WHAT IS CASA?
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA volunteers are community-based and are appointed by judges to serve in child abuse and neglect cases. Once assigned to a child, the volunteer researches the child's case, reviews documents, interviews relevant people, and makes a report to the court as to what is in the best interest of the child, in terms of services, placement, visitation, reunification, and permanency.
CASA volunteers are objective, community volunteers who are not part of the child welfare system, who focus their efforts solely on gathering information and making recommendations regarding children in abuse, neglect, or dependency cases-- who would otherwise have no voice. Volunteers are carefully screened and are very well trained; they receive a minimum of 30 hours of initial training and complete 12 hours of ongoing training each year.
CASA volunteers monitor the child’s situation while they are in foster care to make sure they are safe and to make sure their psychological, physical, educational and other needs are met. Volunteers are often the only constant the child knows as he/she moves through the labyrinth of the child welfare system. When a CASA volunteer accepts a case, they must agree to stay with it until the child has a safe, permanent home. Because volunteers carry only 1 or 2 cases at a time and are assigned to each case for its life, they typically have a depth and breadth of information that other parties may not have. Because of this extensive focus on the child, our national motto is "Change a Child's Story."
OUR MISSION
It is the mission of CASA of Southern Kentucky, Inc. to provide independent, efficient and thorough advocacy for children who are within the jurisdiction of the Pulaski and Rockcastle County Family Court as a result of abuse, neglect or dependency proceedings. CASA of Southern Kentucky, Inc. recruits, trains and supervises Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers to advocate for the children’s best interests.
OUR HISTORY
CASA of Southern Kentucky, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a board of directors and serves Pulaski, and Rockcastle Counties. CASA of Southern Kentucky is governed by the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 620.500 to 620.550.
CASA of Southern Kentucky is a member of the Kentucky CASA Network (KCN) and receives ongoing development, training, technical assistance, and resources from the KCN.
CASA programs in Kentucky are part of a larger national network. The National CASA/GAL Association for Children is a national organization advocating for abused and neglected children in the court system and in foster care. There are over 900 local CASA programs across the country receiving technical assistance and training from National CASA/GAL. For more information on the National CASA/GAL Association, please visit www.NationalCASAGAL.org.
OUR IMPACT
For updated information regarding the impact of CASA programs in Kentucky assisting the Commonwealth’s vulnerable children, please visit the the Kentucky CASA Network’s “Quick Facts” page.
For updated information regarding the impact of CASA programs throughout the Nation and the Nation’s vulnerable children, please visit National CASA’s “Our Impact” page.
