Page 28

“Helping People Living Better Lives”

| pg. 484 TANF Allowable Costs: 1. Case management; and 2. Curriculum materials and other training materials. Nebraska Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) CASA services are provided by screened, trained, and highly qualified community volunteers who advocate in court for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home. They get to know the child and work with legal and child welfare professionals, educators, and service providers to ensure judges have all the information they need to make well-informed decisions. Volunteers provide information to the court through a report with recommendations about the child’s placement, visitation, education, and service needs. Volunteers must attend 30 hours of pre- service training and 12 hours annually to be qualified to serve children and families through CASA services. Volunteers are supported by skilled and highly trained staff who regional and statewide CASA agencies employ to provide training, coordination, and oversight during their case assignments. CASA services provided include: • Referrals for the child and family to community resources to foster family stability; • Coaching, advocacy, and support to families; • Assistance with completing necessary school forms for children; • Assistance to parents with medical appointments or educational plans for children, especially in homes where there are language or literacy barriers; • Funding for activities for children such as attending prom, club fees, school sports expenses, etc., to promote positive experiences and interaction with peers; • Training and supervision for volunteers to be effective advocates; • Guidance, encouragement, and empowerment for the child to be successful in becoming responsible decision-makers which helps deter the child from engaging in risky behaviors such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and school dropout; • Monitoring the safety and welfare of the children until the case is closed, and • Research and recommendations to the court regarding appropriate services for the child. CASA services focus on responsible decision-making, pregnancy prevention, goal setting, and career development, which help achieve TANF Purpose Three: to prevent and reduce the incidence of out- of-wedlock pregnancies. TANF-funded CASA services are provided to families with children aged 19 or younger who meet citizenship and qualified alien requirements. The funding method is federal dollars only. Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Grant Program (SRAE) Nebraska’s Title V SRAE program seeks to address the influences, views, and challenges facing our State’s youth population through a broad life course framework by implementing medically accurate and evidence-based programming. SRAE-supported programming provides youth