This Year's Project: CASA of Gage County
About Our Organization
CASA of Gage County recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate for abused, neglected, youth in Juvenile Court. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. Dedicated CASA volunteers are appointed by the Juvenile Court to ensure that the needs and best interests of each CASA’s assigned child or sibling group are met.
The CASA program provides trained, court-appointed community volunteers, to advocate for a prompt, safe, permanent home for all abused and neglected children in Gage County.
CASA gets to know the children and all of the circumstances and issues surrounding the family. CASA volunteers have a court order allowing them access to the children and all information (medical, therapeutic, educational) about the children. CASA collaborates with many programs to put services in place, and facilitate movement through the system so that children achieve permanency.
An advocate completes 30 hours of training and attends a court observation prior to being sworn in as a CASA. An advocate completes 30 hours of training and attends 2 court observations prior to being sworn in as a CASA.
Judges report the impact of a CASA volunteer is most pronounced in “promoting long-term wellbeing”, “appropriate services to child and family” and “Psychological well-being”. CASA volunteers offer an outside perspective and provide the judge with more information on which to base decisions.
CASA volunteers are champions, without compromise, for the best interest of every CASA child.
- CASAs complete 30 hours of pre-service training & 12 hours of annual continuing education
- CASAs learn all they can about the child, their family life, and their needs through monthly visits and research
- CASAs work with other professionals to ensure that necessary services are provided & are in the child's best interest
- CASAs make fact-based recommendations to help the child thrive
- CASAs report all they have learned and observed to the court and speak up for the child's best interests before the judge
- CASAs journey with a child until they are placed in a safe, permanent, and loving home where the child can thrive
CASA Volunteers are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each calendar year, as required by the Nebraska Revised Statute 43-3708 and the guidelines of the National CASA Association and the Nebraska CASA Association.
CASA Volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.
CASA of Gage County offers a variety of learning opportunities throughout the year.
Current Project: CASA of Gage County
Do you remember how spring felt as a child?
It probably involved extracurricular sports with friends, hiking, riding bikes, and even flying kites.
What if we told you that all of these activities are activities that some of our foster children experienced with their CASA volunteers for the FIRST time? The truth is the things that most kids experience are special opportunities for foster kids.
These opportunities are most often made possible by our CASA volunteers... ordinary people who play extraordinary roles in the lives of foster children.
CASA of Gage County recognizes that in order to have a positive impact on the lives of traumatized children and their families, the community must be engaged in advocating for our most vulnerable members.
We are seeking funding to help us serve our youth and current volunteers. Children in the foster care system often find that nearly every decision is made for them -- where they live, where they attend school, what they eat when they can see their parents, and even what clothes they have to wear. Having a CASA visiting on a regular basis can provide the youth with an opportunity to make their own decisions -- where they will go during the visit, what they will eat, and how they will spend their time together. Therefore, gift cards that the CASA and youth can use during their time together can make this time together extra special.
With these funds, CASA will share gift cards for restaurants, movies, or stores where the CASA can give their youth an experience that they might not otherwise have had.