OUR MISSION
"CASA PROVIDES ADVOCACY FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN THE COURT SYSTEM"
what is CASA?
®
Court Appointed Special Advocates
for Children
OUR HISTORY
CASA of South Central Missouri was established in 2004 by a group of concerned citizens, and began services in 2005. The program joined a nationwide network of nearly 1000 programs, 24 of which are still providing support and services in the State of Missouri. A nonprofit, 501c3 organization, CASA of South Central Missouri is headquartered in Rolla, Missouri with satellite offices located in Houston and Waynesville, Missouri.
Since its inception, the program has provided individualized support and advocacy for over 1400 children in the 25th Circuit.
There are CASA programs nationwide.
THE CASA ROLE
A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) gathers information from everyone in a child's life. This can include teachers, doctors, counselors, and family members. Then, they report this to the judge and advocate for the child's best interests. This is called best-interest advocacy.
The CASA volunteer also works with the Family Support Team, made up of child welfare partners, family members, and others who are party to the child's case, to ensure the needs of the child are being met.
The goal is to reunify the child with their biological parents if it can be safely achieved. Sometimes other permanency goals are necessary.
WHAT WE DO
Our program has dedicated staff members who engage with individuals throughout the local community, provide background screening, and train them to be best-interest advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Volunteer training is a 30-hour program that is implemented both online and in person, allowing volunteers to become familiar the child welfare system, the courts and court report-writing, visiting with children and families, working with folks of different backgrounds, and making sound recommendations for resources and child permanency.
Nothing you do for a child is ever wasted.