ABOUT CASA
Our purpose is to help children find a safe, permanent home.
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
The mission of Pawnee/Osage CASA is to provide community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates and represent the best interests of abused and neglected children who are wards of the court as provided in Title 10 A, O.S, 2 ONC S 2 -121, Title VII Chapter 5, S513.
Every abused and neglected child has a CASA volunteer appointed to represent his/her best interests.
When abused or neglected children enter into the juvenile court and foster care system, they do it virtually alone. In 1977, a Judge in Seattle, Washington, noticed that when he looked out over all the people presenting information to him when he heard a case of an abused child, one critical voice was missing. There was no one there whose sole focus was the best interests of the child. In times of fiscal constraints and agency politics, who better to get that information from than a trained community volunteer? Hence the birth of the CASA movement.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are community volunteers who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children who are wards of the juvenile court. After being screened and trained, a CASA is appointed to a child or sibling group. Through his or her court order, the CASA researches the case, talks to the child and involved parties and professionals, advocates for needed services and timely decisions, and submits written recommendations to the court.
Pawnee/Osage CASA serves the children of Pawnee and Osage Nations as well as Pawnee and Osage Counties.
94 children
served in FY2020
27 volunteers
in FY2020
OUR VALUES
"I have multiple CASA volunteers who serve as constants in the lives of children who are experiencing substantial uncertainty. Volunteers often serve as a rock and person of peace for traumatized children.”
Oklahoma Judge, 2020 Survey
Adaptability
We embrace the challenge of ongoing change; in the environment, in the demands and expectations placed on us, and in the needs of our program. We strive to adapt our thinking and behavior in order to best respond to new conditions and circumstances as they arise.
Collaboration
We acknowledge that Pawnee/Osage CASA is part of a greater network and that success in meeting our mission comes from unity and working collaboratively with the board of directors, Advisory Board, Oklahoma CASA, National CASA, and external stakeholders.
Integrity
We strive to uphold ethical principles through honesty, transparency, and fairness. We address problems that arise directly with one another, express appreciation, and celebrate the successes of those we work with and serve. We advocate for the success of others and continually strive to improve.
Respect
We respect our differences and embrace diversity in its many forms. We strive to be inclusive, welcoming, and to assume the best in those we work with.
Quality
We pursue excellence in all we do, and strive for continual growth and development as we provide advocacy for abused and neglected children.
Service
We respond to the needs of our program and strive to create innovative solutions. We respond to requests and contributors, and support one another as we work to fulfill our mission.
Stewardship
We are faithful to our mission and values, doing what is best for the organization an. We endeavor to help ensure quality and long term sustainability. Pawnee/Osage CASA holds paramount the strategic and responsible management of the resources with which we have been entrusted.
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© 2021 Oklahoma CASA
Pawnee/Osage CASA complies with applicable Federal Civil Rights Laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, military service or lack of military service, religious affiliations or belief, or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.