CASA FOR KIDS INC
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Mission Statement
At CASA for Kids, our mission is to promote the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases by providing court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers in care and protection proceedings under Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin State Statutes.
About This Cause
CASA for Kids is court appointed child advocacy for child protection cases and our programming has been in the community for over 20 years, originally under the YWCA La Crosse. CASA achieved 501c3 status in November 2023 after a year of strategic planning. National CASA Association's data has shown that independent CASA agencies were able to serve more children with this governance structure and focus on their own mission. There continues to be a great need for children suffering from neglect and/or abuse have a voice, have their rights protected, and most of all have their safety guarded. We advocate for them in court and provide a positive, consistent adult presence in their life. This is a very specific service we provide which is different from other agencies and our effective reporting to local judges directly influences a child's case outcome. Mission: At CASA for Kids, our mission is to promote the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases by providing court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers in care and protection proceedings under Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin State Statutes. Vision: We believe that all children have a right to be safe and have their voices heard. Values: • We value every child's right to a safe and permanent home. • We value child-centered advocacy, service, and collaboration. • We value honesty, integrity, and compassion. • We value accountability and commitment. CASA for Kids is vital to the trajectory of a child's life and future well-being. A child with a CASA volunteer is less likely to reenter the child welfare system and the proportion of reentries is consistently reduced. CASA cases have a higher number of services ordered for children and families by the court. CASA children performed better academically and behaviorally in school. The most important outcome is children and youth with a CASA volunteer reported significantly higher levels of hope. A child’s hope has been associated with positive outcomes such as academic success, self-control, overall wellbeing, positive social relationships and optimism. Child abuse and neglect are associated with a range of other risks, including poor school performance, unemployment, lost productivity to society, and repeating the cycle of maltreatment. Many times education is a key factor in determining whether a child in foster care succumbs to repeating the detrimental cycles they have been born into and CASA’s involvement in ensuring children receive the services they need, both inside the classroom and out, improves their chances for a better life. Numerous National CASA studies, as well as a Wisconsin CASA program’s local numbers, demonstrate that children who have a CASA advocating for their education needs and services perform better in school. Improving the longer-term outcomes for these children, in turn, strengthens individual families and our community. Protecting the rights and safety of abused and neglected children is one of society’s most fundamental obligations and is a crucial component of a healthy community. Children who are the victims of child abuse and neglect lack adequate parental support, and more often than not, lack the support of extended family. These children are thrust into “the system” and are forced to rely on the assistance of the community and the child welfare system for their safety, education, medical care, and ultimately finding permanency in a safe and stable home. Their physical and mental health as well as their social well-being depends on community support and the advocacy of a CASA volunteer to be a champion on their behalf while honoring a child's sense of time and keeping them safe. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children (SPCC), the national statistics of child maltreatment, state that 5 children die every day from child abuse, over 66.1% of child fatalities were younger than 3 years old, 44.7% were under one year, and children who experience abuse and neglect are approx. 9 times more likely to become involved in criminal activity. The annual estimated death toll from child abuse and neglect in 2022 was 1,990, with boys having a higher fatality rate than girls (3.26 boys & 2.25 girls per 100,000) and between 50-60% of maltreatment fatalities are not recorded on death certificates. 89% of victims were maltreated by one or both parents, 81.8% of child fatalities involved at least one parent, and of the children who died, 76.4% suffered child neglect and 42.1% suffered physical abuse either exclusively or in combination with another maltreatment type. (American SPCC. (2022). Child Maltreatment & Neglect Statistics | American SPCC - Effects of Parental Alcohol Abuse. American SPCC. https://americanspcc.org/child-maltreatment-statistics/) This is the reality we face and why supporting our local program is important and impactful to the community. CASA for Kids believes we can advocate to prioritize the voices and experiences of children who have been abused and/or neglected and advocate for safety. We have an obligation to make sure our local judges have all the information they need to make the best determination in court cases involving maltreated children, in order to ensure the best outcome. We are currently receiving automatic appointments of child maltreatment cases from La Crosse, Monroe, and Vernon counties in Wisconsin. Of every 4 child referrals, we can only serve 1, which means the other 3 children are not receiving the support and advocacy they deserve. Our waitlist is over 100 children needing advocacy. The CASA for Kids program benefits the community by making sure children from abuse and neglect have a voice and the support/resources they need to overcome the unfortunate circumstances they are placed in and a right to be safe. These are held as a high priority throughout the process and life of the case, the child(ren)'s best interests are always at the forefront of CASA for Kids. We have dedicated and committed community member advocates involved in supporting these children, sometimes beyond the life of their court case and continue to be a mentor for them. The impact of this in the community is extraordinary. CASA's existence and involvement in child maltreatment cases exponentially increases a positive outcome for these kids. Imagine the ripple effect in our communities, if we had more investment in our work. You would be investing in vulnerable children, changing their futures and future decisions moving forward. As we reference to the Wisconsin’s Dept. of Children and Families’ Child Abuse and Neglect Report from 2022, there were 73,177 referrals to child protective services across the state. Even with 69.7% being screened out, 30.3% were screened in for services. Those cases fell under the jurisdiction of organizations such as CASA for Kids under Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin State Statues, whether or not a CASA program existed in those WI counties. Of the 72 counties in Wisconsin, only 14 counties have a CASA program and our local organization covers 3 of those 14 counties: La Crosse, Monroe, and Vernon.