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8/3/2019 CASA TF Report Final 01 09 12
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/casa-tf-report-final-01-09-12 1/5
1 CASA Task Force Report – January 9, 2012
CASA Task Force Members
The Honorable Cynthia L.
Easterday, ChairCircuit Court Judge
Yamhill County
The Honorable Brian Boquist
Oregon State Senator,
District 12
The Honorable Jim Thompson
Oregon State Representative,
District 23
Christine K. HerbertAttorney at Law,
Jackson County
Barbara Johnson
Executive Director,
Child Advocates, Inc.
Steven M. McCarthy
Attorney at Law,
Polk County
Leola L. McKenzieJuvenile Court Programs Dir.,
Oregon Judicial Department
Megan Shultz
Executive Director,
CASA of Lane County
Becky A. Snyder
Commissioner,
Oregon Volunteers
Commission for Voluntary
Action and Service
Staff
William E. Taylor, Jr.
Legislative Counsel
Annola DeJong
House/Senate Judiciary
Office Coordinator
Court Appointed Special Advocate Task ForceFinal Report: January 9, 2012
Background
House Bill 3102 (Or Laws 2011, ch 725) establishes a Court Appointed
Special Advocate (CASA) Task Force and directs the Task Force to “study and make
recommendations on the appropriate structure and operation for funding and
administration of the CASA Volunteer Programs in this state.”
Currently, the State of Oregon’s authority and responsibilities with respect to
CASA Volunteer Programs are set out in ORS 419A.170, which: (a) creates “a Court
Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Fund” and “continuously” appropriates money
in the CASA Fund to the State Commission on Children and Families (SCCF); (b)
authorizes SCCF to “expend moneys” from the CASA Fund “directly or indirectly
through contracts or grants for the creation, supervision and operation of CASA
Volunteer Programs statewide” and “to pay the reasonable costs of [SCCF’s]
administration” of the CASA Fund; (c) authorizes SCCF to “apply for and receive
funds from federal and private sources for carrying out the provisions of” ORS419A.170; and (e) requires SCCF to “adopt rules” to carry out the foregoing
responsibilities.
CASA Task Force Recommendations
1. The Oregon Legislature should enact legislation transferring SCCF’s statutory
authority and responsibilities with respect to CASA Volunteer Programs to the
Oregon Volunteers Commission for Voluntary Action and Service (Oregon
Volunteers Commission). The CASA Task Force acknowledges that the Oregon
Volunteers Commission will need funding to carry out these duties.
2. The Oregon Volunteers Commission should develop a coordinating relationshipwith local CASA programs and ensure accountability of local CASA programs
through contract administration, gathering and evaluating relevant statewide
information and data, and establishing performance-measure reporting practices.
3. The Oregon Volunteers Commission should establish a partnership with the
Oregon CASA Network (OCN) designed to strengthen and build on the OCN.
4. The House Human Services Committee should review periodically the
performance and effectiveness of local CASA Volunteer Programs and the State of
Oregon’s relationship with them and consider, if requested by the Oregon
Volunteers Commission, establishing and supporting an ongoing advisory
workgroup that would include legislators and those knowledgeable of the juveniledependency system to provide input and guidance on the funding and
administration of CASA Volunteer Programs.
5. By no later than December 31, 2014, the Oregon Judicial Department --
working with the OCN and Oregon Volunteers Commission – should make a
determination whether, and if so how, the State of Oregon’s statutory authority
and responsibilities with respect to CASA Volunteer Programs should be
transferred to the Judicial Branch.
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3 CASA Task Force Report – January 9, 2012
Funding and Administration
Part of the potential cost in carrying out the state’s responsibilities with respect to CASA Volunteer Programs
depends on the role the state Administering Agency plays in funding and providing oversight of the local CASA
programs, and correlates directly with the desired level of state involvement and oversight. The Task Force
received fiscal impact information analyzing potential costs in particular detail. The least costly option would be
the state acting only as a payment agent. The most costly would be the creation of an independent CASA
commission.
The federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (H.R. 6893/ P.L. 110-351) provided
greater federal resources to states for training. IV-E funds can be acquired to reimburse CASA programs for a
portion of their training expenses. This would require updating Oregon's IV-E, IV-B, and Cost Allocation plans,
developing a process to isolate the training costs for local programs, entering into an agreement with DHS to submit
IV-E claims and passing through the earned IV-E reimbursement. The funding formula for this is complex, but a
conservative estimate is that it could result in an additional $200,000 a year, which inturn could be usedto freeup
resources that could support the staffing and other administrative costs. The Department of Human Services andOregon Judicial Department have indicated a willingness to work with CASA programs to establish protocols to
receive IV-E reimbursement for training expenses.
