| |
This report addresses the Court Appointed Special Advocate, Parent
Assistance, and Confidential Intermediary Programs. Specifically, the Court Appointed
Special Advocate Program (CASA) needs to recruit more volunteers since only 18 percent of
the dependent children statewide are currently assigned a CASA. (CASAs advocate for the
best interests of abused or neglected children involved in dependency proceedings). In
addition, the Division should improve its administration of CASA Program funding. Further,
the Parent Assistance Program, which provides a telephone hotline for parents involved
with the Child Protective Services' process, is costly and duplicative, and should either
be provided by CPS or contracted out to a private provider. In addition, although the
confidential Intermediary Program provides a useful service, low demand for it suggests
the need to reduce staff dedicated to this area.
|
|
