Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Saline County

What is CASA?

Every year in the United States, millions of children are abused, neglected, or abandoned by their families.  Last year, over 581,000 of these children were removed from their homes.  "CASA" is an acronym for a "Court Appointed Special Advocate".  CASA is a non-profit organization that recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for  the best interests of these abused and neglected children within the court system.    In Saline County there are an estimated 450 family reports of child abuse or neglect each year.  Of these reports over 100 children are wards of the court at any given time.  Of the 100 children in the court system, Saline County CASA is currently serving 66.

What is a CASA Advocate?

A CASA Advocate is a community member who gives of their time to ensure that abused and neglected children receive a safe, nurturing, permanent home as quickly as possible.  They do this by gathering facts, discerning options, and preparing reports for the court.  They also assist the court and social agencies in eliminating delays, advancing the child's case in a timely fashion, and monitoring the case until a final outcome is achieved. 

To achieve our goal of assisting every child in the court system, more advocates are needed.  To become an advocate, one must pass a preliminary screening process, complete a 30 hour training program, and observe 6 hours of court procedures.