AB 925

Under the existing Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, a

CASA is an individual who is appointed by the children's court in a proceeding

relating to a child who is alleged to be in need of protection or services (CHIPS). The

CASA's role is to gather information and make observations about the child and the

child's family environment, make regular contact with the child, monitor the family's

compliance with the permanency plan and any court orders and any agency's

provision of necessary services, promote the best interest of the child, and provide

information about these observations to the court. Currently, the Wisconsin Court

Appointed Special Advocate Association coordinates CASA programs in 13 counties.

This bill requires the governor to allocate $6.8 million of funds received under

the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to expand the existing CASA program, and

to create two new CASA county programs in 2022 and two new CASA county

programs in 2023.