About CASA of South Central Nebraska
We are a volunteer-powered network of committed people from all walks of life who believe society has a fundamental obligation to give children a happy and safe childhood.
We are people just like you, who believe that every child has the right to be treated with dignity, to be safe, and to thrive in the embrace of a loving family.
Our History
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) began in Adams County in 1992 with a mission to provide trained, court-appointed community volunteers to advocate for a quick, safe and permanent home for all abused and neglected children. Judges Ott and Bryan had noted the need for this type of program in the area.
A separate CASA program began in Clay County in 1995. The Adams County and Clay County programs remained independent from each other until consolidating in 2004.
Since 1992, CASA of South Central Nebraska has helped more than 1,500 children in Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Nuckolls, and Webster counties.
National CASA
CASA was started in 1977 by a Seattle juvenile court judge concerned about making drastic decisions with insufficient information. He conceived the idea of volunteers speaking up for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. That first program has grown into a network of more than 1,000 CASA and guardian ad litem program offices, which recruit, train, and support volunteers in 49 states.
Judges appoint CASA volunteers to represent the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Each year, more than 600,000 children in this country experience foster care. Because there are not enough CASA volunteers to represent all the children in care, judges typically assign CASA volunteers to their most difficulty cases.
CASA Partners
We are proud to work with:
- United Way
- National CASA
- Student Targeted Attendance Reporting System
- Maryland Living Center
- Tenth Judicial District