About CASA Mobile
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. The CASA program consists of trained community volunteers who are assigned by a judge to speak for the well-being and safety of abused and neglected children.
Our Story
In 1977, a Seattle juvenile court judge, concerned about making drastic decisions with insufficient information conceived the idea of citizen volunteers speaking up for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. From that first program has grown a network of 950 local programs nationwide that are recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers who act as the eyes, ears and heart of the juvenile court system.
CASA Mobile was founded in 1997 by Judge John Butler, Judge George Brown, and a group of concerned members of the community. The first class of volunteers were trained and sworn in by the court in November 1997. Since then CASA Mobile has provided a voice to hundreds of some of the most vulnerable children in Mobile County.
Hope Needs A Helping Hand
Please Consider Becoming A CASA Volunteer!
Meeting a Community Need
In Mobile County approximately 50% of new petitions each year are private petitions (filed by a family member or family friend) with no DHR involvement. CASA Mobile strives to fill a gap that exists in an overburdened court system and to keep the children involved in private petition cases from falling through the cracks. Cases typically assigned to a CASA volunteer are those in which there are concerns that may center on mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, domestic violence, or chronic neglect. A central aim of CASA Mobile is to assist in good decision making at a critical point, which could prevent the child entering the child welfare system.
Judge George Brown, District Juvenile Court Judge for Mobile County, said, “No program or tool available to this court is as valuable in these cases as CASA volunteers.” And Judge Edmond Naman, Circuit Juvenile Court Judge for Mobile County, said, “CASA is helping to give our children a much better chance to live safe, healthy, and productive lives and in turn making our community safer and better for us all.”
Impact of CASA on our Community
According to “Kids Count” data, Mobile County has the second highest number of children with indications of abuse and neglect in the state of Alabama. According to Juvenile Court data, there are approximately 1400 new petitions filed due to concerns of abuse or neglect each year. Too many of these children experience temporary placements for months or even years. CASA Mobile’s goal has always been to see that these children find safe, “forever” homes whether with a parent or other legal guardian. CASA volunteers take their role very seriously, devoting their time to families whose dysfunctional actions have brought them to the attention of the court. As a result, since the program began taking cases in 1997, CASA Mobile volunteers have worked with 1,395 children.
Only 5% of those children have entered DHR care and only 6% of those cases have reopened after the initial disposition and case closure. While it is a cold calculus, based on the U.S. Government’s estimate for the annual cost of foster care, keeping even a fraction of these children out of the system saved the tax payers of Mobile County tens of thousands of dollars. There is no way to calculate the lifelong emotional and psychological benefit to the children served.
Leadership
Program Director
Elizabeth Walter
Development Director
John Goodroe
Advocate Coordinator
Celeste Daugherty
Executive Director CASA Mobile
Molly Conger
Board of Directors
Sheryl Bates
LaQuin Blakes
Dawn Davis
Betsy Harmon
Rawmon King
Amber Krempa
Kimberly Richardson
Melinda Seiter
Patricia Slack
Selma Smith
David Sweatt
Theresa Whelan
Become a Volunteer Today
Are you interested in a volunteer role where you really know you are making a difference for some of the most vulnerable children in our community?
Speaking Up for Abused and Neglected Children
New cases filed in Mobile County Last Year
Dedicated, trained and supervised volunteers
Children served by CASA last year
Get in Touch. Get Involved.
Are you ready to speak up for children in need?
Together we can improve the lives of abused and neglected children in Mobile County.
2315 Costarides Street Mobile, AL 36617
Call Us: (251) 574-5277
CASA Mobile, Inc. is totally funded by grants and personal donations. For additional information or to receive an application, please call 251-574-5277 or email Elizabeth Walter at casaejw13@gmail.com.
Donate to CASA
Please send donations to:
CASA Mobile, Inc.
Strickland Youth Center
2315 Costarides Street
Mobile, AL 36617
For additional information or to receive a volunteer application packet, please contact Elizabeth Walter at 251-574-5277 or casaejw13@gmail.com