THE GORGE — Federal funding losses continue to impact Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs in Oregon, putting advocacy for vulnerable children at risk, said Oregon CASA Network Executive Director Stephanie Brown in a press release Aug. 25.
“While CASA received Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) federal funding during 2017–2023, dwindling funds have eliminated CASA services from this funding pool,” Brown said. “Further complicating CASA’s potential for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding is that Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state conflicts with new federal guidance on the VOCA funding stream, putting all VOCA funding in Oregon at risk, including emergency and advocacy services for all victims of crime.”
Brown continued by saying that CASA’s advocacy has become even more essential as the quality of state services for children in foster care has been called into question.
“As a result of a settlement in the Wyatt B. v. Kotek lawsuit, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is responsible for reducing the amount of abuse that occurs in foster homes, making sure children get timely medical and mental health care, and decreasing the number of children and young adults who come back into foster care, among others,” she said. “CASA’s individualized support and advocacy can help mitigate some of the problems faced by children in the foster care system.”
The funding allows CASA programs to recruit, screen, and support volunteers advocating for children in foster care. Each volunteer gets to know the needs of a child or sibling group to make individualized recommendations to the child’s judge. Brown said that some of the programs have been forced to reduce staff and serve fewer children.
“Despite efforts to prioritize services to the children who need CASA the most, the truth is that every child in foster care should have a CASA advocate,” Brown said. “These children have experienced abuse and neglect — often profound and repeated traumas — and a CASA advocate can ensure that their needs are met and that they know at least one safe, supportive adult cares about them.”
Columbia Gorge CASA Executive Director Christopher Janetzko told Columbia Gorge News that those who would like to support the local program can learn more at gorgecasa.org.
“While we do have a financial plan in place to carry us through the next 12 months, we’ve definitely seen nonprofit funding become increasingly competitive,” he said. “We’re concerned about how this may affect our ability to grow in the coming year.”
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