National CASA/GAL Grant Awarded to Support CASA del Valle Program in Alamosa County
Colorado CASA has been awarded a $97,000 Growth Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association. The funds will be disbursed to the new CASA del Valle with initial services in Alamosa County with expansion to include all six counties of the San Luis Valley (12th Judicial District). CASA del Valle will be the 19th CASA program in the network across the state of Colorado. CASA programs statewide recruit, train and support volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who are involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect. Volunteer advocates are trained to support children through regular visits, information gathering, court reporting and continuous case monitoring until the child/youth has a permanent home, preferably with their family of origin whenever safely possible.
The National CASA/GAL Growth Grant will enable CASA del Valle to focus on establishing the first CASA program in the mountains of south-central Colorado’s San Luis Valley.
“I’m so grateful to all the individuals in Alamosa County that did the hard work to bring CASA del Valle to life. This district is a huge area of need in our state and will no doubt make a huge impact on the outcomes for children in our state.
The significant need for this program was apparent in the visionary GAP Analysis conducted by National CASA followed by their commissioning of a Feasibility Study regarding the need for and local support available to a CASA program in the San Luis Valley. Contemporaneous with this study, a local coalition of community members contacted and successfully collaborated with Colorado CASA and received critical support requisite to establishing CASA del Valle, Inc., a nonprofit organization and newly admitted member of National CASA. As a whole, the 12th Judicial District is one of the most economically challenged regions in the state of Colorado with higher rates of poverty and unemployment and lower rates of income and educational achievement than elsewhere in Colorado. Thus, it is no surprise that 4 of the 6 counties in the San Luis Valley routinely land in the top 10 of Colorado Counties with the highest rates of dependency and neglect filings. Based on this compelling need, National CASA provided funds that will support the opening of CASA del Valle’s office in the Alamosa (at 315 Edison), assist in funding staff salaries and necessary infrastructure plus provide volunteer recruitment, training and supervision support” said Ruth Acheson, Board Chair of CASA del Valle.
There are 941 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided under the OJJDP FY2021 VOCA Children’s Advocacy National Subgrant Program (CFDA #16.756) to manage a national grant awards program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) primarily for the purpose of increasing the number Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers to advocate for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are the subject of civil court child abuse and neglect proceedings. National CASA/GAL administers the grants program under a cooperative agreement with OJJDP which is authorized pursuant to the Victims of Child Abuse Act, 34 USC §20323.
About CASA del Valle
CASA del Valle’s mission is helping to break the cycle of abuse and neglect by recruiting, training and supervising community volunteers to focus on the best-interests of children and youth through prevention, advocacy and intervention while providing opportunities for children, youth and families to thrive. Its vision is to empower our community to support our children and youth as they become tomorrow’s champions of hope, purpose and family. We believe in collaboration and partnership, dignity and inclusion, adaptability, integrity in programing and the wise use of the resources entrusted to us, service to community, and enhancing access to resources and opportunity for all children. We are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable children. To provide more information and easy access to volunteer and support opportunities, our new website will be online by mid-November 2024 at: casadelvalle.org. We are also available at info@casadelvalle.org
About Colorado CASA
CASA organizations in Colorado are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children who have experienced abuse and neglect. This network of 18 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs works to ensure that every child has a voice in the Colorado court system. CASA volunteers are trained and supported to advocate for the best interests of children. CASA volunteers are the heart of our mission. Appointed by family court judges, these community members stand up for children in Dependency and Neglect cases, many of whom are in foster care. CASA volunteers offer stability, compassion, and a consistent presence in the lives of the children they serve, often being one of the few constants during times of uncertainty and transition.
Colorado CASA is an independent 501(c)3 membership organization that provides support to all the CASA programs in the state. We have four strategic focuses: large-scale pass-through funding, brand awareness, data, and legislative action. To learn more, visit: coloradocasa.org.
About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association, together with its 941 state and local program members, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who is involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children/youth and to strengthen and support families. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.