ourt

ppointed

pecial

dvocates

Concerned over making decisions about

abused and neglected children's lives

without sufficient information, a Seattle

judge conceived the idea of using trained

community volunteers to speak for the

best interests of these children in court.

So successful was this Seattle program

that soon judges across the country

began utilizing citizen advocates.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged

the expansion of CASA with passage of

the Victims of Child Abuse Act.

Today more than 900 CASA programs

are in operation, with 70,000 women

and men serving as CASA volunteers.

CASACourt Appointed Special Advocates, Program of Beaver County, Inc., is committed to recruiting, training and assigning volunteer advocates to provide accurate information to the Beaver County court system, that will assist the courts in deciding the resolution of a case, that best meets the physical, emotional and psychological needs of the child.

All children have a right to a permanent home that provides loving, caring, respectful and safe treatment.

What does having a CASA volunteer mean to an abused

child?

Imagine what it would be like to lose your

parents,

not because of something you did, but

because they

can’t - or won’t - take care of you.

Now, into your life come dozens of

strangers: police, foster parents, social

workers, judges, lawyers, and more.

Having a CASA volunteer means having by

your side a trained and committed adult who

has been appointed by a judge to watch over

and advocate for your best interests.

That volunteer will make sure you don’t get

lost in the overburdened legal and social

service system or languish in an

inappropriate group or foster home. They

will be there for you until your case is closed. 

It can mean the difference between

homelessness and a safe home,

between dropping out and completing

school, between unemployment and

success, between jail and becoming a

productive member of society.

What does a CASA do?

• CASA volunteers are the voice of hope for

abused children.

• CASA, Beaver County is a private

nonprofit organization that speaks up,

through trained volunteers, for abused

and neglected children in the court

system.

• Our mission is to guide these children into

safe environments where they can love,

be loved, laugh and learn.

• CASA, Beaver County ensures that a child

who makes it out of an abusive home

doesn’t become caught in the system.

• Trained, court-appointed volunteers

guide abused and neglected children out

of the foster care system, identify the

child’s needs and locate rehabilitative

and other services ranging from

psychological treatment to educational

assistance.

• CASA volunteers gather all pertinent data

and facts related to a child’s case and

make recommendations to the judge

overseeing the case, providing the judge

with information needed to make an

informed decision.

• Judges routinely request more CASA

volunteers than are available.

• CASA volunteers are typically assigned to

only one case at a time, which results in

focus and effectiveness.

• CASA is not involved in investigations,

intake procedures or providing services to

parents.

• CASA volunteers only work to achieve

what is in the best interest of each child.

Our volunteers have time to gather all the

facts on each child’s case—time that

others, like attorneys and CYS

caseworkers, simply may not have. CASA,

Beaver County’s goal is to see that every

child who needs a CASA volunteer has one.

Who are the children? They are the children of Beaver County who:• were born addicted to crack • have been sexually abused; sometimes by

multiple family members• have a mom who prostituted to get money

for drugs while they were left to wait in the cold

• have fathers and/or mothers that are incarcerated

• have been back and forth from home to foster care more than ten times

• were used to steal merchandise or smuggle drugs

• are diagnosed with mental retardation or mental health issues

Anyone 21 years of age or older with a

desire to help abused and neglected

children, who do not have a child abuse

record or any criminal charges related

to children, can think and work

relatively independently, while

maintaining Strict Confidentiality,

complete the 30 hour required training,

and devote at least 3 hours a week for a

minimum of one year or until case

assigned is completed.

Who can be a CASA Hero?

Who are the Heroes of CASA Beaver County?

They come from all walks of life, from different careers, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, and genders but share one common important factor--they are the voice for abused and neglected children

The Advocates:Ashley Baker Penny HagenBarbara HaslettAshley HodgesAlice Lindsey Jennifer MillerLuke Silveria Ray Young

CASA Executive Board Members:

Pam Brett Charles Capper

Michael Darroch Diane DornenbergMelvin Mikulich Scott Monit Bobbie O’Leary John O’Leary, Jr. Joe Pontoli, Sr. Carol Yakish

CASA Staff:

Heather Yates, Executive DirectorAnnette Groves, Administrative

AssistantCyndi Brown, Volunteer Coordinator

Caitlin Newton, Junior Volunteer

Court Appointed Special Advocatesspeaking up for abused and neglected children

 

250 Insurance Street, Suite 306

Beaver, PA 15009Phone: 724-728-2146

Fax: 724-728-0359casabc@verizon.net

 

Take a STAND

Make a DIFFERENCE

Change a LIFE