Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) serve children within the foster care system. As wards of the state, those abused and neglected children lack an authoritative voice to advocate for themselves, their needs, and their preferences in court and throughout the foster care system. CASA volunteers fill that void, advocating for each child’s best interests. Volunteer-based Creek County CASA, located at 19 North Main Street in Sapulpa, serves the foster children of Creek County.
As a part of Okmulgee County Family Resource Center, Inc. (OCFRC, Inc.), Creek County CASA joins Okmulgee County CASA and Creek Nation CASA in the dedicated advocacy and support of our foster children, who are some of our most vulnerable community members. As part of their advocacy and support, CASA volunteers interview and maintain communication with all people involved in the child’s life, including healthcare and educational providers, judicial officials, case workers, foster and biological family members, and others. They also advocate and biological family members, and others. They also advocate for the timely access of services for the child(ren) entrusted to them.
Although a CASA’s ultimate purpose is to help each foster child find and secure a safe, permanent home, the volunteer anchors the child’s support system while he is a ward in the foster care system. Oftentimes, the CASA proves to be the lone consistent support in a foster child’s life. Case workers, teachers, judges and lawyers, and foster homes change, but a CASA serves the child from acceptance of his case until he finds a permanent home and the case is closed, lasting an average of one to two years. Additionally, the CASA provides the sole voice for the child’s best interests, compiling the child’s experiences, circumstances, and needs with her own observations and perceptions of the involved parties in a comprehensive report to the court, which enables the judge to make the best possible decision for the child.
According to CASA Supervisor Tammy Hoggatt, Creek County CASA averages 150 children in need of services and 25 CASA volunteers to serve them. Tammy indicated that for every child in need of CASA support and advocacy services to receive them, an average of 50 volunteers are needed, ideally. Unfortunately, some children in need of a CASA go without due to the volunteer shortage. Even one child going without a CASA proves devastating, especially when volunteering requires little time invested and offers rewards that can last a lifetime.
CASA volunteer services benefit all parties, resulting in a bounty of rewards. Children receiving CASA services tend to do better in school, get into less trouble, receive more services, and adjust better to life changes with CASA support. The courts tend to make better informed decisions for CASA children given the additional comprehensive information and unique perspective provided by CASAs. As a CASA, Tammy stated, “It makes you feel good to know that maybe some little, tiny something you contribute maybe makes a huge difference for a child. It can change their life. It’s worth it.”
Regarding becoming a CASA, Letha Caudle said “I find it very meaningful, being a CASA worker. I love seeing the kids every month. I love talking to them and finding out about them. I don’t know why I thought it so important at the time, but for some reason, I did. So, I became a CASA volunteer, and I love every single minute of it.” Letha’s supervisor Tammy added that it does not take much time to volunteer, saying that the application and training process require more time in the short-term than serving. In fact, Tammy indicated that serving as a CASA only requires an average of between 3 to 15 hours per case, per month.
Creek County CASA Erin Strayhorn summarized the importance and benefit of CASA services best: “Being a CASA for nearly two years has shown me how much kids benefit from having someone specifically assigned for them. It may sound cliché, but a CASA is the voice for kids, solely looking out for them. As a CASA, you serve as a part of a very important team, offering a unique perspective to the process of making critical decisions for vulnerable children. There are so many kids that need a CASA. I encourage anyone with some time to please check into volunteering. Kids need all the support they can get, and the time spent in advocating for them is never wasted.”
If volunteering simply is not for you, Creek County CASA also accepts material and monetary donations. For more information about Creek County CASA, becoming a volunteer, or donating items, please first check out their website: creekcountycasa.org. If you seek information beyond what the website offers, feel free to call the office: (918) 224-6492.