Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce welcome CASA of Siskiyou County
L to R: Vicky Zanni representing the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce, Kassie Wheeler, Outreach & Training Coordinator, Cliff Lantz, Executive Director and Vonnie Greenley, President-CASA Board of Directors
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Siskiyou County is the newest member of the Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce. CASA recruits, screens, and trains local volunteers to become stable, caring friends and a strong voice in court to advocate for abused and neglected children.
Although the CASA office is located in Yreka, the agency serves abused and neglected children in all parts of Siskiyou County and is hoping to encourage community members in the Mt. Shasta area to get involved. Currently, Siskiyou County has 200 children in the juvenile dependency system and only ten CASA volunteers in the south county.
The goal of CASA is to prevent abused, neglected, and abandoned children from becoming lost in the system and working to find them safe, permanent homes as soon as possible.
CASA volunteers help by meeting with the child, gathering information from all interested parties (attorneys, social workers, teachers, etc.), keeping an eye out for any unmet needs of the child, and writing a court report to the judge about their findings. CASA volunteers are unique in providing information not usually available to the court. Because of the enormous number of cases filed in juvenile court and dwindling resources to adequately investigate cases, judges are often compelled to make decisions based on less than complete data. A CASA’s objective, unbiased recommendation to support the best interest of the child is an invaluable aid to the judge. Advocates also attend court hearings regarding the child (usually once every six months) and monitor the case until the child is placed into a safe, permanent, and nurturing home.
CASA volunteers ultimately help to change a child’s life for a brighter future, and they can help to end the cycle of abuse and neglect. Among many other benefits, CASA volunteers also have an opportunity to learn about the juvenile court system and become actively involved in our community.
For more information or to become a volunteer visit www.siskiyoucasa.org or call (530) 841-0844. Volunteers are always needed!
