APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH HOPE HOUSE FOR CHILD AND FAMILY ADVOCACY SERVICES

In 2016, Sauk County funded $50,000 in order to re-start a Court Assisted Special Advocate (“CASA”) program for Sauk County.  Hope House administered the program.  CASA is a national program that provides court advocacy for abused or neglected children as they navigate the court process.  As Hope House worked to build the program, it encountered several issues with operating the program in Sauk County.  Hope House ultimately decided it no longer wished to continue to administer the program.    However, it still wanted to be involved in advocacy services for Sauk County.  In discussing the needs of Sauk County with Human Services, Corporation Counsel, the Register in Probate, the Courts, and Hope House, we realized that the CASA goals could also be realized through other needed services.  Hope House has offered to provide a needs study to determine the scale of child advocacy that is feasible and needed in Sauk County.  In addition, they wish to work with Human Services to provide advocacy services to Sauk County children and families that do not meet the requirements for services provided by Human Services.  This would be a community response program that is administered at the County level, but independent of Sauk County Human Services. Community Response programs are recognized by the state and national prevention organizations as needed and beneficial services.  The goals include establishment of comprehensive voluntary services for diverted programs, building a more comprehensive, community based response, reduce reports to Child Protective Services by reducing risk factors and increasing preventative factors, and reach families prior to a crisis.

The purpose of this resolution is to authorize a contract with Hope House to provide a needs assessment and child and family advocacy services using the $50,000 budgeted for the CASA program.