Section 489.4.3. Training.

All child advocacy board staff, state board members, court appointed special advocates, and court appointed special advocate coaches shall complete preservice and ongoing in-service training.

         4.3(1) Preservice training. Court appointed special advocates and CASA coaches shall complete successfully a minimum of 30 hours of preservice training prior to final selection as a child advocacy volunteer. The training shall include, but is not limited to, the following content areas:

            a.               The role of the volunteer CASA coach and advocate;

            b.               The applicable laws, the child protection system and the role of the court;

            c.               Cultural awareness when working with vulnerable children and families;

            d.               Understanding family factors that affect safety, permanency and well-being of children in need of assistance;

            e.               Understanding of child development and the social, emotional, psychological, educational, attachment, transition and resiliency needs of children and youth;

            f.                Communication, collaboration and dealing with conflict as a CASA program volunteer;

            g.               Gathering of information in the CASA program volunteer role;

            h.               Meeting expectations for case monitoring and reporting; and

            i.                Use of supervision, coaching and other supports to enable effective practice.

         4.3(2) Ongoing education. Every CASA and CASA coach shall complete a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training or education annually. This training or education shall include required training sessions for all volunteers whenever it is determined essential to achieve program goals or individual child outcomes by the state board or administrator. The local coordinator shall require specific training sessions or courses for an individual CASA or CASA coach volunteer whenever doing so is necessary to meet the volunteer’s development needs or the needs of a specific child being served. Each volunteer may select the remaining portion of the required annual training hours from a list of training offerings approved by the coordinator or from alternative offerings provided that prior approval by the coordinator is obtained.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 17A.3 and 237.18.

[ARC 1375C, IAB 3/19/14, effective 4/23/14]