284 N Fair Avenue
Hamilton, OH 45011
Be a Child’s Voice
PARACHUTE: Butler County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in court, birth to 18 years of age. CASA volunteers safeguard the interests of Butler County’s most vulnerable children - children whose situations are so threatening, that they are referred to the protective jurisdiction of the courts. These children often are victims a second time, falling through the cracks, and becoming “lost” in the court and in the child protective systems. The CASA volunteer is appointed to speak for the child’s best interest, to look out for the child’s welfare and be the child’s voice in court. The court makes decisions that impact the child’s life and the CASA volunteer makes sure the child is safe from further harm, getting help to heal from their trauma, remaining on track academically, and moving toward a safe, permanent home. PARACHUTE is a member of the Ohio CASA Association and the National CASA/GAL Association for Children. In 2019, PARACHUTE had 82 active CASA volunteers spending 6,041 hours speaking up for the best interests of 333 Butler County children. The 2019 Dater Foundation grant provided funding to train 24 new CASA volunteers who were trained during winter, spring, and fall training classes. These new volunteers have been assigned to a child’s case or a case involving a family of children and will remain on their cases until the child finds a safe, permanent home.
A Success Story from a CASA Volunteer’s perspective …
“Being a CASA has been the most rewarding activity of my retirement. My experience throughout - from the first contact through twenty-four hours of training and ongoing support on my cases - has been outstanding. Parachute staff are dedicated and experienced. They give you the education and tools you need to succeed, autonomy to work your cases, appropriate oversight and support as needed. There are also regular opportunities to network with fellow CASAs and for continuing education. No two cases are the same.
To be a CASA you need to be passionate, curious, assertive and persistent. Passionate - about your children’s welfare. Curious - to ask questions to flesh out a case. Assertive - to follow up with all the parties that interact with your children, Persistent - to seek and find the truth about what your children are experiencing. Your recommendations carry great weight.
Witnessing the trauma of displaced children can be heartbreaking, but the reward is being part of an amazing team of professionals and volunteers who are remedying their situations – listening to their fears and hopes, reassuring them, making/keeping them safe, giving them a voice - being their voice - in the system. It takes a village to raise a child, and every contribution, however small it may seem, can make a big difference in a child’s outcome.”
Susan, CASA Volunteer, 2 years
Click on any photo to enlarge.
