What does CASA stand for?
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. A CASA volunteer is specially trained by CASA staff and appointed by a judge to stand up for an abused and/or neglected child. When a child is taken from her home, many strangers enter her life--the police, social workers, judges, foster care parents, group home staff, lawyers, and more. The committed CASA volunteer is matched with a child and will have access to the child's state, family court, medical, school and other records in order to make recommendations about the child's status to the family court judge as to what the child may need, whether it is to return home, continue in foster care, go to a treatment facility, etc. In some cases the CASA volunteer is the only stable person in the child's life. So, although CASA officially stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate, it really means so much more to the child.
History of CASA
CASA was started in 1976 when Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington, saw a need for a child advocate in the court room. He obtained funding, recruited and trained volunteers from the community to advocate for chidren involved in abuse cases in the courtroom. During the first year (1977) 110 trained CASA volunteers worked with 498 children in 376 dependency cases.
The program was recognized and supported by the National Center of State Courts and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation of New York City. This resulted in the establishment of CASA programs throughout the country. Today, the National CASA Association represents 930 CASA programs throughout the country.
History of CASA at Woodlawn
(2003-2004) Centre College Religion Professor, David Hall, urged by community members, discussed plans with Judge Bruce Petrie to start a new chapter of CASA in Danville. About the same time, Christian Care Communities employees on Danville 's campus at Woodlawn, Brent Blevins (formerly trained as a CASA volunteer) and Susan Hensley contacted National CASA about starting a local program in Danville. Blevins received Hall's name as a contact from National CASA. Hall, Blevins, community members, and Woodlawn came together to begin the formation process.
(January 2005) Retired teacher and Independent Living Trainer for foster care children, Shirley Sanders, became the volunteer director and coordinator for the new CASA program. A Board of Directors continued to meet and shape plans for CASA to become part of the National Association and to be supported by the Christian Care Communities organization.
(July 2005) CASA at Woodlawn received a $40,000 start-up grant from the National CASA Association and hired Sanders as a full-time Executive Director. Through a CNCS grant, CASA at Woodlawn also received an Americorps VISTA volunteer, Eve Palmer, to assist Sanders in building program stability. CASA trained and swore in its first set of volunteers from the Boyle/ Mercer counties community.
(August 2005) CASA at Woodlawn received its first case referrals from the Boyle/ Mercer County Family Court system. CASA trained and swore in a second group of community volunteer advocates.
(September 2005) Advisory Council swore in new members and discussed vision and plans for CASA in the upcoming year. CASA received more case referrals from the Family Court system. More volunteers have begun to receive cases and dive into the CASA experience! Child victims of maltreatment in Boyle/ Mercer counties gain a powerful voice through the aid of CASA volunteers!
For more information about CASA or to volunteer or donate, contact info@casaatwoodlawn.org
