“You’re my friend…you’re my BEST friend…in big people.”
This statement from an abused child here in Brown County aptly sums up the role of a volunteer from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Brown County, Inc.
CASA of Brown County – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – recruits, screens, and trains everyday citizens from the community to be the voice of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. CASA volunteers ensure the best interests of each child are served as they come into contact with Brown County courts, human services, foster homes, and their own families. A CASA volunteer is paired with a child or sibling group and visits with that child or children weekly to build a relationship of trust. For many abused children, the CASA volunteer is the only consistent, positive adult in their lives during a time of chaos, confusion, and hurt.
In addition to providing vital emotional support, each CASA volunteer makes independent, objective observations about the child’s safety and well-being, and submits a written summary report to the appointing judge each month to help that judge make difficult decisions about the child’s permanent placement. The juvenile judges in Brown County have described the CASA reports as “invaluable tools” as they seek to ensure each child a safe and permanent home.
Training volunteers for this special role requires both time and money. Each volunteer must pass a thorough screening process and background check, complete 40 hours of initial training (10 hours above the national standard), and 12 hours of continuous education each year. As a result, volunteers are highly trained and extremely dedicated to the children they serve and to CASA’s mission, with a less than 1% rate of attrition.
Thanks to the support of many generous donors giving through the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and the Community Foundation’s Funds for Greater Green Bay awarded through a competitive application process, CASA has been able to stabilize and grow over the past three years. In January 2007, CASA had 40 active volunteers serving 57 abused and neglected children in Green Bay. In 2009, 112 CASA volunteers were able to advocate for 241 children in our community. Despite that overwhelming growth, there were still 250 children left waiting for a CASA volunteer last year. With continued financial support, CASA will one day be able to provide the support of a CASA volunteer to every child who needs one.