 What
is CASA?
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. They are trained
community volunteers appointed by a judge to speak up for abused
and neglected children in court. With the information provided by
CASA volunteers, judges are able to make informed decisions as to
what is best for the child - foster care, reunification, or adoption,
and in a more timely fashion, so these children still have a chance
at childhood.
CASA programs can help a displaced child find the security he or
she needs to grow and reach full potential. Studies show that:
- Abused and
neglected children who have CASA volunteers have a better chance
of living in safe, permanent and loving homes than children who
do not have volunteers.
- CASA involvement
often reduces the number of times a child is moved from foster
home to foster home.
- CASA cases
are more likely to be reviewed on a regular basis by the court.
- A child with
a CASA volunteer is more likely to receive treatment through community
services. CASA programs save tax dollars.
CASA's web site is at: http://www.nationalcasa.org
CASA of Santa Barbara
The mission of CASA of Santa Barbara is to assure a safe, permanent,
nurturing home for every abused or neglected child by providing
a trained volunteer to advocate for each child in the courts.
From the CASA newsletter, executive director Lois Craig writes:
"I suspect that many of the volunteer advocates already know
about the difference they are making, since they are the ones who
spend time with their children, gather important information that
somethimes no one else knows about, and submit their reports to
the court. I also know that some of the volunteer advocates have
remained with their children for years, and stayed on a case even
when it was easier not to. I believe, however that it is impossible
to tell the volunteer advocates enough times how important they
are to theri children, and how much we admire their selfless efforts.
Their efforts clearly benefit the CASA program, because we can match
children with advocates when a child needs one. But more importantly,
abused, neglected, or abandoned children have a caring adult who
will speak for their best interests at a time when they most need
one."
CASA is grateful to all the wonderful people who contribute to
CASA. Your generosity and support allows CASA to make a difference
in the lives of local children. Without you, many, many children
would continue to live in terrible situations with no one listening,
no one understanding, and no one advocating for them.
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