CASA for KIDS, INC

Mission Statement: CASA for KIDS Board, Staff and Volunteer/Advocates are on a mission to help prevent child abuse in our community, train volunteers to advocate for the best interest of children from Lamar, Red River and Delta counties who have been assigned to us by the court system, and provide opportunities for them to grow into responsible and productive adults.

In 1976, David Soukup, a superior court judge in Seattle, became greatly concerned about making decisions that had significant impact on dependent children's futures, so he created a plan to train and appoint community volunteers to research the best interests of children in cases of abuse and neglect. He needed to be sure he was getting all the facts and that the long-term welfare of children was represented, so he depended on these volunteers to make informed recommendations to the court about getting children in safe, permanent homes as soon as possible. Today, that judge's idea has evolved into one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country.

District judges bear an enormous responsibility in deciding what is best to facilitate a child's growth. An abused or neglected child enters a judge's court through no fault of his or her own, and judges have a very limited time frame with which to decide that child's future. CASA volunteers can provide judges with the information they need to make the best decision for that child. With no allegiance to any particular agency, oblivious to caseloads and financial constraints, a CASA volunteer can make things happen. A CASA volunteer will bring continuity to cases and facilitate necessary services for timely, safe, permanent placement for the children in Lamar, Red River and Delta Counties. CASA for KIDS will provide exclusive advocacy for each child and his or her best interests. When a CASA volunteer is utilized in Child Protective Services cases, that child is ushered through the system more expeditiously, therefore saving Texas taxpayers money.

All volunteers must successfully pass an extensive background check, attend a 40- hour training, thirty of National CASA curriculum and 10 hours court time, and complete 12 hours of annual continuing education. The Director and volunteers act as fact-finders for the court by conducting interviews, making home and/or foster placement visits, monitoring the progress of cases, and submitting reports to the judge. They research the situation of the child they are court-ordered to serve, and make written and oral recommendations directly to the court. According to need and availability, the presiding judge appoints CASA to a case.

In 2022, CASA for KIDS of Lamar, Red River, and Delta County served 147 kids, and we were able to accept 100% of the children referred to us! We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization, which means we rely on grants and donations to operate. Thank you for your support and contact us directly to learn more about CASA.