Children who are placed in foster care and the child welfare system because of an abusive, neglected, tragic past have a hard time making sense of what’s happening around them. In the search of a new home or recovering from the loss of a parent that child must enter the court system without someone to trust or even help guide them through until the end.

On June 27^th seven local volunteers who decided to make a difference were sworn into CASA. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) CASA volunteers act as the voice or the guiding light to help children who enter the court system through no fault of their own.

According to CASA, children with a CASA volunteer are much less likely to spend more than three years in foster care, in-fact 13.3% of children in foster care with a CASA volunteer stay more than three years whereas 27% of all children in foster care end up staying over three years. Cases involving a CASA are more likely to be permanently closed, those children are less likely to re-enter the child welfare system. Only 9% of CASA children re-enter the system as opposed to the 16% of children who do without an advocate from CASA.

Lincoln County CASA hasn’t been around forever, with the first seven advocates sworn in June 27^th plus one more advocate who is currently working a on a case from another Nebraskan county, more advocates are needed not only by CASA but by the children who are placed in the described environment that the child will remember for the rest of their life.

Listen to Ginny Adams, a CASA volunteer, she explains her experience and why she does it.

To be an advocate you go through proper training before you’re sworn in then as an advocate dedicate a few hours a month to a case. Lincoln County CASA has a goal to help 100% of the children in need of a CASA.  As of April 2012, there were 144 existing cases where a CASA volunteer is needed, with only eight in Lincoln County not every child will be with an advocate. Cases with an advocate are also finished quicker resulting in less court time which means less money the county has to spend.

There are more than one ways to help. You can donate at any time, donations are tax deductible.

The next CASA training is in October! To be a volunteer contact your local Lincoln County CASA Executive Director Stephanie Miller at (308) 520-0577 OR E-mail [email protected]

Stay informed as well on the local Facebook page.