CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to be a strong voice for the best interests of vulnerable children who have been removed from their homes or are under court supervision due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. We recruit, train and supervise community volunteers to be advocates, mentors and champions for each child on his or her journey to a safe, permanent and nurturing home.
About This Cause
CASA is the only court-authorized advocacy program for children and youth in foster care in Morris and Sussex Counties. We provide the following programs and services for children in the foster care system: • Child Advocacy: Children who are victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment and living in foster homes or residential facilities are assigned to trained volunteers for advocacy in the Family Court system. CASA volunteers make recommendations to the court for critical community resources and services to improve a child’s stability and outcomes. Volunteers also ensure that each child is in a safe, nurturing, and permanent home as soon as possible. CASA volunteers are generally assigned to one case at a time, to a specific child or siblings within the foster care system. Once assigned to cases, the CASA volunteers are supervised by staff Case Supervisors throughout the lifecycle of each case. • Volunteer Recruitment and Training: The process to become a CASA volunteer advocate includes recruitment, orientation sessions, interviews, background checks, 36 hours of intensive classroom training, swearing-in ceremonies presided over by the Family Court Judges, and case assignment. Additional In-Service training is provided for our volunteer pool throughout the year. • Family Drug Court: This program provides treatment and services for substance-abusing parents whose children have been placed in foster care as the result of child abuse and neglect. CASA is a major stakeholder in this special court. The services provided are designed to successfully rehabilitate the parents, balance child safety and permanency, and work toward family re-unification or another safe, nurturing placement for the child. • Fostering Futures: The goal of the Fostering Futures (FF) Program is to improve outcomes for youth who will be aging-out of the foster care system. It incorporates the following three strategic components. 1) Connecting: to connect youth who have no home to call their own with a positive adult role model to count on for ongoing support as they transition out of foster care and beyond into adulthood 2) Mentoring: focuses on identifying the youth’s strengths, areas for improvement, and the resources and services needed to establish the youth on a path toward a healthy, productive life. The emphasis is on life skills such as work and study habits, maintaining healthy relationships, planning and goal setting, using community resources, and daily living activities. 3) Coaching: inspired by the University of Michigan’s “Possible Selves” research model of youth advocacy and development. The model helps youth reach their full potential by promoting a positive self-identity, and helps youth set goals for their future. There is an individualized “Action Plan” with deadlines for the youth to meet and monitor progress with their FF CASA volunteer mentor.