CASA OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : f*****e@p******a.o*g
Mission Statement
CASA recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in court and throughout child protection systems.
About This Cause
In Allegheny County, there are thousands of children who are active with the Children’s Court system due to abused or neglected by a parent or caregiver. Unfortunately, marginalized children of abuse and neglect often suffer from a myriad of complex problems and circumstances that, without personalized attention, will sabotage their ability to find safe, nurturing and permanent homes. CASA volunteers and their staff case manager partner together to ensure that every child receives the personalized attention they need and deserve to begin healing from their trauma and prevent future child maltreatment. Our organization collaborates with court judges, who often assign CASA to the most complex cases, where the maltreatment is most severe. In the majority of CASA cases, there is at least one child who is pre-verbal, and the children are either living in foster care or are in imminent danger of being removed from their parents’ homes. Once appointed to a case, the CASA volunteer and their staff case manager work to gather information and create a comprehensive case record. CASA volunteers meet with those involved with the children (including parents, caregivers, relatives, neighbors, teachers, therapists, doctors, daycare providers, etc.); and visit the children at least once a month, wherever the child is living, to ensure their safety. These interactions, conversations, meetings and observations form the basis for CASA reports and recommendations that are presented to the court both through a written report and in court testimony, giving voice to the child's needs and best interests. The CASA volunteers are often the most knowledgeable persons on each case – they are thoroughly familiar with case history and with everyone involved in the children’s lives. They also have a holistic understanding of the children’s and families’ needs, personalities, and current circumstances. Each volunteer adds an appreciable level of personal attention and advocacy that the system alone cannot provide.