Saving the CASA Volunteer Community Guardian ad Litem Program

Thank you Rich Gehrman and Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota

for supporting Minnesota’s 10,000 CASA

(over 40 years)

Community Guardian ad Litem volunteers!

Rich and CASAMN President Gerard Bodell testified at a House Judiciary Committee this week (see here their testimony starts at minute 50) asking to add supervisors who would manage CASA volunteers to the agency’s budget (reversing the program’s death-through-attrition policy in place today). Minnesota’s abused and neglected children benefit from community volunteer child advocates speaking for them in child protection cases. Less is not more for our State’s at risk children.

See supporting documents for Rich & Gerard’s testimony in Read More below.

From Safe Passage For MN Children;

Last year we described the state Guardian ad Litem (GAL) agency’s policy to kill the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program through attrition. CASA is the 40-year old volunteer GAL corps. Trending Impossible Questions & Painful Statistics Since then the Guardian ad Litem Board declined to take action and delegated this decision to management. While this debate played out, CASA volunteers dropped from 260 to 50. State staff present this as a cost-saving measure, but 49 other states manage CASA volunteers cost-effectively. Why can’t Minnesota? This week CASA’s Executive Director asked the House Judiciary Committee to add supervisors who would manage CASA volunteers to the agency’s budget. This would effectively reverse the death-through-attrition policy. Representative Peggy Scott amended the budget to ensure consideration for this proposal. We support CASA’s efforts and will ask your help in advocating for the program with legislators as the process continues. Listen to our (Safe Passage) earlier podcast describing the CASA program and challenges here.

 

KARA reports on the issues of child abuse.

This article submitted by CASA volunteer Mike Tikkanen

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All Adults Are the Protectors of All Children

Gerard Bodel Submission on the MN Child Fatalities from Maltreatment Report for HF 1580 DE4.pdf (3/27/2023)
Gerard Bodell Submission on the CASA-GAL Program for HF 1580 DE4.pdf (3/27/2023)
Gerard Bodell Testimony on HF 1580 DE4.pdf (3/27/2023)
Admin, MnDOT, MAC, LMC, AMC, MICA Testimony on HF 447 DE3.pdf (3/27/2023)
Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota Testimony on HF 1580 DE4.pdf (3/27/2023)
H0447A1 (Frazier).pdf (3/27/2023)
H0447A2 (Becker-Finn).pdf (3/27/2023)
Associated General Contractors of MN Testimony on HF 447 DE3.pdf (3/27/2023)
First Witness Child Advocacy Center Testimony on HF 447 DE3.pdf (3/27/2023)
Kids At Risk Action Testimony on HF 1580 DE4.pdf (3/27/2023)

 

 

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