Pulaski County Friends of Casa

For the year ended December 31, 2023, CASA accomplished its mission through the following programs: (i) Volunteer Training is a curriculum developed by the National CASA Association level to prepare volunteer trainees from all education and experience levels to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children. The curriculum consists of 30 hours of in-class instruction, court observation, and family team meetings or staffing observations. The curriculum teaches everything from education advocacy and family strengths to cultural competencies and working with older youth. Volunteers are required to attend no less than 12 hours of In-Service Training each year after their first year of service. Topics vary and are selected by needs assessed by CASA program staff but must include diversity training. Each aspect of the training curriculum ensures a volunteer is equipped to manage their investigation and report preparation after being sworn in as an advocate. CASA Advocates are also offered additional training through a yearly retreat and attending the Arkansas State CASA Conference that is held each fall.(ii) Education advocacy is an intricate part of the Pulaski County CASA framework to ensure the specialized needs of children in foster care are properly addressed. Advocates are trained to identify and address impediments to education such as learning disabilities, misdiagnosis, and other special needs. Advocates are trained in the Federal and State Laws impacting childrens educational needs and services. Advocates participate in educational meetings such as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and court hearings advocating for the needs necessary to produce the best outcomes for children. Advocates are encouraged to attend specialized training in other areas of child development such as ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), trauma-informed approaches to case management, child-parent psychotherapy, and other related topics.(iii) Fostering Futures is a curriculum developed by the National CASA Association and designed to give volunteers a solid base of knowledge and skills to advocate on behalf of youths between the ages of 12 and 18. The training provides an in-depth exploration of topics such as relationship building with older youths, the possible selves concept, and working with youths as partners in transition and independent living planning. This type of training has been and continues to be effective in supporting youths that emancipate from foster care. (iv) The Court Improvement Team consists of Pulaski County Friends of CASA, Inc. staff, DCFS, attorneys, and other related parties and is led by one of our judges to address issues that affect the operation of the courts in dependency-related cases. Team members make recommendations for improvement, and address various scenarios and other topics that will help to improve the outcomes for children and families that are navigating the foster care system