Optima
TRUE OR FALSE?
If the information is not in Optima it didn't happen.
TRUE!!!
What legal party should you maintain contact with on a regular basis?
GAL/AAL
How often should Optima be updated?
At least monthly.
*However best practice would be to put information in as it arises.
How often should Medical, Educational, and Legal Advocacy be completed?
Quarterly-aka every 3 months
TRUE or FALSE ?
You're expected to attend all court hearings
TRUE
Where can you find the Affidavit/Original Petition, Certificate of Acceptance, and Court Order?
The Documents tab
TRUE or FALSE?
A separate report is needed for mediation.
True
TRUE or False?
Child contact must occur in the placement/home at least every other visit.
True
Children served by CASA must be seen in their placements at least 50% of visits.
Name three examples of Legal Advocacy.
Contact with GAL/AAL, juvenile attorney, or probation officer; attending a youth's juvenile hearing; making a legal recommendation on the CASA court report.
TRUE or FALSE?
There are no additional requirements in order to transport a CASA kid.
FALSE
An advocate must have 100,000-300,000 Bodily Injury Coverage in order to transport a child.
Who are associated parties ?
•Attorneys
•CPS
•Foster Parents
•Agency Case Manager
•Collaterals
*Please make sure to search for associated parties in the system before adding them! They may already be in the system and this will save you some time!
After the 90 day review how often are court hearings held?
Every 6 months, they're referred to as a Chapter 263 hearing.
How Many Continuing Education hours does each CASA volunteer need per year?
CASA volunteers and staff are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each calendar year. Volunteers must enter hours into Optima.
Name 3 examples of Educational Advocacy.
-Speaking to a teacher or school counselor, reviewing school documents (report card,progress report), participating/reviewing an ARD, making an educational recommendation in a CASA report.
What are 3 items to remember when requesting information from providers?
-CASA court order
-Badge
-Certificate of Acceptance
What type of activities should be documented in separate contact entries in Optima?
-Court Hearings
-Medical Advocacy
-Court Report Writing/Editing
-CVC Application Assistance
What's the difference between a 14 day hearing and a TMC hearing ?
The child is not in foster care for a TMC hearing.
A CASA volunteer is required to make monthly visits with a child placed within ? miles.
60 miles from the Dallas CASA office
if the child’s placement is 61-180 miles from the CASA offices, visits must occur on a quarterly basis. If the placement is more than 180 miles away, visits must occur every six months or more. In cases with placements that are 181+ miles away from the CASA office, quarterly visits are a commonly utilized best practice, with flexibility determined based on the needs of the child and the case.
Name 3 examples of Medical Advocacy
Speaking with a child's doctor, dentist, therapist, or psychiatrist, reviewing medical records or therapy notes, making a medical recommendation on the CASA court report.
TRUE or FALSE
You are required to attend all supervised visits
FALSE
What information should be updated periodically throughout the case as new information is received?
-Placement changes (make sure phone numbers and addresses are up to date)
-All court hearings (these can be added in Optima through the "hearings" tab)
-New associated parties
-Family members ( make sure to add any new family members even if you have limited information or just a name)
How does a dad go from being a biological dad to a legal dad?
He is either married to the mom, signed an acknowledgement of paternity, or been adjudicated by the court.
Name the 4 types of people with whom an Advocate should have documented monthly contact with.
Child (visit) Placement Provider
CPS Caseworker CASA Supervisor
How do you complete Educational Advocacy for non-school aged kids?
•Asking daycare providers about the child’s developmental milestones
•Reading to the child
•Making recommendations for ECI assessment if delays are observed/reported by caregivers
•Speaking with ECI providers (ie. Speech/physical/occupational therapists) – this also can count for Medical Advocacy as well!
•Reviewing records from ECI providers.
What should you do when you find out concerning information regarding the child or their safety?
(The information does not rise to the level of abuse or neglect or the need for a hotline call)
Contact your supervisor ASAP.