CASA: Together We Make a Difference€¦ · Ohio CASA/GAL Association 614-224-2272...

CASA: Together We Make a Difference

Ohio CASA 10122nd Annual Celebrate Kids!

ConferenceWednesday, September 28, 2016

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Doug StephensExecutive Director

Ohio CASA/GAL Association614-224-2272

dougstephens@ohiocasa.orgwww.ohiocasa.org

• Federal Government

• National CASA

• States

• Ohio County CASA Programs

• CASA Volunteers

• Federal Government– SPCC, 1874

Mary Ellen Wilson

– CAPTA, 1974Funding

– AACWA, 1980Foster care drift

– ASFA, 1997

– Best interest of the child• US Senator Mike DeWine

(currently Ohio attorney general)

• National CASA

– Seattle, Judge David Soukup, 1977

– NCJFCJ: “CASA”

– NCASAA 1982

• States– Consists of 951 local and state programs

– In 49 states

– 76,327 volunteers

– Nearly 6 million hours

– Saving taxpayers around $290 million dollars

– 27,921 new volunteers annually

– Served 251,165 children in 2014

CSB caseworker = safety

CASA volunteer/GAL = best interest

Attorney = legal advice/child’s wishes

In Ohio, and across the nation, programs are structured one of three ways:

• Court based

• Non-profit

• Court based with a non-profit arm

All programs comply with NCASAA standards.

In Ohio, they also comply with Supreme Court of Ohio Sup. R. 48.

The Ohio CASA/GAL Association

• Established in 1993 by members - for members.

• 501(3)(c) non-profit.

• Receives no state GRF funding.

• Funded by license plate sales, grants, and donations.

• Supports all local programs.

• Works with state stakeholders.

• Ohio County CASA Programs

– Lucas County CASA Program, 1980• 1st in Ohio, 3rd in nation

– Summit 1981• 2nd in Ohio

– Senate Bill 89, 1988ORC Section 2151.281 (J)(1)

• CASA preference

– House Bill 484 1997: “ASFA Ohio”

– AG DeWine Expansion Project, 2013 - 2017• 50/3,000/10,000

The Ohio CASA/Guardian Ad Litem network:

• 39 programs

• Serving 47 of the 88 counties

• 13 of largest 15; 8 of the smallest

• Six multi-county programs

• 2 umbrella program, 14 CB, 11NP, 12 CB/CP

• Ohio CASA Volunteers

– 122,006 hours donated to serve children in 2015

– 2,011 volunteers across Ohio’s counties are:

84% female

64% college graduate

36% employed full time

84% Caucasian

54% over 50-years-old

1 staff

30 volunteers

90 children served

CASA of Ohio – Our Children

8,110 children served

Our CASA children are: 52% male

64% living below the federal poverty level

34% African American

3,455 under the age of 6 (45%)

851 over the age of 15 (11%)

*Data for 2015

• Research

• Report

• Facilitate

• Advocate

• Monitor

Research shows that abused and neglected children who are served by a CASA volunteer are more likely to:

Be placed in a safe and permanent home

Receive more services

Spend less time in foster care

Experience fewer changes in placement

Do better in school

Questions?

Ohio CASA 101

Doug StephensExecutive Director

Ohio CASA/GAL Association614-224-2272

dougstephens@ohiocasa.orgwww.ohiocasa.org

THANK YOU!