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Applied in 2005

CASA Volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children

Advocates for Children

Program Facts

  • Paid (FTE) Staff Working: 10
  • Program Participants Last Year: 719
  • Meets about 4 time(s) with each participant per month
  • Participants remain in the program for 24 months

Volunteers

Volunteers per month: 320

Volunteers are trained:

Volunteer Training
AlwaysRarely

Volunteers are actively recruited:

Volunteer Recruiting
AlwaysRarely

Board Activities

  • Formally reviews the performance of the chief executive officer at least once every two years.
  • Formally approves the budget.
  • Ensures that arrangements with outside fund raising firms are made in writing.
  • Receives information about the financial arrangements with such firms and, if applicable, the anticipated portion of the gross proceeds that goes to the organization.
  • Has formally approved a conflict of interest policy and regularly monitors it to ensure adherence.
  • Receives, at least quarterly, the organization's financial statement.
  • Receives, at least annually, an auditor's management letter and report.
  • Convenes an audit committee.

Outcomes & Measures: (self-reported)

Outcome 1
Children will be safe while under court jurisdiction (90 percent will not experience a recurrence of abuse)

Measure
Number and percent of children in CASA program who experienced a recurrence of abuse while assigned a CASA. Information collected on monthly report form.

Outcome 2
Children will be safe after court termination (90 percent will not experience a recurrence of abuse)

Measure
Number and percent of children who experienced a recurrence of abuse within six months of CASA/court termination. Information collected monthly from court records for all cases that have been closed up to six months.

Outcome 3
Courts will receive input from CASAs to help them make better decisions for abused and neglected children. (90 percent of hearings will be attended by a staff person, 35 percent by a CASA, Court reports received in 70 percent of hearings. 80 percent of judge surveys will indicate useful CASA information aiding decision-making

Measure
Input is defined as written or verbal court reports as well as representation by a CASA or agency staff during court hearings. The number of hearings will be tracked along with the number of written/verbal court reports and the presence of CASAs or staff at hearings. A yearly evaluation by judges as to the relevancy and quality of the information received from CASAs will be collected

Outcome 4
With the help of CASA advocacy, permanent placements will be found for child victims (75 percent of children at time of closing will be in permanent placements).

Measure
At time of case closing where CASA is appointed, the final placements will be recorded. Appropriate permanent placements include reunification, adoption and appropriate kinship homes. Continued residence in foster homes and residential treatment centers will not be considered as permanent placements.

Change Process: (self-reported)

Our program is based on volunteers advocating for at-risk child victims. The children come into the system battered, bruised and emotionally barren. Volunteers spend 3-4 hours per week helping them through listening, caring, observing, and their own personal experiences. The CASAs provide resources, information, an open ear and life's simplest gift - caring to children who have NO other constant adult in their lives. The volunteers also provide to a judge or magistrate independent, detailed and timely information regarding the child and his/her wants, needs and feelings. Decisions regarding their placement and future lives are better made because of this information. CASAs provide the most essential of all human needs - consistency in a caring and direct way. They watch and protect the child against future abuse or neglect and make a difference by helping to break the generational cycle of violence and creating productive, hopeful future citizens.