​​Crawford County casa
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES

         DID YOU KNOW? 

  • In year 1899: First juvenile court (Chicago) placed dependent and delinquent in homes for wayward youth or reform schools.
  • 1910: X-ray technology was developed, eventually allowing doctors to detect subdural (under the skin) injuries and untreated fractures.
  • 1938: First legal rights of children: Fair Labor Standards Act imposed restrictions on working hours and conditions.
  • 1962: Dr. C. Henry Kempe created the diagnosis for battered child syndrome.
  • 1965: Mandatory reporting laws were placed in all states.

The law in protecting the rights of abused and neglected children has improved greatly since 1938. But there is still more work to be done to ensure all children are safe, have stability and permanency.   


OUR DEDICATED CASA VOLUNTEERS

Joyce Adams

Robin Anderson           

Corinne Chafey                              

Richard Chafey                              

Joanna Cihon                                 

Michelle Frndak                             

Jennifer Hellwarth

Phyllis Link

Vickie Morfenski

Sharon Persbacker

Krista Rhoades 

Brenda Schoonover

Christopher Thomas

Stephenie Werner                           

Melissa Wiltshire 



WHO CAN BE A CASA VOLUNTEER?

You do not have to be a lawyer or a social worker to be a volunteer.  We are looking for people who truly care about children and who have common sense. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well supported by professional staff to help you through each case. Qualifications of a CASA Volunteer:

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  1. Must be 21 years of age.
  2. Must successfully pass screening requirements: Complete volunteer application, personal interview, Child Abuse and Criminal Clearances, National Criminal Database, National Sex Offender Registry check, Social Security number verification and three personal references.
  3. Successfully complete initial volunteer training (35 hours). And complete 12-hours on-going training annually. Trainings provided by the CASA program.
  4. Must be able to make an 18 month minimum commitment to a case or until the child has obtained permanency.
  5. Must be accepted as a volunteer by the program and sworn in by the President Judge.
  6. Must be able to keep information confidential and to work within established program guideline

                           WHAT DOES A CASA VOLUNTEER DO?


  1. Volunteers get to know the child at the request of the court.
  2. They talk with everyone in that child's life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers, and anyone else who plays a role in the child's life.
  3. They voice what the child needs and wants, and what will be the best permanent home for them. 
  4. They visit with their child once a month to see how they are doing, makes fact-based recommendations to the court on what should happen for that child. 
  5. They stay with a child's case until they have achieved permanency in a safe environment.