National CASA/GAL AssociationA Conversation About Re-Opening

Monday, May 18, 2020*This call is being recorded

Welcome

AGENDAWELCOME

POLICIES AND COMMUNICATIONS

OFFICE RE-OPENING

CONTROLLING INFECTION

OFFICE SET-UP

CHILD VISITATIONS AND COURT APPEARANCES

CASE ASSIGNMENT

VOLUNTEER ATTRITION, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

SELF-CARE

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Q&A

Policies and Communications

5

Potential Policies

• Operations

• Business Travel

• Infection in the Workplace

• Volunteer Safety

• Child Visitations

6

Communications

• Importance of communications

• Work with governing body on policies and protocols

• Distribute policies to staff and volunteers

• Train, if necessary

• Anticipate needs of volunteers and children and be equipped to meet them

Office Re-Opening

8

Office Re-Opening

• Follow government orders• Coordinate with building and

other tenants • Clean and disinfect• Work through operations

Controlling Infection

10

Higher Risk Groups

• Reasonable Accommodations

• Privacy

11

Office Visitors

• Volunteers

• Vendors

• Deliveries

12

Testing and Screening• Screening

– taking temperatures (100.4°F)

– questioning upon entry to office

• Testing– diagnostic (current infection)

– serologic (past infection)

• Contact Tracing – identifying people who had contact with someone sick

13

Testing and Screening

• Necessary?

• Who conducts the testing and screening?

• Role of building management?

• How and where?

• Liability for doing it?

• Liability for not doing it?

14

Symptoms in the Office

• Planning for someone developing symptoms on-site

• Communications

• Privacy

Office Set-Up

16

Office Set-Up

• Six feet of space

• Shared space

• High-touch surfaces

• Bottlenecks/blind spots

• Signage and markings

17

Common Spaces

• Coordinate with the building

• Bathrooms, elevators, lobbies, parking areas

• HVAC

18

Supplies

• Cleaning supplies

• Masks

• Testing and screening (thermometers)

• PPE

• Materials to reconfigure office

Child Visitations and Court Appearances

20

Volunteer Expectations and Liabilities

• Policies and ProtocolsAll return?Resume all volunteer activities?

• Trainings• Waivers?

21

Child Visitations

• Virtual or in-person• Frequency• Assuring Safety

- PPE- Social Distancing

• Talking to children• Content of conversation

22

Court Appearances

• Virtual or in-person?• Balancing public health

mandates, safety and statutory requirements

• Equal voice• Working with the Court

Case Assignment

24

Case Assignment

• Statutory provisions

• Local court rules

• Memorandum of Understanding with court and child welfare

• Triaging assignments• Development of an assessment tool

Volunteer Attrition, Retention and Recruitment

26

Volunteer Attrition

• Potential decrease in existing volunteers

• Volunteers serving in limited role

• Potential volunteers concerned about the work during and following pandemic

• Competing priorities with limited resources

27

Volunteer Retention

• Volunteer expectations, satisfaction and reward

• Creating a sense of connection

• Seeking input• Communicating and keeping

volunteers informed• Giving ownership of the mission

28

Volunteer Retention

• Creating a sense of connection (continued)

• Encouraging creativity• Sincere and consistent recognition• Listen and learn

29

Volunteer Recruitment

• Increase in need for volunteers

• Volunteer recruitment campaign

• Communication of the need• Articulating our work in the “new

normal”

Records Management

31

Records Management

• Records created off-site

- Store- Share or disclose?- Destroy?

• Records destruction schedule

• Records holds

Self-Care

33

Self-Care• Prioritize

• Maintain a routine

• Limit news consumption

• Create a separate workspace

• Exercise

• Stay connected

• Practice relaxation techniques including gratitude and mindfulness

• Don’t be too hard on yourself

Webinar recordings – www.member.nationalcasagal.org

Helpful Resources

35

Helpful Resources

• National CASA/GAL Member Portal - https://member.nationalcasagal.org/covid-19-emergency-planning-resources/

• National Governors’ Association – www.nga.org

• National Center for State Courts – www.ncsc.org

• Fast Company - https://www.fastcompany.com/

• Children’s Bureau - https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov

• State and local public health, court, and child welfare sites

Wrap Up & Questions

Thank you!