With an estimated three children dying every day due to abuse and neglect in the United States, not only are their minds being destroyed, but their very lives are being taken from them as well. In 2000, White County began doing something about this growing epidemic and started the CASA Program. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), is a national program that was started in 1977 by Seattle Superior Court Judge David Soukup, who was concerned about making decisions on behalf of abused or neglected children without gathering enough information. He made a request for volunteers, and 50 citizens responded. That was the start of the CASA movement. Today, more than 50,000 advocates are serving all across the nation, including right here in White County.

BeLinda Curtis is the Director of the White County CASA Organization, and says that there is always a growing need for volunteers. “If there are people with a willing heart,” she says, “we can put them in the right places.” One such willing heart was Lisa Wray, who has been a volunteer for the past five years. “I had just about gotten my children raised,” she said, “and I kept seeing people that I really admired getting involved in CASA, whether they were on the board or helping with fund-raisers. And I thought to myself, ‘One of these days I’m gonna do that.’” But working full time and raising two children who were both very involved in athletics, Lisa figured she wouldn’t have the time to dive into such a daunting task. “I’ll never forget the day,” she remembers. “I was sitting in my sun room one Sunday morning, reading the paper and on the front there were a group of people that I really admired, and they were sitting on motorcycles raising money for CASA. And I just felt like the good Lord was telling me that my time was now, not one of these days, but now.” Unfortunately, it was Sunday. “I knew that the offices would be closed,” she said, “but I thought if I didn’t do it now, I would chicken out. So I called and left a message, thinking that they would be too busy and I would never hear back from them.” But she would be wrong. The very next day a CASA worker contacted Lisa and got her started on what she says is one of the things that she was “meant to do.”

Some wonder, does CASA really make a difference? BeLinda Curtis explains that yes, it does. “Kids who have an advocate receive better services once in foster care; they receive permanency quicker, meaning they get a permanent home, or become available for adoption quicker and are more likely to not return to a foster home”

Out of the 200 plus children that are reportedly abused, only 60 to 70 are being served through the CASA program. “We realize that we can’t save every child,” says Wray. “But if you think about all the little ones out there that need help but are never going to get it, it breaks your heart.” Lisa talks about the story of the little girl throwing sand dollars back into the ocean, “People walk up to her and try to explain that she can’t save them all,” she says, “but she keeps telling them, ‘If I can just save one, then I’ve made a difference.’ We know we can’t save them all, but if we help just one little somebody, then it’s worth it.”

“CASA advocates are the eyes and ears of the judge,” BeLinda says. “They are focused on their one case, the one child, where as other officials have multiple cases.” Multiple cases may be understated. On average, DHS workers have anywhere from 30 to 40 cases each, when they should only have 15. The attorneys and judges appointed to the children each have hundreds of cases they are working on at any given time, meaning they are unable to take the necessary time needed to properly place each child. “I feel that it is a very worthy cause,” Wray says, “and I get a great deal of satisfaction from the very little bit I do to help.”

April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month, and the White County CASA Organization is doing its part to help. For more information on events held in the Searcy area, or to become a CASA Volunteer call 501-305-3428.