Tara Perry Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer

Mercedes Scopetta Deputy Chief Legal & Advocacy Officer Ashley Lantz Director of Federal Funding

Upcoming Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities: VOCA Grants and Victims Compensation Requirements Wednesday, May 11 at 12 Eastern/9 Pacific Sheryl Marseilles, Oklahoma CASA Tina Harman, District Attorneys Council (OK) National CASA/GAL Conference: VOCA Session Monday, June 6 at 1:30 pm Steve Derene, National Association of State VOCA Assistance Administrators Ashley Lantz, National CASA Association

Funding - DOJ-CASA, VOCA, Mentoring, Effective Resourcing of the Child Welfare System Issues Impacting Child Well-Being, Safety, and Outcomes Thought Leadership and Positioning as a Strong, Bipartisan Stakeholder

Objectives Effective Partnerships Relationship and Champion Cultivation Network Engagement Legislative Support Key Supporters

Key Appropriator Target States in advance of House and Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Subcommittee Markups: o Alabama o New York o Texas

o Over 200 attendees registered to date o Key Events: o Partner/Federal Policy Breakfast Reception o Congressional meetings o Congressional Awards Reception (afternoon, prior to House votes) o Transportation to Hill and from Hill to hotel or airport terminals (DCA) o Hill materials provided o 2 Prep Sessions during Conference (Sunday + Monday)

o More detailed FAQ to be posted on the registration web site o State Captains needed o Help coordinate meeting scheduling and on-site visits o Talking points and materials will be provided o Optional State Captains call in May to prepare and answer questions o National CASA staff team on-site during Hill Day – attending meetings and assisting via live Q&A

o HHS-Children’s Bureau, University of Michigan Law School, Chapin Hall (evaluator) o Six-year initiative with projects in Georgia and Washington o Last data set collected in March Data is still being compiled and analyzed o No new publications or activity from Don Duquette

Sally Wilson Erny Chief Program Officer

o Study examining states’ implementation of child representation (guardian ad litem) requirements under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) o CAPTA requires that every child involved in a judicial proceeding for abuse or neglect shall be appointed a guardian ad litem, who may be an attorney or a court-appointed special advocate, to represent their best interests. o The study is currently in design phase and has a target completion date of early HHS OIG is reaching out to states to gain a better understanding of child representation.

o National CASA met with HHS OIG representatives on April 6. o Follow up with a number of resources to help the OIG develop a better understanding of the effectiveness of the CASA/GAL model. o Additionally, we have shared that greater resources are critical to meeting the CAPTA mandate for child representation. o The HHS OIG’s Office is also reaching out individually to state CASA/GAL offices.

Cindy Bizzell Co-chair, State Steering Committee Susan Grant Deputy Chief Training & Organizational Development Officer Janet Ward Director of State Support

Cindy Bizzell Co-chair, State Steering Committee

State Steering Committee Membership: Outgoing Members: Beth Dessem, Missouri Joyce Funda, Montana Rita Gulden, New Jersey Cory Pohley, California Marcia (Marty) Sink, New Hampshire Sonia Valladares, Florida

Remaining Members: Cindy Bizzell, North Carolina Blondean Funderburk, South Carolina Duaine Hathaway, Georgia Sheryl Marseilles, Oklahoma Melissa O’Neill, Virginia Co-chairs: Cindy Bizzell and Melissa O’Neill New Members: Maggie Blaedow, Alabama Lynne Farrar, Tennessee Corrie Kielty, Nebraska Nancy Molever, Arizona Vicki Spriggs, Texas Doug Stephens, Ohio

2015 Accomplishments: Development of State Steering Committee and Work Plan Engagement of state directors in critical conversations on state organization growth and development Input on new grants policy; resulting in award of state growth, development and resource grants Capital Hill Visits Monthly meetings Began dialogue on: ‒ Highly effective state organizations ‒ Collaborative fundraising ‒ Public policy agenda ‒ Performance measurement

Priority Focus Area 1: Establish the Framework for Collaboration and Collaborative Impact Collaborative Fundraising Strategy and Model Public Policy Strategy and Agenda Recommendations for Grants Policy Collaborative Opportunities for State Organizations and National CASA State Steering Committee Operation

Priority Focus Area 2: Establish the Characteristics of a Highly Effective State Organization Develop a Logic Model for State Organizations Revision of Standards for State Organizations Redesign Quality Assurance Process for State Organizations

