CASA of Oklahoma County

PROJECT PURPOSE

CASA of Oklahoma County, Inc. (CASAofOKCO) provides recruitment, screening, training, and supervision of Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers who advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected foster children in Oklahoma county. CASA volunteers are charged under Oklahoma Statute Title 10A to "objectively advocate on behalf of the child and act as an officer of the court to investigate all matters concerning the best interests of the child." Our program ensures that volunteers receive thorough screening and complete the 30 hours of National CASA training prior to case appointment. CASA performance and reporting are overseen and evaluated by advocacy supervisors to ensure completion of statutory responsibilities and that quality histories/case statements are compiled and submitted. Specifically, these funds will be used to purchase and replace outdated and/or obsolete computers and technology. This equipment will increase our capacity to complete job functions remotely when necessary and meet the changing landscape of the post-pandemic workforce. This includes providing enhanced virtual options which have become critical for recruitment, training, court-attendance, and supervision of CASA volunteers and improving accessibility to our volunteer and child database system where documentation concerning each child welfare case is maintained.

EVIDENCE

With COVID-19 still being a factor and continuing to adapt to new workplace practices, we can execute our mission better with upgraded computers and technology that support remote/virtual work. Research supports that children with a CASA are more likely to find a safe, permanent home, more likely to succeed in school, and are less than half as likely to re-enter foster care. More evidence and sources for the critical role a CASA has within the child welfare system can be found at https://nationalcasagal.org/our-impact/research-and-effectiveness/.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Children enter foster care because they have been abused or neglected by their parents and their home has been deemed unsafe by the Department of Human Services and the Courts. Their life circumstances result in trauma, usually due to substance abuse, mental health issues, domestic violence, and/or many other complicated family dynamics that lead to abuse and neglect. Children served by CASAofOKCO meet the legal definitions of abuse and neglect, and they are officially wards of the State. Once in DHS custody, they are at high-risk for falling through the cracks of an already burdened child welfare system, and often move between placements and schools several times. Turnover in DHS workers, attorneys, judges, therapists, or others parties connected to the case can make the child welfare system a lonely, isolating place for a child - 51% of whom are under the age of 5. While in general, the children who are assigned CASA volunteers have been subjected to the same percentages of abuse and neglect as do the other children in foster care, their cases are usually regarded as the most difficult to resolve. In FY21, CASAofOKCO served almost 40% of the children in foster care in Oklahoma county.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

CASA of Oklahoma County utilizes a volunteer and child database system called Optima to collect and analyze program service data. CASAofOKCO utilizes reports from this database to analyze progress toward overall growth goals, retention rate of volunteers, and assignment of volunteers to children. Additionally, we measure success by fulfilling all court-referred case requests by assigning a CASA volunteer, ensuring that children are safe while in DHS custody, ensuring children receive educational and support services while in DHS custody, and advocating for children to find a safe permanent home.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma