Texas CASA Menu of Services

diciembre 14, 2020

Network Services Division

Network Services Division

The Network Services Division is comprised of the three teams in one: Strategic Network Support, Collaborative Family Engagement and Program Operations.

Meet the Team

Email Network Services at: networkservices@texascasa.org

How Network Services supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Statewide Leadership Opportunities
    • Acts as liaison to the Regional Representatives to ensure the local CASA programs are represented on the Texas CASA Board of Directors through the election of six Regional Representatives
    • Forms workgroups of local CASA programs to collaborate on initiatives, resources, strategies, and other efforts that impact and benefit the CASA network
  • Operations and Data Support
    • Creates and distributes data visualizations, dashboards and reports to promote data-driven decision making related to local program operations
    • Leads, conducts and manages the annual satisfaction survey to solicit feedback on Texas CASA’s services from local CASA program Executive Directors, board members and staff; and communicates results with teams to provide action steps
    • Manages the biennial wage and benefit survey to present a snapshot of compensation and benefits practices within the CASA programs in Texas
  • Risk Management
    • Identifies, manages and addresses risks to the CASA network in Texas

Strategic Network Support Team

Meet the Team

Email the Strategic Network Support Team at: sns@texascasa.org

How the Strategic Network Support Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Events and Meetings
    • Leads the logistics, planning and support for all Texas CASA-hosted events, trainings and meetings
    • Leads the coordination of the educational components of the bi-annual Texas CASA Conference, the bi-annual Distinguished Speaker Series, and the annual ED Forum
  • Recruitment and Awareness Support
    • Creates recruitment initiatives – such as Men of CASA and Clergy, CASA and Community – and collateral to support these initiatives, and provides coaching for individualized support
    • Provides coaching and strategies to increase the diversity of volunteer applicants
    • Provides coaching on effective volunteer interview and screening strategies
    • Researches and reports on current recruitment trends and forecasts
    • Provides individual assistance in developing a comprehensive recruitment plan
    • Hosts monthly statewide online discussions that focuses on best practices for volunteer recruitment
    • Hosts a statewide recruiter Google Group to connect recruiters with each other and to provide updates to the network on new or existing recruitment strategies or collateral
    • Manages a statewide CASA awareness media plan designed to increase the awareness of CASA
    • Creates collateral based on the statewide awareness campaign
    • Hosts bi-annual Volunteer Power Unleashed Summit for recruiters to learn and practice new recruitment strategies and trends
    • Creates the Child Abuse Prevention Month toolkit which contains ideas and materials to support awareness efforts during CAPM
  • Volunteer Coaching and Advocacy (VCA) and Retention Support
    • Provides coaching and consultation to all program staff with a focus on those who directly coach Advocates
    • Offers network-wide trainings with a focus on coaching principles and strategies for retention, best interest advocacy, and enhancing advocacy practices
    • Provides customized remote and on-site assistance to individual programs by a VCA Consultant
    • Creates retention initiatives, tools, and resources
  • Training and Development
    • Certifies program trainers via three-day Art of Facilitation for Pre-Service Training workshops focused on adult learning principles, participant-centered learning strategies, and the six core competencies of effective CASA training
    • Presents professional development and skill-building opportunities for training staff
    • Helps local CASA programs effectively train their volunteers by offering ongoing coaching support on how to best utilize the CASA pre-service training curricula
    • Hosts statewide training huddles to facilitate community-building and training-related troubleshooting across programs
    • Produces CASA on the Go, a continuing education podcast focused on best practices in advocacy for children and families
    • Creates dynamic and relevant online learning materials to support local programs’ educational needs, and manages Texas CASA’s e-learning system so that local programs can conveniently access the training and resources
    • Manages Texas CASA’s e-learning system so that local programs can access the training and resources they need, when they need them

Collaborative Family Engagement Team

Meet the Team

Email the CFE Team at: cfeteam@texascasa.org

How the CFE Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Leads the coordination, training, coaching and support for Texas’ approach of family finding and engagement to ensure effective collaboration and implementation for CASA programs, DFPS, SSCCs and other child welfare partners
  • Supports a connection informed and family engagement lens in CASA advocacy and Texas CASA materials and initiatives
  • Hosts quarterly CFE Community Calls for all involved in CFE implementation across the state
  • Hosts bi-annual CFE Symposium, a statewide gathering for CASA programs, CPS and SSCCs
  • Creates and develops materials, tools and resources including videos, guidebooks, templates and more for building connections and increasing youth and family voices in planning and decision making

Anti-Child Trafficking (CASA ACTs) Team

Email the CASA ACTs Team at: casaacts@texascasa.org

How the CASA ACTs Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Develops best practices for local programs to be active stakeholders in their local anti-trafficking community
  • Develops a framework for programs and volunteers to best advocate for children and youth who have been or at risk of being trafficked
  • Provides training and support for the CSE-IT screening tool
  • Shares training, resources and opportunities with local CASA programs

Program Operations Team

Meet the Team

Email the Program Operations Team at: programoperations@texascasa.org

How the Program Operations Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Quality Assurance (QA) Reviews
    • Using a three-year cycle, provides training and conducts reviews of all local CASA programs to ensure compliance with requirements for Local CASA/GAL Programs
  • New Executive Director Support
    • Hosts new Executive Director orientation and trainings, and offers comprehensive, targeted coaching and support of new directors for their first year
  • Executive Director and Program Director Email Google Group
    • Hosts the Executive Director and Program Director Google Group to promote communication and resource sharing between programs
  • Board Support
    • Facilitates annual, mandatory training for representatives from each local CASA program board, as well as offers targeted and individual program support as requested
  • Optima Use and Support
    • Coordinates a statewide Optima User Group through an Optima Liaison to support consistent data management practices throughout the state and accurate data reporting
  • Legal and General Assistance
    • Responds directly to programs regarding case- or child-related legal questions and issues and offers email and phone communication, resource sharing and onsite assistance when intensive support is needed

External Relations Division

Public Policy Team

Meet the Team

Email the Public Policy Team at: publicpolicy@texascasa.org

How the Public Policy Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Legislative Advocacy
    • Builds and maintains relationships with legislators, legislative staff, the Governor’s office and advocates at the Texas Legislature
    • Solicits input from the CASA network for legislative priorities
    • Advocates for legislative funding to support the 72 local CASA programs, Texas CASA and its initiatives and projects
    • Works with local CASA programs to develop and build Legislative Advocacy Teams (LATs) for grassroots advocacy
  • Policy Advocacy
    • Identifies best practices and policy innovations to strengthen the advocacy of the CASA network and improve the child protection system
    • Works collaboratively with the Communications Team to offer legislative and policy expertise for op-eds and other media opportunities, provides support to the Social Impact Team as appropriate, etc.
  • Public Policy Events
    • Plans and manages events, including the Child Welfare Primer, CASA Day at the Capitol, the Legislative Advocacy Team Retreat and Big Voices for Little Texans® award recognition events
  • Training and Information Sharing
    • Provides in-person and online training to local programs, Texas CASA staff and other targeted partners on legislative changes, agency rule changes, funding issues, and other policy subjects that may affect Texas CASA, the CASA programs and the children and families we serve
    • Provide the CASA network with up-to-date communications on advocacy issues through Inside CASA, The CASA Voice, the Texas CASA LAT Facebook page, Google Group, webinars and other means
  • Resource and Collateral Development
    • Develops policy reports, guides, briefs, informational one-pagers and other legislative advocacy and policy-related content
  • Workgroups and Collaboration
    • Works with outside stakeholder groups on legislative and policy issues, including the Children’s Commission, DFPS, Child Protection Roundtable and other advocacy partners
  • Responsive to National CASA Regarding Federal Legislation and/or Appropriations
    • With direction from and coordination with National CASA, supports federal legislation, federal funding requests or other action or expressions of support with members of the Texas congressional delegation and other federal officials
  • General Assistance
    • Provides guidance, information and resources to local CASA programs and CASA volunteers regarding legislative and policy issues including interpretation and expertise of the Texas Family Code

Communications Team

Meet the Team

Email the Communications Team at: communications@texascasa.org

How the Communications Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Strategic Messaging
    • Sets the course for the Texas CASA message, determines direction for new branding and messaging, upholds the brand guidelines and shapes communications for all teams that bring Texas CASA into public awareness and dialogues
  • Writing, Editing and Design
    • Writes guidebooks, reports, toolkits, press releases, letters and other communications to the network, stakeholders and the public
    • Edits all outgoing materials for clarity and branding as applicable (guidebooks, workbooks, manuals, grants, PowerPoints, correspondence to all EDs, mass communications to donors and stakeholders, collateral, etc.)
    • Assists with visual branding and graphic design of Texas CASA printed and digital materials
  • Produces online magazine, The CASA Voice – monthly Statewide News, Education & Outreach Blog
    • Shares CASA success stories, educational articles, videos, important child welfare news updates and more through the monthly online magazine and email alerts
  • Produces biweekly newsletter, Inside CASA – Internal News Blog
    • Keeps local program staff and board up to date on important news, resources and opportunities through the blog and bi-monthly email alerts
  • Media Visibility Initiative
    • Produces regular CEO-byline opinion-editorials on CASA and child welfare issues and places them in news outlets across Texas to provide thought leadership
  • Digital Communications
    • Manages the Texas CASA website and email marketing efforts, as well as regular posts on Texas CASA’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram channels
    • Crisis Communications and News Monitoring
    • Assists CEO with crisis communications and offers strategic support to manage and mitigate current and potential public relations crisis situations
    • Monitors the daily news appearances of Texas CASA and local programs in all media via Google Alerts, assembles and distributes biweekly digest of news appearances
  • Learning Center
    • Manages the Texas CASA Learning Center, a nationally-used online repository and searchable database of eLearning courses, webinars and guides focused on advocacy
  • Website Template and Support for Local Programs
    • Offers branded website template and creation for local CASA programs, as well as training on managing their website, free of cost
  • Awareness and Training Materials
    • Creates collateral materials to support teams within Texas CASA for network subject-specific guidebooks; branded marketing materials; print and digital learning, tools, resources, etc. to benefit local programs
  • Annual Report
    • Leads the creation of Texas CASA’s Annual Report, in collaboration with the Social Impact and Public Policy Teams, to communicate the work we have accomplished each year to donors, stakeholders and the CASA network
  • Conversations with CASA
    • Leads the production of monthly video interviews between the Texas CASA CEO and key figures involved with current child welfare issues and trends
  • Media Release and Social Media Templates
    • Provides regular public relations templates for local programs to send to their local news media, and provides monthly calendar of suggested social media posts tied to themed months and current events

Internal Operations Division

Social Impact Team

Meet the Team

Email the Social Impact Team at: partnerships@texascasa.org

How the Social Impact Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Fundraising
    • Identifies, solicits and secures funding sources to support Texas CASA’s special events as well as special projects and initiatives, trainings and more for local programs
    • Raises unrestricted funds to support Texas CASA operations via the individual giving campaign, grants and third-party fundraising events
  • Grants
    • Works with a contracted grant writer and internal project leads to complete and submit grant applications to foundations for funding special projects
  • Community Partnerships
    • Works closely and strategically with other teams to develop new and grow existing partnerships in the business community, to benefit Texas CASA from both the marketing and fundraising perspective
    • Collaborates with other state and/or local CASA organizations on regional, statewide and national level partnerships to support CASA in Texas
  • Texas CASA Fundraising Collateral and Communications
    • Works with the Communications Team to produce fundraising event collateral, annual report, email, social media posts, direct mail and all mass communications to donors and prospects
  • Texas CASA Donor Benefits and Acknowledgement
    • Manages the delivery of donor benefits and acknowledgement communications
  • Relationship Building
    • Builds and manages relationships with funders, donors, prospective supporters and community partners
  • Fundraising Technical Assistance
    • Offers fund development resources and other support for the CASA programs as requested

Grants Management Team

Meet the Team

Email the Grants Management Team at: grants@texascasa.org

How the Grants Management Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Pass-Through Funding Support
    • Provides local program financial information related to pass-through reimbursements to the Finance & Business Operations Director in order for reimbursements requests to be submitted to the Governor’s Office and HHSC
  • Information Sharing
    • Provides financial/grant information to the Network Services Team
    • Provides grant updates, notices and data to the Communications Team for Inside CASA, etc.
  • Online Data Manager (ODM) Support
    • Assists the Database Administrator in the management of the online portal where the local CASA programs submit their data, funding and reimbursement requests
  • Grants Management
    • Manages applications, requirements and reporting for the following grants: Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Title IV-E for pre-service volunteer training (PSVT), Direct Reimbursements, and License Plate Fund
  • Budget Revisions
    • Processes local program CVC and VOCA budget revision requests when necessary or requested to fully utilize grant funds
  • Reimbursements
    • Reviews Requests for Reimbursement (RFRs) for allowable expenditures and processes payments
  • Liaison to Governor’s Office, Criminal Justice Division, on VOCA Funds
    • Prepares application for funds
    • Prepares necessary budget revision requests to utilize all funds
    • Prepares required quarterly VOCA progress reports
  • Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) CVC Financial Reports
    • Prepares required quarterly CVC financial reports on pass-through payments made to local CASA programs
    • Prepares required annual CVC budget allocation report to HHSC that shows the annual CVC budgets for each local CASA program
  • Training and Technical Assistance
    • Conducts annual grants training webinar, with additional webinars as needed
    • Publishes the Guide to Grants
    • Provides day-to-day technical assistance to local CASA programs
  • Compliance
    • Ensures compliance with the required local CASA program annual independent audit and conducts random desk review of supporting documentation for grant compliance
  • Risk Management
    • Conducts financial risk management assessments of the local CASA programs

Administration Team

Meet the Team

Email the Administration Team at: administration@texascasa.org

How the Administration Team supports the Texas CASA teams and local CASA programs:

  • Finance and Accounting
    • Oversees the creation of agency budgets, reimbursement requests, financial management and general accounting activities
    • Processes reimbursement requests, assists with financial management and general accounting activities, and provides technical assistance with QuickBooks
  • Data and Research
    • Navigates the Online Data Manager (ODM) for performance measures and grants management, provides day-to-day reports on data and coordinates multiyear research
    • Leads statewide data collection and provides performance dashboards and data for the CASA programs, provides training and technical assistance for the Online Data Manager (ODM), and coordinates multiyear research
  • Liaison to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
    • Reports monthly to HHSC, the agency that manages CASA’s annual state funding
  • Strategic Planning
    • Oversees the strategic planning process
  • Human Resources
    • Manages recruitment and hiring, compensation and benefits, facility management, workplace safety and more to ensure a safe, productive and affirming workplace environment
    • Provides expertise and assistance on employee benefits and compensation, and state and federal regulation interpretation
  • Policies and Procedures
    • Develops and implements working procedures and performance standards within Texas CASA
  • Risk Management and Compliance
    • Oversees procurement and contract management, produces and preserves the integrity of all financial statements and financial documents, and prepares for and undergoes audits from different entities