CASA of Rochester-Monroe County

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Rochester/Monroe County is a private, non-profit organization that trains and supervises a diverse group of volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children who have been neglected and abused. These children have been removed or are at risk of being removed from their homes. CASA's goal is that all children have a safe permanent home as soon as possible. Family Court Judges assign a CASA volunteer to work on behalf of a child and family. Volunteers are trained to advocate for the best interests of the assigned children, and frequently facilitate access to additional services for them and their families. CASAs also report back to the court and all parties information gathered on the families, identifying barriers and opportunities. (Continued on Schedule O)As advocates, CASAs strongly recommend the prioritization of resources for these vulnerable children and families to promote an equitable outcome.CASA is a single program and part of the National CASA model, meeting all standards. Our cases are assigned by the seven sitting Family Court Judges and in 2022 we have begun to rebuild the caseload we had experienced pre-pandemic. This past year we served 137 children in 67 families. 86% of the children were served primarily by one of the 50 volunteer advocates. Additionally, there are non-advocate volunteers contributing their time and talents serving on our Board, committees, and at events.The advocacy work we do while the case is open has a substantial impact on the children and their families. About 62% of the families served by CASA of Rochester/Monroe County are ultimately reunified, and less than 1% of their closed cases need to be reopened. In addition, 25% of the cases with a custody order to a relative or fictive kin. The average length of time CASA was active on these cases was 45 months. Other accomplishments for the program include:- Increase in revenue through increased CASANYS Contract, grants, and events- Grants have been received to focus our partnerships with provider agencies and increase our training on kinship placements and how to support relatives caring for abused and neglected children, and the early identification of need for early intervention services. Additional funding has been received for program growth at the end of this fiscal year and will support additional staff.- Continued recruitment and training of volunteers. This past year has seen an Advocate Supervisor step into the Advocate Coordinator role and implement the recruitment and retention plan, to increase the number and diversity of our volunteer pool. Increased presence on social media and community based events has boosted the interest in our volunteer opportunity. In order to grow the program, we must recruit, train and assign more advocates.- The new National CASA Standards have resulted in updated policies and procedures. We also refreshed our training curriculum in addition to the three Flex Pre-Service training series each year as part of our retention plan and to meet standards.- A new Advocate Supervisor was recruited to the staff, trained and is working with volunteers. In this coming year a Program Assistant and an Advocate Supervisor will need to be recruited to support the growth. This change will increase from 3.05 FTE to 3.6 FTE.Some key NYS CASA Outcomes, which encompass those of Monroe County, include:- 95% of children received one or more services advocated for by CASA- 97% had their medical needs met, including 93% for mental health services- 92% of children who were in need of an IEP or 504 plan received the necessary services or parties were notified- 94% attended school at least 90% of the time or obstacles were identified/parties notifiedThis program is supported by grants and contributions.