CASA to change name, looks to double services

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri Inc. is getting ready to change its name and double its services.

Linda Nash, who leads the Cape Girardeau-area office, said the rebranding initiative is local, although some CASA offices around the country have opted for a more specific name as well.

"We didn't feel like CASA was as clear about what we do," she said.

The group's new name will be Voices for Children CASA to help with name recognition, and after a transition period, simply Voices for Children.

"We do speak for children," Nash said. "We are voices for children in the court system."

Largely a volunteer-based organization that trains people to become advocates for minors in protective custody, CASA's goal is to make sure abused or neglected children have more thorough oversight.

"This allows the judge to have an extra set of eyes and ears on that child," Nash said.

Volunteers undergo 30 hours of training and then spend six to 10 hours a month checking in with the child and his or her siblings, social workers, teachers, foster parents, parents and anyone else in the child's life.

Then, every quarter, they submit a report to the judge on how things are going or what they recommend should be done.

Nash said right now, 350 children are in foster care or some form of protective custody in the judicial district including Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties. Of those, only about 65 have CASA advocates.

The number of children in foster care in the area has risen by about 100 since this time last year.

That is why, in addition to the name change, the local CASA office is getting ready to double its services by hiring a second volunteer coordinator.

The position is funded by an 18-month, renewable grant associated with the Victims of Crime Act of 1984.

Every year, millions of dollars are deposited into the Victims of Crime Fund nationwide, with money coming from criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, penalty fees and special assessments collected by the U.S. attorney's office and other agencies, according to ncjrs.gov.

As with CASA's existing volunteer coordinator, the new person will have a background in social services or law enforcement and will work with up to 35 volunteers, each of whom will monitor a child or sibling group.

In the past year, CASA was able to help 77 children.

Hiring the new coordinator should double that number.

"We feel we need to make more of a difference in the circuit," Nash said.

ljones@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent address:

937 Broadway, Suite 201, Cape Girardeau, Mo.