CASA new york LOCAL STANDARDS trainings
The adoption of 2020 Standards for Local CASA/GAL Programs (Standards) represents a significant milestone in the implementation of the National CASA/ GAL Association for Children‘s (National CASA/GAL) Strategic Framework. The eleven updated Standards reflect our focus on becoming a highly effective organization at the national, state and local levels, as well as our unwavering commitment to providing quality volunteer advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Operating based on a set of quality standards remains vital to our focus on developing and supporting highly effective local programs.
The objective of Standards for Local CASA/GAL Programs is to set performance levels for local programs to ensure quality while allowing individual programs room for creativity and innovation. A set of quality standards to measure a program’s operations demonstrates that a program:
• Respects and is committed to quality for the children and families served and that volunteers provide best- interest advocacy;
• Utilizes established policies and procedures necessary for effective management and governance;
• Manages their financial affairs prudently, are financially sound, and are committed to the principles of public disclosure;
• Continually evaluates its services and operations;
• Works positively and collaboratively with their stakeholders, state organization, other local programs and with National CASA/GAL;
• Recruits, trains, develops and supports a high-caliber team through effective human resource practices.
The National CASA/GAL network is strengthened through programs operating under a national set of standards that ensures high-quality best-interest advocacy. Programs are required to adhere to standards that align with a core model, support best practices in governance, management and operations, and are based child welfare consistent guiding principles. The programs participate in standards-based quality assurance (QA) reviews which foster greater awareness among staff, volunteers and governing bodies of how the programs are governed, operate, and execute on our shared mission. National CASA/GAL is strongly committed to high quality best-interest advocacy and will support this commitment through technical assistance to the local network to achieve these Standards.