Continuing Education for GALs
In-service training for GALs is critically important as it enhances skills and permits indispensable, in-depth learning on relevant topics and allows GALs to stay current with changes in the court system and the delivery of social services.
All certified GALs are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training per year. (There is no in- service requirement during the first year of a GAL’s certification. However, new GAL volunteers are encouraged to participate in continuing education.) GALS can earn continuing education credits in a variety of ways:
- attending training sessions/seminars in person or on-line;
- attending child-welfare conferences;
- attending monthly GAL Support Group meetings;
- attending court hearings for cases assigned to the GAL;
- mentoring new GALs who have completed the FLEX training;
- reading a book listed on the National CASA Book List;
- watching a movie listed on the National CASA Film List; or
- attending a Community Based Care (CBC) Alliance Board Meeting.
GALs who complete any continuing education activity should log in to Optima under the Training Logs tab and record their in-service training hours.
National CASA Book & Film Lists
The National Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) Association offers the following lists to help improve and inspire GALs’ service to children.
In-Service Trainings & Community Events
Please see the Calendar tab for trainings, community events, and webinars.
GAL Support Group Meetings
Monthly GAL Support Group meetings are held on one Tuesday per month via Zoom from 12:00 noon — 1:00 p.m. Meeting topics vary each month, and knowledgeable speakers and panelists are invited to share their expertise with GALs — who also have a chance to interact with each other and the invited guests.
Attendance at a GAL Support Group meeting earns 1 hour of Continuing-Education credits.
- 03-14-23 Division-1 Team: Judge Marrero, GALA Haleh Setayesh, & CAM2 Alex Falcon
- 02-21-23 Grace Court with Judge Zayas
- 01-10-23 Meet with our New CAM 2s
- 10-18-22 LGBTQ+ Panel
- 09-13-22 Looking at Children from a Trauma Lens Perspective
- 06-28-22 Foster Care Review Panel (CRP ), Permanency Roundtable, & New Initiatives
- 05-24-22 Meet Judge Caballero (Early Childhood Court)
- 04-12-22 School Support (CCELO – Children’s Courthouse Educational Liaison Office)
- 03-15-22 Kristi House
- 02-28-22 Youth Advisory Council (YAC)
- 01-18-22 Meet Judge Bernstein
- 12-14-21 Clinical Supervisors
- 11-16-21 Judge Jeri Beth Cohen
- 10-12-21 Legislative Update
- 09-14-21 Social Security, Trust Accounts, & Keys to Independence
- 06-22-21 Independent Living & Transistioning Youth
- 05-18-21 Goodbye, Alan Abramowitz
- 04-20-21 Licensing & Placement
- 03-16-21 Meet Judge Aponte & Judge Martinez-Scanzini
- 02-16-21 Adoptions
- 01-12-21 Sibling Placement Advocacy Policy (SPA)
- 11-17-20 Case Managers
- 10-20-20 Legal Perspectives
- 09-22-20 Meet Judge Del Rio
- 08-04-20 STEP UP for Student Scholarships
- 07-14-20 ZOOM Criminal Court Project
- 06-09-20 ZOOM Children’s Needs, Permanency, Visitation Guideline, Updated Standards
- 05-05-20 ZOOM General Discussion (GALs & Administration)
- 02-18-20 Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) & Transitioning
- 01-14-20 Juvenile Dependency Crossover Cases & Georgetown Project
- 11-12-19 Overcoming Barriers to Reunification (& Attachments)
- 10-15-19 Overview: Citrus Family Care Network & Citrus Directory
- 09-10-19 Meet Judge Zayas
- 06-18-19 Judge Cohen & Drug Court
- 05-15-19 Domestic Violence Training
- 04-23-19 Meet Judge Stuzin & Judge Lopez
- 03-12-19 Education Meeting & References
- 02-09-19 Most Common Medications & Diagnoses
- 01-29-19 Foster Peer Advocacy Program & Forms
- 12-11-18 What Is Paid for by Agency & Our Kids
- 11-13-18 Meet Judge Pooler
- 10-16-18 Happiness & Mindfulness
- 09-25-18 Depression, Mental Illness, & Suicide
- 06-19-18 Practice Model (Safety Methodology)
- 05-15-18 GAL Judiciary & Administration
- 04-17-18 Meet Judge Milan
- 03-20-18 Therapy
- 02-13-18 Agency for Persons with Disability (APD) and Special Education (SPED)
- 01-16-18 Independent Living
- 11-14-17 Meet Judge Dimitris
- 10-10-17 LGBT
- 06-13-17 Permanency Roundtables
- 05-23-17 Immigration During the Trump Era
- 04-25-17 Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI)/Co-Parenting Court Order
- 03-21-17 G.R.A.C.E. Court/Human Trafficking
- 02-23-17 Judge Blumstein and the Division 8 Team
- 01-24-17 Panel of Manifest Best Interest (MBI) Attorneys
- 11-29-16 Assessments: Mental Health, Ability to Parent, Psych Evals, Suitability for Residential Placement, and Bonding
- 09-20-16 Adoption
- 08-23-16 Immigration Issues Facing Children in Dependency
- 04-26-16 Foster, Group, Behavioral, & Therapeutic Homes
- 01-12-16 Difficult Teens
- Archived Meeting Notes
Continuing Education for GALs
In-service training for GALs is critically important as it enhances skills and permits indispensable, in-depth learning on relevant topics and allows GALs to stay current with changes in the court system and the delivery of social services.
All certified GALs are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training per year. (There is no in- service requirement during the first year of a GAL’s certification. However, new GAL volunteers are encouraged to participate in continuing education.) GALS can earn continuing education credits in a variety of ways:
- attending training sessions/seminars in person or on-line;
- attending child-welfare conferences;
- attending monthly GAL Support Group meetings;
- attending court hearings for cases assigned to the GAL;
- mentoring new GALs who have completed the FLEX training;
- reading a book listed on the National CASA Book List;
- watching a movie listed on the National CASA Film List; or
- attending a Community Based Care (CBC) Alliance Board Meeting.
GALs who complete any continuing education activity should log in to Optima under the Training Logs tab and record their in-service training hours.