CASA state office closes, local chapter mostly unaffected

For more than 10 years, the Court Appointed Special Advocates office in Helena helped recruit, train and coordinate the volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children, but now that office will be closing down though the effects are expected to be minimal, representatives say.

The board of directors for CASA, which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, voted to close the office due to lack of money. Executive Director of CASA of Hill County Mark Douglass said the closing of the Helena office will have a minimal affect on CASA programs across the state.

“There will be a few gaps in service, which the 15 local programs will work together to fill, but our volunteers — the heart of our service to children — will continue their excellent work, and we will continue to recruit, train and support them in those efforts,” Douglas said in an email.

The state office provided the voice to the legislative world and that’s one thing that will change.

“At least our ability to speak on a statewide level will be affected,” Douglass said in an interview this morning.

Now the task falls to each individual CASA chapter.

“We, as individual chapters, will have to work together so the regulations that pertain to CASA are implemented,” Douglass said.

How the CASAs talk to one another will also have to change. Since the state office coordinated between the chapters, each CASA is going to have to be more vigilant in talking and coordinating with the others.

“We’ll have to be a little more in touch with each other,” Douglass said.

Douglass said the closure will have no fiscal consequences because there has never been a monetary link between the state office and the local chapters.

As for oversight, that always came from the National CASA Association, so there will be no reduction of that facet of the operation, Douglass said.

A press release issued by Douglass shines a light into how important it is for communities to rally and support their local programs.

“In 2015, 15 active volunteer advocates served 68 abused and neglected children right here in Hill and Choteau counties, a 62 percent increase over the number of children served in 2014,” the news release says. “With 41 abused children in our area still awaiting a CASA, now is the time to support CASA of Hill County.”

The number of reported cases, Douglass said, does not necessarily reflect the amount of children who are abused. Those are just the cases that have been reported.

Douglass said the Hill County CASA volunteers “who are doing a fantastic job” normally put in between five and 10 hours a month. The volunteers visit the child monthly, notify the district judge about how the child is doing and the rest of the time is spent investigating — talking to friends, family members, teachers — ways to help the child.

Since there are is an equal number of children in Hill County who are being served by a CASA volunteer and those who are waiting, 41, cases have to be prioritized, he said. Violent conditions is one of the top reasons a child would be put in front of the line. And since drug use is so common among guardians, cases are prioritized according to how prevalent the drug use is, he said.

Volunteers are needed, Douglass said. CASA of Hill County is starting a new FLEX Pre-Service Training class and people still have time to become a CASA.

“Anyone can be a CASA,” Douglass said. “We don’t ask for special knowledge going in.”

People who are interested in becoming a CASA must pass a background check and not have any violent offenses or those against children. Then the candidate must go through 30 hours of pre-service training. The training includes training on family dynamics, child development, family strengths training, cultural sensitivity and general information about the legal process.

“Abused and neglected children right here in our community are waiting for a CASA to lift up their voice,” the release says. “You could be the difference in a child’s life.”

Anyone interested in becoming a CASA or would like more information on CASA in Montana and along the Hi-Line can call Douglass at 265-6743 ext. 1135, or sent an email to [email protected].