In 1994, the Judicial Council adopted California Rules of Court, rule 1424, which serves as program guidelines for Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs. These guidelines implemented the requirements of Welfare and Institutions Code section 100, which established a grant program administered by the Judicial Council to establish or expand CASA programs to assist children involved in juvenile dependency proceedings. The Legislature required the Judicial Council to report on the implementation of the CASA grants program and to make recommendations on continuation and expansion of funding. The Peer Assessment and Compliance Review (PACR) project was developed in response to these reporting requirements.

As part of its monitoring and evaluation responsibilities, the Judicial Council partnered with the California Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CalCASA) to create a protocol for a statewide assessment of local CASA programs. In 1999, CalCASA, a not-for-profit charitable organization that supports and advocates for local CASA programs throughout California, created the PACR in partnership with the Judicial Council. PACR was designed to strengthen and support local CASA program efforts and is divided into two components: 1) self-assessment of compliance with rule 1424, completed every three years by local CASA programs and submitted to the Judicial Council, and 2) a field study of local CASA programs by an independent evaluation team.

To implement the field study component of the PACR project, BPA was contracted to lead an Evaluation Team on site visits to six local CASA programs during Phase I, fourteen programs during Phase II, nine programs during Phase III, and five during the current Phase IV. The Team included a BPA evaluation expert, the Judicial Council CASA Grants Analyst, a Judicial Council Attorney, and a CASA program Executive Director from another county.

The objectives of the field study were to identify:
- local CASA program accomplishments;
- innovative strategies useful to other CASA programs;
- areas requiring technical assistance;
- capacity to track program-related outcomes;
- appropriate outcome measures for future research; and
- compliance with rule 1424.

Publications:

Peer Assessment and Compliance Review (PACR) Innovative Strategies Report (May, 2005) (PDF:277KB)
Presents findings from PACR visits to thirty-five CASA programs throughout the state with a focus on the innovative strategies study component of the project. California CASA programs have developed many innovative strategies to serve children in their communities. The goal of this report is to share these program-specific innovative strategies that may be useful to other CASA programs facing similar circumstances or opportunities.

Peer Assessment and Compliance Review (PACR) Aggregate Report (Jul, 2002)
Presents summary findings from PACR visits to 20 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs throughout California. Includes highlights of several creative and unique strategies being implemented by various CASA programs. http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/cfcc/pdffiles/CASA-PACR02.pdf