CASA Efforts to Outcomes

A Message from Judge J. Dean Lewis (ret.), editor of The Judges’ Page newsletter

In April 2010, the National CASA Association implemented a new web-based performance management system for CASA/GAL programs known as Efforts to Outcomes (ETO). Judges may have questions about the introduction of ETO and should rest assured that the new system is secure and will protect confidentiality.

Some of the primary benefits of CASA ETO are:

• ETO uses a data center that meets federal government security standards.
• ETO is HIPPA compliant and password protected. All interactions are date/time stamped.
• ETO has state-of-the-art online security that will allow staff and volunteers to interact with the system from virtually anywhere, at any time, as long as access to a computer with a web browser is available.
• ETO will allow programs to focus on efforts, outcomes and participant progress as part of a performance management approach to CASA/GAL work.
• ETO was designed and developed by former case managers, and this hosted solution (no software to install) is supported by human service professionals.

National CASA is moving in this direction for a number of reasons. State and local CASA/GAL programs are increasingly being asked by funders for more information about the impact of their efforts. They need more than the simple aggregate numbers of children served and anecdotal stories on the impact of CASA/GAL programs.

ETO has been developed by Social Solutions, a pioneer in this field, and provides performance management data to a number of nonprofits, state and federal agencies. National CASA alone does not have the resources to develop the tool and provide a level of training and assistance that is called for by hundreds of programs around the country and thus has partnered with Social Solutions. Social Solutions has a number of clients for whom they have developed successful ETO programs including the US Department of Health and Human Services, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Gates Foundation and others. Further information can be secured from their website, www.socialsolutions.com.

Any questions judges have may be addressed by contacting National CASA staff member Brien Aguilar, (800) 628-3233, ext. 229.

Additional information about CASA ETO from Dave Forrester, director of online, National CASA Association

The National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association has a positive impact on society that requires more than hard work and good intentions. It requires a strategic approach that connects the CASA mission to its staff, volunteers, children and the expectation of its funders and supporters. We call this process of tracking efforts and outcomes, and of relating those outcomes to organizational goals, performance management. Social Solutions worked with National CASA to create a customized web-based performance management system for CASA programs which was released in April 2010.

Instead of storing data in a database on a poorly secured, internal network, CASA ETO’s web-based solution provides a properly secured, hosted environment. Social Solutions uses a data center that meets federal government security standards. It is HIPPA-compliant, password-protected, and all interactions are date/time-stamped. The servers are protected by regular system-wide and client-specific security audits and state-of-the-art intrusion detection systems, which monitor the security of the entire network from multiple access points. Operating system security releases are installed and updated within 24 hours of release, to reduce the chance of any OS-level exploits.

One of the many benefits of ETO is the state-of-the-art online security that will allow staff and volunteers to interact with the system from virtually anywhere, at any time, as long as they have access to a computer with a web browser. The web browser connection to the system will use secure socket layer (SSL) 128-bit security encryption.

Social Solutions technology protects information using both server authentication and data encryption, ensuring that data is safe, secure, and available only to registered users in the CASA organization. Program data will be completely inaccessible to anyone without the correct username and password.