About CASA of Mercer County
Concerned over making decisions about abused and neglected children's lives without sufficient information, a Seattle judge conceived the idea of using trained community volunteers to speak for the best interests of these children in court. So successful was this Seattle program that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates.
In 1990, the U.S. congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act. Today, more than 900 CASA programs are in operation, with over 52,000 women and men serving as CASA volunteers. CASA is an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocate.
Of nearly 600 children in Mercer County in out-of-home placement, approximately 42% have been without a permanent home for over 3 years and 19% for 5 years. CASA of Mercer County was established in 2001 with support from the National CASA Association, CASA of NJ, Family Court Division and the Division of Youth and Family Services to address the needs of Mercer County children who have been removed from their homes.
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