnel with responsibility for service delivery?

ii.                   Maintenance of brief records of committee and personnel meetings?

 

C.     High standards of ethical conduct are adhered to in governance and operation of the CASA program.
(Standard II.D and II.E)

1.      Has the CASA/GAL program established written policies to govern ethical conduct of members of the governing body, employees, and volunteers?

2.      Do the chief executive officer/program administrator, employees, paid consultants, volunteers, legal counsel and/or governing board members of the CASA/GAL program bide by written policies concerning conflict of interest?

i.                     Do governing board members, employees, and volunteers refrain from positions of conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest?

ii.                   Is there a written policy prohibiting governing body members and volunteers from having direct or indirect financial interest in the assets, leases, business transactions, or professional services of the program?

3.      Do members of the governing body, employees, volunteers, or consultants, who individually or as part of a business or professional firm are involved in business transactions or current professional services with the program:

 

i.                     Disclose their relationship?

ii.                   Refrain from participating in any vote in respect to such transactions or services?

 

4.      Is the governing body:

 

i.                     Broadly representative of the community?