The CASA Task Force reviewed various options regarding Administration of CASA and determined that the best
solution at this time is for the Administering Agency to have a coordinating relationship with local CASA programs
and ensure accountability of local CASA programs through contract administration, statewide information, and
data and performance measure reporting. The Executive Director of the Oregon Volunteers Commission
reported to the CASA Task Force that they could serve in this role and be responsible for the functions in the
EXAMPLE OF TASK DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN STATEWIDE CASA ADMINISTERING AGENCY AND OREGON CASA NETWORK for
$100,000 per year. Additionally, the Oregon Volunteers Commission is willing to establish a partnership with theOregon CASA Network (OCN) designed to strengthen and build on the OCN. The Oregon Volunteers
Commissioners voted to approve serving as the Administering Agency for CASA programs. The Oregon
Volunteers Commission will reevaluate this relationship in 2014.
The OCN and CASA directors have long had a goal to be within the Judicial Branch at some point in the future.
The CASA Task Force appreciates the Chief Justice’s willingness to consider options for CASA Administration
within the Judicial Branch. The Judicial Department expressed concerns regarding the current timeline and their
inability to fully explore the various options that may exist and to determine the best option without unintended
consequences.
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4 CASA Task Force Report – January 9, 2012
EXAMPLE OF TASK DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN STATEWIDE CASA ADMINISTERING AGENCY AND OREGON CASA NETWORK
# Tasks/ResponsibilitiesAdministering
State Entity
Oregon
CASA
Network
Budget & Contract Management
1Statewide GF Budget Management – this includes preparation, monitoring,
management, and reporting on GF budget allocation.Primary
2
Assist Administering Agency with Biennial Budget Presentation to Legislature,
provide recommendations regarding distribution of GF appropriation to local
programs, provide statewide numbers and report as required by NCASA to
CASA Agency
Primary
3Serve as NCASA Statewide Program – submit, receive, and manage NCASA grant
to states; prepare and submit NCASAA reports required of grant recipients.Primary
4Assist member (only) programs with maintaining and developing other sources
of revenue.Secondary Primary
5Work to secure access to federal sources of revenue to support CASA programs
statewide, the OCN, and state administering agency.SHARED
6 Work to secure access to foundation and private sources of revenue to supportCASA programs statewide, member, the OCN, and state administering agency.
Secondary Primary
7
Develop legally sufficient contracts with local CASA programs and OCN. Work to
contract with 501.c3 programs directly, determine procurement and competitive
processes re CASA programs, establish minimum data reporting requirements
for local programs and OCN.
Primary
8
Provide TA re data and performance measure requirements, contract
administration, and deliverables – this includes some site visits to local CASA
programs.
Primary
9Host an annual meeting for the directors of each CASA program in the state –
contracts, budgeting, data…SHARED
10Strive to develop a coordinated messaging plan regarding funding of CASA
programs and services. SHARED
11 Conduct a biennial Peer Review Process for local programs. Secondary Primary
12
Determine allocation formula for distribution of state GF monies to local CASA
programs, after discussion with and input from OCN and other interested
entities.
Primary
Communications
1Serve as ex-officio member of OCN, attending statewide meetings and providing
information, training, or reports as requested by the OCN.Primary
2Secure locations and funding for all statewide OCN meetings, including agenda,
materials, and any reimbursements for member programs.
Secondary Primary
3 Develop and maintain master list of CASA Program and Contacts. SHARED
4Develop and maintain a CASA website with information and links to the websites
of all Oregon CASA programs and the OCN website.Primary
5Provide information on state GF or FF resources and expectations to all Oregon
CASA programs and the OCN directly.Primary
6Provide information on foundation and private resources and expectations to
the OCN members directly.Secondary Primary
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5 CASA Task Force Report – January 9, 2012
# Tasks/ResponsibilitiesAdministering
State Entity
Oregon
CASA
Network
7Serve as a CASA clearinghouse of information, resources, best practices,
research, and statewide CASA data.Primary
8
Represent the CASA voice on state level Task Forces, Committees, and
workgroups and establish and implement a process to provide update reports to
OCN members.
Primary
9 Serve as state agency resource for information and problem solving as needed. Primary
10
Legislative Coordination including: analyzing legislation affecting CASA, preparing
fiscal impact statements,
providing responses to information on programs, providing programs with info
on federal, state law changes affecting program, testifying at and attending
hearings, …
Primary Secondary
11 Ensure archival records retention and handle public records requests Primary
Education & Training
1
Provide program management orientation and support to new directors and
peers as requested Secondary Primary
2Provide member programs with coaching and assistance for volunteer training as
needed.Secondary Primary
3 Develop and maintain a resource manual for CASA directors statewide Secondary Primary
4 Provide training to local directors on contracts and reporting as requested Primary
5
Provide members with current information regarding federal and state
legislation, policy changes, trends in child welfare and court improvement, and
court decisions
Secondary Primary
Transition
1 Receive OCCF administrative files and materials. Primary
2 Review and update the OCCF-CASA- DHS MOU – and incorporate OCN. SHARED
3Collaborate on the development and distribution of messaging to state partners
regarding new roles. SHARED
4Review OCCF Administrative Rules regarding CASA programs and update or
develop needed rules.SHARED
5Commission Management, Staffing, Communications, Reporting… – if
Commission structure is recommended Primary