OJJDP FY 15 Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Membership and Accreditation Program and Training and Technical Assistance

The Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended (Public Law 101-647), contemplates that all abused and neglected children involved in dependency proceedings receive timely, sensitive, and effective advocacy. The Act directs that a court-appointed special advocate shall be available to every victim of child abuse or neglect in the United States that needs such an advocate. The Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program ensures that abused and neglected children receive high quality representation in dependency court hearings. The successful applicant will provide assistance and membership and accreditation services to regional, state, and local CASA organizations that support volunteer advocates who represent abused and neglected children in dependency hearings and will partner with other public and private child welfare system stakeholders at the local, state, regional, and national levels. The successful applicant will provide information, technical assistance, and training to volunteer advocates who represent abused and neglected children in dependency hearings and to other child welfare system stakeholders at the local, state, regional, and national levels.