Dear Editor,
April is Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, an initiative meant to prompt communities, draw their attention to a problem, and encourage them to seek meaningful solutions that strengthen and support children and families.
We believe this month is about more than just raising awareness of child maltreatment. It’s about taking action. It can be donating time and resources to child well-being programs and family-focused initiatives, or simply helping to create a more compassionate community by getting to know our neighbors and giving grace to those around us.
But one way people can directly impact a local child who has experienced abuse and neglect is by volunteering with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program of Northwest Iowa. CASA volunteers have a variety of backgrounds, just like the children they serve. Their purpose is to advocate for children who are involved with the courts and child welfare system due to experiencing abuse and neglect.
To do this, they get to know the child, their families, and their situations. They work collaboratively with other key people on the case to solve issues, and they make recommendations to the court to ensure the best interests of the child are being met. Most importantly, CASA volunteers make sure the child’s perspective and voice is heard during a challenging and chaotic time.
A CASA volunteer undergoes a background check, completes 30 hours of pre-service training and is then sworn into service by a judge. Training is a blended approach with both in-person and online courses in juvenile justice, child development, and trauma. Once assigned a child, a volunteer stays with that child until the case is resolved.
For more information about CASA, contact me at kathy.fritz@dia.iowa.gov or visit casaiowa.org.
Kathy Fritz
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Northwest Iowa Program Coordinator
Storm Lake
(712) 749-5184