child in Foster Care
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Capital City CASA program to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children and youth within the 19th Judicial Circuit of Missouri based on the belief that children are entitled to a safe and permanent home. The mission will be accomplished through screened, trained, and qualified community court-appointed volunteers.
Vision Statement
The Capital City CASA Program envisions that all Cole County children have safe, permanent homes free of abuse and neglect. To achieve that vision, the Capital City CASA Program will work to ensure that the CASA program is sustained by highly trained CASA volunteers.
Value Statement
To provide a consistent experience in a safe environment for children, family members, and advocates, providing hope while collaborating with our partners and the broader community.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
The Capital City CASA program is committed to fulfilling its mission to improve the lives of abused and neglected children in Cole County, Missouri. To best serve Cole County’s children, we need to understand, respect, and celebrate diversity, including race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and the presence of a sensory, mental, or physical disability. We also value diversity of viewpoints, life experiences, talents, and ideas. We acknowledge the existence of implicit bias and take steps to minimize and/or eliminate implicit bias.
Chief Justice Russell: Every Child Deserves a Caring Advocate
We are thrilled to share that Chief Justice Mary Russell chose to highlight the best-interest advocacy of CASA volunteers in her December column. This column was distributed to the media, judges, clerks, and staff. It was published on Friday in the weekly newsletter of the Missouri Bar Association.
Judge Beetem Retirement
Judge Beetem has been a pivotal partner in the establishment and growth of the Capital City Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, providing a voice for children in need by administering the oath to all 31 classes of 194 dedicated CASA volunteers, starting with the first class in 2011.
About CASA
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates
CASA volunteers are everyday people committed to making a difference for abused and neglected children in Cole County who might otherwise slip through the cracks of an overburdened foster care system. They are appointed by the judge to guide one child or sibling group through the system to safe, permanent, and nurturing homes.
Because CASA volunteers serve on one case at a time, they truly get to know the child and can give each case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.
With a CASA volunteer, a child is less likely to re-enter the foster care system.
Children and youth served by a CASA volunteer reported significantly higher levels of hope. Higher levels of hope are linked to overall well-being, an increase in self-control, positive social relationships, and optimism.
This is The CASA Difference. Our volunteers:
- Are sworn in as Officers of the Court
- Are the only volunteers allowed to work within the Juvenile Justice System
- Generally serve on only one case at a time
- Are the only ones serving on cases that are not paid
We advocate for abused and neglected children in Cole County’s Court.
Annually, Capital City CASA advocates for over 200 foster children from Cole County. Approximately half will never go home. They need you to be the voice in their life and advocate for their best interest.
Become A Volunteer
You do not have to be a lawyer or a social worker to be a volunteer. We welcome people from all walks of life. We are simply looking for people who care about children.
