CASA receives $7,500 grant from the Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County

By Editor | January 18, 2022 |

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

The Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County (HWFPC) has announced a grant award in the amount of $7500.00 to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Pike County as part of their FY22 Healthy Community Grant competitive grant program. Grant funds will be used to pay for a dedicated individual to serve as Pike County volunteer coordinator. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are trained community volunteers appointed by a judge to speak up for abused or neglected children in court. CASA volunteers work alongside attorneys and social workers from case inception to its completion.
Foundation Executive Director Patricia McIntosh explained, “The need for a Pike County CASA Coordinator is propelled by the number of children currently in the court system. In 2018 at the start of the Pike County CASA program, there were nine youth under court supervision. At the end of 2021 there were 57 children under court supervision – more than demonstrating the need for a dedicated case coordinator who is responsible for providing volunteer recruitment, training, and case assignment. We know that there are measurable benefits to children under the care of a CASA volunteer, specifically in the areas of academic performance, accessibility to medical/mental health care, and quicker placement in safer, permanent homes. This grant is a way HWFPC can support the valuable work performed by CASA in Pike County and help to ensure that local children’s well-being, safety, and best interests are fully met.”
Todd Shackelford, the Executive Director for the Advocacy Network for Children said on receiving the HWFPC grant: “The Advocacy Network for Children is thrilled to have the local support of the Health and Wellness Foundation of Pike County. Our Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program has seen an increased need for CASA volunteers as more children become under care of the court. These volunteers can now be fully supported by staff so they can be the advocate and the voice of abused and neglected children.”
The Adams County CASA program was established in 1990. Three additional programs were started in 2018 including Pike County, to help abused and neglected children and also include Hancock and Morgan counties. In 2019, three more programs were started in Brown, Cass and Schuyler counties. Each year, thousands of children fall victim to abuse, neglect or abandonment. These children can become victimized and may be lost in an overburdened child welfare system. Sometimes a child can remain adrift in foster care for months or even years.
A CASA volunteer is appointed to a child’s case, he or she is responsible for taking the time to get to know the child and the people who have regular contact with the child as well. A CASA volunteer reviews records, speaks with parents, foster parents, teachers, and most importantly the child. The CASA volunteer then submits recommendations to the court outlining what is the best interest for the child.
CASA volunteers come from all walks of life from a variety of professional, educational, and ethnic backgrounds, and no special experience is required. Volunteers are selected on the basis of their objectivity, competence and commitment. Once accepted, volunteers are trained by CASA in courtroom procedure, the social service system and the inner workings of the juvenile court systems and the special needs of children who have been abused or neglected.
HWFPC funding decisions for the Healthy Community Grants are made in the fall of each year by its Board of Directors and annually selects projects that most effectively demonstrate the ability to impact Pike County’s most pressing physical, emotional, and social health needs. HWFPC’s 2022 Board of Directors includes: Judge Michael Roseberry, Chairman; J. Michael Kinscherff, Vice Chairman; Darla Lemons, Secretary/Treasurer; Directors: Michelle Westbrook, Andrea Allen, and Zach Orr. To find out more information about HWFPC’s other Grant programs, Scholarships and Community Collaborations by calling the Foundation office in Pittsfield at 217-285-6080, or by visiting their web site at www.hwfpc.org.