OPERATIONS MANUAL TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Introduction to the Manual..................................................................................................1 National CASA Association (NCASAA)............................................................................3 State Program Office..............................................................................................................5 2. NUTS AND BOLTS Confidentiality........................................................................................................................10 Staff.......................................................................................................................................10 CASA....................................................................................................................................10 CASA Privacy.........................................................................................................................11 Email and Internet Access....................................................................................................11 Fax Communication..............................................................................................................12 Restrictions Regarding CASA Information........................................................................12 Ex Parte Communication......................................................................................................13 CASA Safety Issues................................................................................................................14 Liability....................................................................................................................................14 Procedures CASA Secure Upload Quick Reference Sheet....................................................................16 Forms Referenced in this Section Supply Order Form 3. PUBLIC RELATIONS/RECRUITMENT Information for this section will be added at a later date 4. SCREENING APPLICANTS Applicant Screening...............................................................................................................19 Volunteer Qualifications.......................................................................................................20 Volunteer Application Process.............................................................................................20 Volunteer Certification..........................................................................................................21 Certification Denial................................................................................................................23 Access to Records...................................................................................................................24 Procedures Steps in the Application Process..........................................................................................25 Forms Referenced in this Section Acknowledgment and Statement of Intent Regarding Transportation of Children Applicant Letter Volunteer Application Volunteer Database Information (Optional) Personal Reference Letter Personal Reference Questionnaire Fingerprint Card Completion (Reference Sheet) Sample Fingerprint Card Sample Applicant Fingerprint Card Inventory Sheet Sample State Criminal History Results Sample National Criminal History Results Certified Statement of Criminal Disclosure Polygraph Examination Notification Conflict of Interest Waiver Non‐acceptance Letter 5. INTERVIEWING APPLICANTS General Information..............................................................................................................28 Pre‐Interview Preparation....................................................................................................29 A Successful Interview..........................................................................................................30 The Interview Process...........................................................................................................30 Avoiding Common Errors....................................................................................................33 Red Flags.................................................................................................................................34 Saying “No”............................................................................................................................35 Forms Referenced in this Section Applicant Interview Screening Tool Guidelines Applicant Interview Screening Tool Volunteer Minimum Performance Standards 6. FILE MANAGEMENT: VOLUNTEER AND CASE Volunteer Files........................................................................................................................36 Case Files.................................................................................................................................37 When to Close a Case File.....................................................................................................38 Forms Referenced in this Section Sample Open/Close Checklist Sample Checklist for Processing Cases 7. TRAINING: STAFF AND CASAS Staff Training.........................................................................................................................39 Juvenile On‐line Tracking System (JOLTS)..................................................................39 Dependent Children Automated Tracking System (DCATS)...................................39 Annual Administrative Training...................................................................................40 CASA Administrative Meeting......................................................................................40 Volunteer Training...............................................................................................................40 CASA Advocacy Academy—Getting Started..............................................................41 CASA Advocacy Academy.............................................................................................41 CASA Advocacy Academy—Beyond the Basics.........................................................42 In‐service Training...........................................................................................................42 Web‐based Training.........................................................................................................43 Resource Library..............................................................................................................43 Procedures Before and After CASA Advocacy Academy....................................................................44 Training Documentation.......................................................................................................45 Allowable Independent Study Training Credit Chart......................................................46 Forms Referenced in this Section Training Reimbursement Letter (Optional) Guidelines to Travel (Optional) Reimbursement Request (Optional) Sample Academy Cost List (Optional) In‐service Training Sign‐in (Optional) In‐service Documentation Training Letter—Met (Optional) Training Letter—Not Met (Optional) 8. DEPENDENCY CASE MANAGEMENT Confidentiality........................................................................................................................47 Dependency Cases.................................................................................................................47 Screening Cases......................................................................................................................47 Referrals...................................................................................................................................48 Unassigned Cases..................................................................................................................48 Case Selection.........................................................................................................................49 CASA Appointment..............................................................................................................49 Mentor Assignment...............................................................................................................50 Case Presentation...................................................................................................................50 CASA Dismissal.....................................................................................................................53 Case Reassignment................................................................................................................54 Co‐CASA Appointments......................................................................................................54 Courtesy CASA Appointments............................................................................................54 Helping CASAs Get Started.................................................................................................57 Gathering and Documenting Information.........................................................................59 Developing Relationships.....................................................................................................60 