In Iowa, community volunteers are an effective voice in court for abused and neglected children.|
(From Sen. Amanda Ragan)
In Iowa, community volunteers are an effective voice in court for abused and neglected children. They are recruited, trained and supported by the Iowa Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program. Studies have shown that children in foster care who have a CASA advocate receive more help and are more likely to find a safe, permanent and nurturing home. That’s why we expanded CASA to all 99 Iowa counties in 2007.
Most Department of Human Service case workers and other officials typically have overly large caseloads involving too many children and complicated family situations. They appreciate the focus a CASA volunteer can devote to ensuring that an abused or neglected child is not further victimized, either by their family or by the state system devised to protect the child.
You can learn more about this important program at https://childadvocacy.iowa.gov/.