The Ohio CASA/GAL Association takes standards implementation and quality assurance initiatives very seriously.

Each prospective volunteer must attend 30 hours of pre-service training, submit to a criminal background check and submit three personal references. If the volunteer is accepted, they must complete an additional 12 hours of training per year in order to continue their volunteer work.

Programs within the Association are also subject to rigorous evaluation, including annual submission of data, on-site reviews and completion of a National Self-Assessment every three years.

The National Self-Assessment is a document comprised of 344 “yes” or “no” questions constructed to evaluate a program’s compliance with Standards. Programs must be 85% compliant, answering 292 of the 344 questions affirmatively. Included in the 85% requirements are certain automatic-fail questions, including failure to conduct criminal background checks and failure to dismiss a volunteer acting outside the role or powers of a CASA/GAL.

In order to identify training and technical assistance needs and further ensure programs are taking action to provide the best services, on-site reviews are conducted in conjunction with the Self-Assessment.

Further information concerning the Ohio CASA/GAL Association’s dedication to quality Guardian ad litem services may be obtained at anytime by contacting the Association office.