CASA Director

County Of Lehigh Pennsylvania•Allentown, PA

12d

About The Position

The CASA Director is an administrative and supervisory position responsible for overseeing the Lehigh County Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program. The position works under the administrative direction of the District Court Administrator, the Deputy Court Administrator, and the Administrative Judge for Juvenile Dependency. The CASA Director supervises one direct report and oversees CASA volunteers, program operations, training, reporting, and relationships with courts and community partners.

Requirements

Must pass a criminal background check.
Must pass Federal, State, Child Abuse, National Sex Offender, and Mandated and Permissive Reporting clearance checks.
Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university; or one to two years of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience in social work and intimate knowledge of the Dependency system within the Pennsylvania Courts may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

Develop and adhere to office policies and procedures aligned with National CASA/GAL, CYAN PA, and Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas guidelines and standards.
Prepare and complete statistical reports for the Court, National CASA/GAL, and CYAN PA.
Oversee and respond to internal and external audits of the Lehigh County CASA Program by National CASA/GAL and CYAN PA.
Oversee recruitment, screening, and interviewing of prospective CASA volunteers.
Directly supervise CASA volunteers who are awaiting assignment and those assigned as advocates for dependent children.
Ensure all clearances are complete and current.
Select and match trained CASA volunteers with dependent children.
Assist CASA staff and volunteers in determining appropriate actions on cases.
Create, review, and edit reports from CASA volunteers and distribute final reports to the Court and attorneys.
Accompany CASA volunteers to hearings.
Conduct pre- and post-hearing meetings with CASA volunteers to plan next steps in cases.
Schedule and conduct debriefing interviews with CASA volunteers when dependency matters conclude.
Develop a training program for prospective volunteers, consisting of approximately 50 hours of in-person and online training, in conjunction with National CASA/GAL and CYAN PA.
Conduct ongoing in-service training for CASA staff and volunteers as appropriate.
Ensure a working Crisis Management Plan is in place and can be promptly executed as needed.
Participate in required meetings with National CASA/GAL, CYAN PA, the Lehigh County Children's Roundtable, and other interagency groups, including other CASA programs, as needed.
Conduct public outreach to promote Lehigh County CASA and recruit new volunteers.
Foster positive working relationships with Court personnel, the Office of Children and Youth Services, dependency attorneys, service providers, and other agencies involved in juvenile dependency matters.
Perform other job-related duties as required or assigned.
Supervise one direct report.