Laura Nauser was the 5th Ward Columbia City councilwoman in 2006 when she saw an ad in the newspaper. It was a time when her community was seeing increased juvenile crime rates, and Nauser knew something needed to be done.
The ad was for Heart of Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, seeking volunteers.
CASA volunteers are paired with children who are involved in abuse or neglect cases and watch out for the child, who may not have an adult in his or her life who can. Because cases can go on for so long, CASA volunteers often develop long-lasting relationships with their cases.
Nauser remembers her first case clearly, which involved two older boys.
Volunteers are sworn in as officers of the court and become party to every case they’re involved with, which allows them access to case information. In the final stages of each court case, CASA volunteers give a recommendation to the judge on what they believe to be the best solution for the children.
CASA volunteers aren’t caseworkers, though some of their responsibilities are similar. Kelly Hill, program coordinator, says sometimes people confuse their volunteers with social workers, but there are key differences.
Caseworkers can have upward of 30 to 35 cases simultaneously, which makes it nearly impossible for a child with only a caseworker to get individual attention. CASA volunteers are paired with one case and are not assigned another until the first is completed.
More likely to have a plan of permanency.
Though many of their volunteers have legal interests, CASA has volunteers from a variety of backgrounds.
In November, Heart of Missouri CASA extended its coverage into Callaway County, made possible through a $22,500 grant from the national CASA organization. Now that it has the funds, CASA is hoping to increase the amount of volunteers to further extend its coverage in Boone and Callaway counties.
Hill hopes that 22 percent will increase significantly in the coming years.
Although the research affirms her belief that CASA volunteers drastically impact children’s lives, Nauser says she’s continually struck by how each child reacts to the organization’s mission.
