2010 California Code
Welfare and Institutions Code
Chapter 1. Court-appointed Special Advocates

100.  The Judicial Council shall establish a planning and advisory
group consisting of appropriate professional and program specialists
to recommend on the development of program guidelines and funding
procedures consistent with this chapter. At a minimum, the council
shall adopt program guidelines consistent with the guidelines
established by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate
Association, and with California law; but the council may require
additional or more stringent standards. State funding shall be
contingent on a program adopting and adhering to the program
guidelines adopted by the council.
   The program guidelines adopted by the council shall be adopted and
incorporated into local rules of court by each participating
superior court as a prerequisite to funding pursuant to this chapter.
   The council shall adopt program guidelines and criteria for
funding which encourage multicounty CASA programs where appropriate,
and shall in no case provide for funding more than one program per
county.
   The council shall establish in a timely fashion a
request-for-proposal process to establish, maintain, or expand local
CASA programs and require local matching funds or in-kind funds equal
to the proposal request. The maximum state grant per county program
per year shall not exceed seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) in
counties in which the population is less than 700,000 and shall not
exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in counties in which
the population is 700,000 or more, according to the annual population
report provided by the Department of Finance.




101.  As used in this chapter, the following definitions shall
apply:
   (a) "Adult" means a person 18 years of age or older.
   (b) "Child or minor" means a person under 18 years of age.
   (c) "CASA" means a Court-Appointed Special Advocate. "CASA" also
refers to a Court Designated Child Advocate in programs which have
utilized that title. A CASA has the duties and responsibilities
described in this chapter and shall be trained by and function under
the auspices of a court-appointed special advocate program as set
forth in this chapter.
   (d) "Court" means the superior court, including the juvenile
court.
   (e) "Dependent" means a child described in Section 300 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code.


102.  (a) Each CASA program shall, if feasible, be staffed by a
minimum of one paid administrator. The staff shall be directly
accountable to the presiding juvenile court judge and the CASA
program board of directors, as applicable.
   (b) The program shall provide for volunteers to serve as CASAs. A
CASA may be appointed in juvenile dependency proceedings under
Section 300 and in actions to terminate parental rights to custody
and control, as deemed appropriate by the juvenile or other superior
court judge hearing the matter.
   (c) Each CASA shall serve at the pleasure of the court having
jurisdiction over the proceedings in which a CASA has been appointed.
A CASA shall do all of the following:
   (1) Provide independent, factual information to the court
regarding the cases to which he or she is appointed.
   (2) Represent the best interests of the children involved, and
consider the best interests of the family, in the cases to which he
or she is appointed.
   (3) At the request of the judge, monitor cases to which he or she
has been appointed to assure that the court's orders have been
fulfilled.
   (d) The Judicial Council, through its rules and regulations, shall
require an initial and ongoing training program consistent with this
chapter to all persons acting as a CASA, including, but not limited
to, each of the following:
   (1) Dynamics of child abuse and neglect.
   (2) Court structure, including juvenile court laws regarding
dependency.
   (3) Social service systems.
   (4) Child development.
   (5) Interviewing techniques.
   (6) Report writing.
   (7) Roles and responsibilities of a CASA.
   (8) Rules of evidence and discovery procedures.
   (9) Problems associated with verifying reports.
   (e) The Judicial Council, through its CASA Advisory Committee,
shall adopt guidelines for the screening of CASA volunteers, which
shall include personal interviews, reference checks, checks for
records of sex offenses and other criminal records, information from
the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other information as the
Judicial Council deems appropriate.



103.  (a) Persons acting as a CASA shall be individuals who have
demonstrated an interest in children and their welfare. Each CASA
shall participate in a training course conducted under the rules and
regulations adopted by the Judicial Council and in ongoing training
and supervision throughout his or her involvement in the program.
Each CASA shall be evaluated before and after initial training to
determine his or her fitness for these responsibilities. Ongoing
training shall be provided at least monthly.
   (b) Each CASA shall commit a minimum of one year of service to a
child until a permanent placement is achieved for the child or until
relieved by the court, whichever is first. At the end of each year of
service, the CASA, with the approval of the court, may recommit for
an additional year.
   (c) A CASA shall have no associations that create a conflict of
interest with his or her duties as a CASA.
   (d) An adult otherwise qualified to act as a CASA shall not be
discriminated against based upon marital status, socioeconomic
factors, or because of any characteristic listed or defined in
Section 11135 of the Government Code.
   (e) Each CASA is an officer of the court, with the relevant rights
and responsibilities that pertain to that role and shall act
consistently with the local rules of court pertaining to CASAs.
   (f) Each CASA shall be sworn in by a superior court judge or
commissioner before beginning his or her duties.
   (g) A judge may appoint a CASA when, in the opinion of the judge,
a child requires services which can be provided by the CASA,
consistent with the local rules of court.
   (h) To accomplish the appointment of a CASA, the judge making the
appointment shall sign an order, which may grant the CASA the
authority to review specific relevant documents and interview parties
involved in the case, as well as other persons having significant
information relating to the child, to the same extent as any other
officer of the court appointed to investigate proceedings on behalf
of the court.



104.  (a) The court shall determine the extent of the CASA's duties
in each case. These duties may include an independent investigation
of the circumstances surrounding a case to which he or she has been
appointed, interviewing and observing the child and other appropriate
individuals, and the reviewing of appropriate records and reports.
   (b) The CASA shall report the results of the investigation to the
court.
   (c) The CASA shall follow the direction and orders of the court
and shall provide information specifically requested by the court.



105.  All otherwise confidential records and information acquired or
reviewed by a CASA during the course of his or her duties shall
remain confidential and shall be disclosed only pursuant to a court
order.


106.  The CASA shall be notified of hearings and other proceedings
concerning the case to which he or she has been appointed.



107.  Upon presentation of the order of his or her appointment by
the CASA, and upon specific court order and consistent with the rules
of evidence, any agency, hospital, school, organization, division or
department of the state, physician and surgeon, nurse, other health
care provider, psychologist, psychiatrist, police department, or
mental health clinic shall permit the CASA to inspect and copy any
records relating to the child involved in the case of appointment
without the consent of the child or parents.



108.  The Judicial Council shall report to the Legislature on the
implementation of the program, and shall include recommendations on
the continued funding and expansion of the program, as appropriate.



109.  Nothing in this chapter permits a person acting as a CASA to
participate or appear in criminal proceedings or in proceedings to
declare a person a ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601
or 602.


110.  Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as limiting the
right of an Indian tribe or Indian organization to establish or
operate CASA programs independent of state funding or the discretion
of the court to appoint CASAs from those programs in Indian child
custody proceedings.