Title
Title
Juvenile Law | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Funding Allocation for California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association
(Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee recommends approving the allocation of $19.9 million in Court Appointed Special Advocate program grant funding, included in the Budget Act of 2026, to the California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association for fiscal year 2026-27. The funding supports local court-appointed special advocate programs that recruit and train volunteers appointed by judicial officers to provide advocacy for children under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court. The funding also supports the California Court Appointed Special Advocate Association’s initiatives for statewide volunteer recruitment, shared resources and infrastructure, and training.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council, effective October 16, 2026:
1. Allocate $19.9 million in General Fund appropriations for the California Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association for fiscal year 2026-27 as specified by the Budget Act of 2026 (Assem. Bill 109; Stats. 2026, ch. 19) to:
a. Provide $16 million in funding to local CASA programs to expand capacity, recruitment, and training and to stabilize local budgets and staffing; and
b. Provide $3.9 million to be used statewide for volunteer recruitment initiatives, shared resources and infrastructure, development of training curriculum, and collection of data on program implementation and outcomes to support the required report to the Legislature, and other uses to expand CASA services in the state; and
2. Direct the California CASA Association to:
a. Allocate $16 million as described in recommendation 1a to local CASA programs using an equitable funding methodology based on local CASA program needs; and
b. Collect, compile, and submit data to the Judicial Council, as determined in collaboration with Judicial Council program staff, on program implementation and outcomes to support the required report to the Legislature and other uses to expand CASA services in the state.
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