When I came to the legislature and was seated as a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, I learned that the state has statutory responsibilities to accept reports of allegations about child abuse or neglect, assess the allegations, share complaints with law enforcement, and make sure that the child in question is safe. The Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Programs play a key role in helping the state to meet its responsibilities.
Recently, I attended a legislative briefing about the CASA Programs in Nebraska. Then I read that CASA volunteer recruitment is underway in Cass County, with the annual training scheduled during April. Since I learned at the briefing that Cass, Otoe and Sarpy are among the 33 Nebraska counties with active CASA programs, I want to lend my support to the outstanding work of CASA staff and volunteers, who are devoted to helping abused and neglected children in District 2.
CASA began in this country in 1977, when a judge decided to use trained volunteers to speak in court on behalf of abused and neglected children. In 1982 the National CASA Association was formed, and CASA volunteers began to advocate for children in Nebraska’s courts and welfare systems in 1986. Sarpy County CASA started in 1986. The Cass County program began in 2006, and Otoe County came on board last year.
A CASA volunteer undergoes a background screening, receives 30 hours of training that is based on a national curriculum, is sworn-in by a judge and becomes an officer of the court. A CASA is appointed to work with one family at a time, visits the children wherever they are placed, meets with all of the professionals and adults who know the child well and provides written recommendations to the judge at each court hearing.
Each CASA Program has a director, who is responsible for recruiting, screening, supporting and supervising the volunteers. In Nebraska there is no state funding for the programs, so the programs’ boards are responsible for securing funding from grants, donations, fund-raising and local county sources.
Otoe County CASA Program Director Amanda Volkmer-Busch put me in touch with Nebraska City residents Danny and Julie Oakes. The Oakes serve as a CASA team. I asked them why they volunteer, and this is what they told me. “We decided to become CASA volunteers because we knew there are too many children in the system, and the workload for case workers is more than the staff can handle….It is important for a child in this situation to have someone they can count on….Being CASA volunteers allows us to remain with one case until it has been completed…. Getting to know the kids is the best way to understand what is going on and help determine what is in their best interest….One of the greatest things that a CASA does is let the judge know how the child is feeling by being their voice in court….If you would like to help a child…find your local volunteer program and give a child a voice to be heard.”
I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to represent District 2 in the Nebraska Legislature.
We welcome your contacts by mail, phone or email.Senator Dave Pankonin, State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509, (402) 471-2613, dpankonin@leg.ne.gov.
