Advocate Skills
The purpose of this page will be to provide info on the specific skills an Essex County CASA Advocate should have - most of these topics will have been covered in pre-service training, but this provides a central place for an advocate to refer back to what was taught. Thoughts are it will include:
Understanding the roles of all the players and organizations in the system and what are the boundaries of the CASA role
How to use your supervisor / PC for support, your TVA
The day-to-day of being a CASA:
What is a “good” visit
What is a “good” visit contact log
What is a “good” written court letter / court report
What is a “good” verbal court report
Self-care – focusing on the small wins
The Basics
CASA Essex Volunteers - What’s Next - out of date?
Back to Basics: A CASAs Guide to Who Does What - 45-minute training video by Soon Benham and Natalie Deo of CASA Essex given to advocates in 2023
Court Reports
CASA Court Report Template - needs updated address of CASA Essex in header
CASA Letter to Judge Template - needs updated address of CASA Essex in header
Case Planning
Adoption vs. KLG - Comparison Chart - 5-page MS Word document rev 10/2021 by DCPP
Permanency Plans - MS Excel spreadsheet showing Adoption vs. KLG differences
Adoption vs. KLG - [10/2021] 5-page DCPP Word document comparing the two available legal permanency options
NJ Department of Children and Families - Preserving Family Connections and KLG - 20-slide PowerPoint presentation
Programs & Facilities & Partner Organizations
CSOC (Children’s System of Care) is another agency under DCF along with DCPP. It serves youth under age 21 with emotional and mental health care needs, substance use challenges, and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families.
Watch a 60-minute webinar by representatives from CSOC, CMO, MRSS, FSO about the services offered by these agencies. This was a CASA College training offered by CASA NJ in 2024. Note, after the main presentation there is a 75-minute Q&A with the attendees of the live training.
embrella supports all families (foster, adoptive, kinship) involved with DCPP.
Watch a 30-minute webinar by Chanel Dupree, our embrella contact. This was live training for CASA Essex staff and advocates in 2025.
PACES (Pathways to Academic and Career Exploration to Success) is an umbrella program that support NJ Foster Care (NJFC) youth 16-21 as they transition out of high school.
Residential Facilities and Group Homes - [6-2005]19-page pdf with a list of Residential Facilities & Group Home Chapter 9 (?)
Women with Children Programs - NJ Division of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) web page for Women and Families describing services for substance abuse for pregnant and parenting women.
Additional Resources
Human Trafficking - 2-page at nj.gov on Human Trafficking Described
Reference
Essex County Phone Directory 2023 - 30-page pdf of DCPP Essex office phone numbers (not searchable)
CIC Parent’s Handbook and Planner - [August 2020] 40-page pdf by New Jersey Courts
NJ Courts At-A-Glance - [2014] 2-page pdf overview of Vicinage contacts, who’s who in the courthouse, common court proceedings, ASFA, docket types, and a timeline of Children In Court. Information is for Family court. Timeline prepared by Hon. Sallyanne Floria and Hon. David B. Katz in 2012
NJ Department of Human Services - NJ Resources - [February 2025] 203-page Word document by DHS Division of Disability Services - comprehensive directory that details programs and services of DHS DDS offered to NJ residents, caregivers and advocates
