CASA receives $40K federal grant

INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) - Indiana’s State Office of GAL/CASA has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. The money will go toward support for local programs that provide volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children in Indiana.

Right now there are 946 CASA and volunteer Guardian ad Litem offices across the country that train and support a network of 77,102 volunteers. Those volunteers ensure children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect receive needed services and a voice in determining their future.

This year National CASA is giving out $1.2 million in federal grants to 32 of these programs. The funds are provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.

“CASA programs continue to face deep budget cuts as a result of the still-struggling economy,” said Michael Piraino, CEO of the National CASA Association. “National CASA grants provide strength and stability to our network, ensuring we continue to support the children who need help the most.”

To find out more about opportunities to serve as a volunteer CASA or Guardian ad Litem, contact Leslie Dunn at leslie.dunn@courts.IN.gov or by phone at 317-232-2542.