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Second Judicial District CASA seeks $77,900 to recruit volunteers and meet statutory requirements
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Summary
The Second Judicial District CASA director asked the joint committee for $77,900 in general funds to hire a trainer/recruiter/supervisor, secure office space and cover required audits and insurance to maintain statutory compliance amid shrinking VOCA and community grant revenues.
Zenita Delva, executive director of the Second Judicial District CASA program, told the Joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee that volunteer shortages and declining grant revenue threaten the program's ability to meet statutory obligations to children in child‑protection cases.
Delva described a vast, sparsely populated district and gave county‑level examples of need: in Latah County she said CASA had 13 children and three volunteers; Clearwater County had five children and one volunteer; Idaho County had 19 children and one volunteer; and Lewis County had 13 children and no volunteers. She said the district receives about $224,000 in pass‑through Guardian ad Litem funds from the Idaho Supreme Court and that the program needs an additional $77,900 in general funds to add a trainer/recruiter/data/supervisory position and cover statutory compliance costs.
Delva said VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funding has declined steadily in her district; she estimated VOCA support fell from roughly $100,000 to about $40,000 over 12 years. "About 30% of our funding is around fundraising," Delva told the committee, adding that increased fundraising time detracts from service delivery and recruitment.
Committee members pressed on outreach steps and service outcomes. Delva described repeated community outreach, church visits and partnerships with local agencies and recounted a detailed success story in which CASA helped a family secure housing, employment and services that resulted in reunification and no further juvenile‑court involvement.
Delva asked lawmakers to consider the $77,900 enhancement to ensure the program can recruit and train volunteers, maintain required office space and records, and meet audit and liability‑insurance requirements under Idaho juvenile rules. The committee paused for consideration; no vote was taken at the hearing.
