COMET Terminology
commonly used terms in the COMET Software
Active Children Beginning of Period: Total number of children that were served by the program on the first day of the date range. (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 200 children were being “served” by the CASA program on 1/1/2008)
Active Volunteers Beginning of Period: Total number of volunteers that were able to serve children on the first day of the date range – based on the date sworn and date discharged of the volunteer (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 75 volunteers were able to serve CASA program on 1/1/2008)
Assigned Volunteers Beginning of Period: Total number of volunteers that were actively serving children (i.e. assigned to a child’s case) on the first day of the date range (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 72 volunteers were actively serving children on 1/1/2008)
Active Children during a date range: Number of Children “served” during a Date Range. Based on Date Child was assigned to Program and Date Child’s Case was Closed by program. Case open at any time during date range entered by user is counted as active. (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 - John Smith was assigned to program on 10/1/2007 and closed 1/15/2008 – he would still count as a child that was active during the period))
Active During Period: Person serving on child’s case at anytime during time period based on Date Range specified by user. Information is based on Date person Assigned to Child and Date Person is removed from Child’s Case. (this could be for Case Workers, Supervisors, Attorney’s, CASA volunteers, etc)
Active End of Period: Total number of persons/children currently served at end of period in a date range. (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 210 children were currently being “served” by CASA program on 12/31/2008)
Active Children End of Period: Total number of children that were served by the program on the last day of the date range. (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 210 children were being “served” by the CASA program on 12/31/2008)
Active Volunteers End of Period: Total number of volunteers that were able to serve children on the last day of the date range – based on the date sworn and date discharged of the volunteer (For Example: Date Range of 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2008 82 volunteers were able to serve CASA program on 12/31/2008)
All Active Volunteers during date range: Number of Volunteers during a Date Range that are “Active” within the CASA Program. Based on Volunteer’s Date Sworn and Date Discharged from the program.
Applicant Volunteers: Persons entered into Volunteer section that do not have a Sworn In date and do not have a Date Accepted entered. Based on having empty fields for Dates Sworn in to CASA program and Date Accepted
Assigned Children: Total number of Children “actively” assigned to CASA Volunteer at anytime during Date Range specified. Based on Date Volunteer Assigned to Child and Date Volunteer is removed from Child’s Case in Child Information – Volunteer Section. (FYI – if a child is assigned to more than one volunteer during the time period the child will only count once)
Assigned Volunteer: Total number of Volunteers “actively” assigned to Children at anytime during Date Range specified. Based on Date Volunteer Assigned to Child and Date Volunteer is removed from Child’s Case in Child Information – Volunteer Section (FYI – if a volunteer is assigned to more than one child during the time period that volunteer will still only count once)
Attorney: Persons in COMET that defines a relationship of legality to Children or Family members involved in court cases.
Available Volunteers: On Available Vol. Demographics Report, Number of Volunteers with “Yes” selected on “Available?” field on Volunteer Status Section. (Some programs use this as volunteers who are available to take more cases, other programs use this field to specify volunteers they want on their mailing list – in the second case, programs find this handy for volunteers who are “on leave” but still want to receive volunteer mailings)
Case Supervisor: CASA Program Personnel that manage cases and volunteers for the CASA program
Case Type: Definition of Type of Case as defined on Petition. Entered in Child information /Petition Section.
Case Worker: Social Worker or Social Service Personnel that manages Children’s Cases for local Child welfare agency.
Closed Children: Total number of children with Case closed between a specific date range. Based on Date Program Closed child’s case on the Case Closing Section in Child Information.
COMET Tools file: An open MS Access file that contains sample queries and reports can be used to produce specific custom reports and data as needed.
Date Accepted – Is the date a potential volunteer has been screened into the program. Example the person passed all of the background and reference checks and understands the commitment needed to be a CASA
Date Discharge - Is the date a volunteer will no longer be considered “Active by your CASA program. Example: a volunteer has told you they will not take another case or do any type of volunteer work for your CASA program.
Date Sworn - Is the date entered after the volunteer has completed screening, initial training and is ready to take a case. The date the Volunteers will be “sworn in” by the court. COMET uses this date to query “New Volunteers” in the reporting section.
Date Initial Training completed: The Date a volunteer completes the core training to potential become a CASA volunteer.
Discharged Volunteers: Total number of Volunteers that have been “Discharged” from the CASA Program between a specific date range. Based on Date Discharged under Volunteer Status in Volunteer information section.
Forms: Data collection forms made in MS Word, these form based on the data entry fields in COMET and can be modified for CASA program needs.
List Maintenance: Section in COMET that allows the user correct inconsistent or missing data. And add information to the lookup tables.
Lookup Tables: Tables of drop down lists with values for fields such as ethnicity or allegations can be easily changed or expanded using a "List Maintenance" feature.
New Children: Total number of children assigned to the CASA program between a specific date range. Based on Date Assigned to CASA Program under Case Information in Child information section.
New Volunteer: Total number of Volunteers sworn in between a specific date range. Based on Date Sworn under Volunteer Status in Volunteer information section.
Open/Currently Active Children: Total number of children being served at present. Based on children with no date entered for Date Program Closed child’s case on Case Closing Section in Child Information screen (For Example: as of 12/2/2004 - 200 children are currently being “served” by CASA program )
Petition: The formal request for judicial action submitted to the court. In COMET used to establish relationships between hearing adjudications, children, family members, and other persons involved in legal proceedings.
Time in Care: The Time in Care Report - Looks at children that have “Yes” removed from home and date removed from home. It calculates total months from removed from home “yes” to time program closed case.
Time in Care using placements: In COMET based on children closed by program during period removed from home "Yes" . Using placement facility dates and placed in facility not "own home" type. So for example if a child was placed in a facility type “Foster Care” for 6 months and a Facility called “own home” (or like own home) for 6 months the report would only count the first 6 months the child was in that “Foster Care” type facility
Upcoming Hearings: a future session, as of an investigatory committee, at which testimony is taken from witnesses. In COMET upcoming hearings display hearings which will occur in the future based on the hearing date being after the current date that is displayed on users’ computer clock.
Volunteer Status (31) – is a field the user may define as they wish on the “status” of the volunteer. So reports that are running that information can look at that field will query by that information. Changing this field data will not affect the Volunteer demographics reports in COMET. For example, someone may change status field of a Volunteer to “inactive” and run the Volunteer Demographics Discharged report, expecting to see the volunteer show up on the report. However, the Discharged report uses the volunteer discharge date to show volunteers that are no longer with your program during a period of time. Many CASA Programs use the “inactive” status to mean just that. – Not taking a case but still contributing to the program.
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