CASA Visits with Children...................................................................................................61 Procedures Courtesy CASA Appointments............................................................................................63 Termination of a Courtesy CASA........................................................................................63 Forms Referenced in this Section Dependency Case Screening Form (Optional) Order of Appointment Minimum Performance Standards Legal Party Memorandum Dependent Child Database Information (Optional) Court Order and Legal Party Distribution Contact Log Instructions/Reasons Sample Contact Logs Rescinding Order of Appointment Rescission Letter (Optional) Dismissal Letter (Optional) Program Material Checklist Request for Court CASA Courtesy CASA Procedures Most Often Asked Case Management Scenarios 9. VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT CASA Functions.....................................................................................................................64 CASA Status............................................................................................................................66 CASA Supervision.................................................................................................................66 Relationships..........................................................................................................................69 Healthy Boundaries...............................................................................................................70 Cycles of CASA Enthusiasm................................................................................................72 Motivating CASAs.................................................................................................................73 CASA Retention.....................................................................................................................74 Evaluating CASAs.................................................................................................................76 Working with Problem Behaviors.......................................................................................77 Dismissal of a CASA..............................................................................................................79 Forms Referenced in this Section CASA/Mentor Connection (Optional) Assessment Letter (Optional) Assessment Instructions Program Assessment #1 (Optional) Program Assessment #2 (Optional) CASA Assessment Example Assessment First Involvement Letter (Optional) Second Involvement Letter (Optional) Final Involvement Letter (Optional) Incident Report (Optional) Inactive Letter (Optional) Compliance Letter (Optional) 10. ADVOCACY Informal Advocacy................................................................................................................81 Formal Advocacy...................................................................................................................82 CASA Court Reports.............................................................................................................85 Testifying in Court.................................................................................................................87 Forms Referenced in this Section Court Report Outline Court Report Distribution Form (Optional) CASA Tips in Testifying (Optional) 11. ONGOING CERTIFICATION General Information..............................................................................................................90 Procedures Steps in Ongoing Certification.............................................................................................91 Forms Referenced in this Section Ongoing Certification Notification Letter (Optional) Ongoing Certification Statement Form Ongoing Certification Log (Optional) 12. DATABASE General Information..............................................................................................................92 Quarterly Database Reports.................................................................................................92 JOLTS Dependency................................................................................................................93 Forms Referenced in this Section CASA Master Volunteer List CASA Master Case List CASA Volunteer Assignment List 13. BUDGET PROCESS Program Plan and Budget Request.....................................................................................95 Funding Agreement and Addendum A.............................................................................95 Disbursements........................................................................................................................95 Quarterly Financial Statement.............................................................................................95 Budget Modification..............................................................................................................96 Vacancy Savings Report........................................................................................................96 Closing Financial Statement.................................................................................................96 Retention of Information.......................................................................................................97 Procedures Quarterly Financial Statement.............................................................................................98 Budget Modification..............................................................................................................98 Forms Referenced in this Section Sample Program Plan and Budget Request Program Plan and Budget Request Instructions Sample County Budget Request Funding Agreement Addendum A Budget Modification Request Form Quarterly Financial Statement Quarterly Financial Statement Instructions Closing Financial Statement Vacancy Savings Report Vacancy Savings Report Instructions 14. QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT General Information..............................................................................................................100 Forms Referenced in this Section Quarterly Progress Report Quarterly Progress Report Instructions 15. OPERATIONAL REVIEW Overview.................................................................................................................................101 Client Guide............................................................................................................................101 Goal of the Operational Review Process............................................................................102 The Process..............................................................................................................................102 Operational Review Process Time Line..............................................................................104 Operational Review Survey..................................................................................................105 Forms Referenced in this Section Initial Information Request (IIR) Initial Information Request Instruction CASA Case File Review Tool CASA Volunteer File Review Tool Appendix A Administrative Code and Policies Appendix B Relevant Statutes Appendix C Dependency Process Appendix D Report Due Date Chart Appendix E Glossary and Acronyms Appendix F Forms INTRODUCTION Introduction to the Manual The purpose of this manual is to provide minimum performance standards and functions for county program staff. It is also meant to serve as a reference tool. This manual is a “living manual,” which means it’s a work in progress. If at any time after working with this manual, staff has suggestions, revisions, or ideas that might be helpful to improve this manual and make it into a more effective tool, the state program office would welcome them. Administrative Code and Policies Policies and procedures were established in 1994 and have been periodically revised since then. Policies and procedures are based on Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS), Arizona Rules of Procedure for the Juvenile Court, Administrative Orders and Rules, Arizona Code of Judicial Administration (ACJA), and program policies based on common practices of staff statewide. These guidelines are to provide direction to county staff, provide consistency, and promote quality standards statewide. The Administrative Code is written so that it includes general requirements of the program and does not change often. The Program Policies may change when needed. The process for changing either item is for staff to make a formal request to put it on the agenda at a regularly scheduled administrative meeting. At the meeting, discussion is held, and staff votes as to whether or not to move forward with the request to the Division Director. The Division Director has the authority to agree or not agree with the requested change. Usually, however, the Code and policies are revised every two to four years. Procedures If there are specific procedures associated with a chapter, the procedure will be on a yellow page. Page 1 Rev. 1/08
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