Priority Focus Area 3: Develop a Plan for Growth and Sustainability Establish Collective Capacity Building Goals Establish Alignment and Adoption Around Coordinated Support and Service to Local Programs Priority Focus Area 4: Continue Accountability Measures for National CASA Services and Support to Member Programs

Susan Grant Deputy Chief Training & Organizational Development Officer

Development Grantees: Michigan WV New Development Grantees ($218,000) Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Montana New York Pennsylvania Wisconsin Wyoming

State Development Grantees Strengthen the infrastructure and capacity of the state organization or develop a state organization Collaborative work plan for grant activities with timeline Full development plan Remaining Developing States Collaborative development plans with timelines developed

Director of State Development Position Second Phone Screenings for week of April 11

Janet Ward Director of State Support

Development required collaborative effort and input from multiple sources: Needs Assessment - each state organization ranked itself in six categories Local Program Survey – local programs from each state rated their state organization (and National CASA) in those areas State Profile Report – both sources combined to produce a report that was shared with/vetted by each state association

Next Steps Identify clusters of state association needs Collaboratively prioritize needs Identify resources: within National CASA, within the state organization network, from outside providers Deliver services tailored to the needs of specific state associations or groups of state associations

State Director Track at Conference Performance Measurement Increasing Capacity Through Partnership with CNCS Marketing Outcomes to Increase Your Funding Three workshop slots yet to fill – ideas: State Organization Staffing Development of a State Strategic Growth Plan

Saturday, June 4 – 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Survey Feedback: “Next steps” for NCASA - strategic framework update, how it will be evaluated and by whom, transition plan update, key focus areas for the next year Fundraising/marketing/PR for state organizations – building and strengthening identity among various stakeholders Team building – among state organizations and with National CASA Performance measurement/CASA effectiveness

Survey Feedback: Suggestions for speakers: Expert in securing VOCA funding Expert in securing Title IV-E funding

Sally Wilson Erny Chief Program Officer

 $4.5 million award to National CASA, 90 percent pass-through requirement ($4.05 million) in at least 38 states over two years  Project Goals (DOJ solicitation): Increasing the number of new at-risk and underserved foster children served by CASA advocates, including African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native youth, high- risk and underserved youth, and youth in rural communities. Increasing the number of CASA advocates Improving educational, health, behavioral, and life skills outcomes for at-risk and underserved foster youth

Anticipated award of 50 subgrants totaling $2.025 million Two award categories Youth Advocacy Subgrant Statewide Awareness and Recruitment Subgrant Applications due April 15; awards announced in early June Grant period – July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017 (with second year possible)

 State Organization Survey Released March 25 Key Survey Due April 29 Anticipated Release of State Survey Report June 1 Questions or assistance –

Local Program Survey Closed March 15 Key Survey Local Program Data Made Available to States Anticipated Release of Local Program Survey Report June 1 Anticipated Release of State Summary Reports July 1 Questions or assistance –

Hallmarks of the Strategic Framework High standards Quality Accountability Training Service to children

Develop new QA system Redesign in 2017 Informed by: State CASA/GAL organization systems Other national organizations Accrediting organizations

To include: State Standards Local Program Standards Training Standards Pre-service Training Certification of Facilitators Ongoing network input and feedback has been, and will continue to be, integral to our redesign and reevaluation of the process

Waves 1, 2, and 3 – 514 CASA/GAL Programs have completed Waves 4 and 5 (including 386 local programs) of the Quality Assurance Self-Assessment process will be rolled out Reaching out to each state director Programs that have completed and are in compliance Programs that have completed and working toward compliance Programs yet to go through the Self-Assessment and a proposed schedule

State organizations participated in a QA pilot with Wave 3 Various stages of completion Survey of participating state organizations Survey of local programs of participating states Results evaluated and will inform a future system

Expect 1,200-1,400 attendees Confirmed Keynote Speaker: John Quiñones Two additional keynotes being finalized this week June 4-7 at the Gaylord National in National Harbor, MD

Conference Tracks Offering Over 65 Workshops to Meet Diverse Needs For: State Directors Volunteer Advocates Volunteer Coordinators Rural Program Staff Urban Program Staff Suburban Program Staff General Track for Topics of Interest to Many Participants

Offer Networking Opportunities for Affinity Leadership Groups Outstanding Service Honored Through Our Awards of Excellence Network Committees Have an Opportunity to Meet and Guide the Work of National CASA State Board Members Will Have an Opportunity to Meet With National CASA Board Members

Final questions or comments Next Meeting: May 9; 11 a.m. pacific/2 p.m. eastern