At Lincoln South Rotary Club on May 31, 2024, we heard about sdvocating for at-risk children – CASA for Lancaster County. Our speaker was Dawn Rockey, Executive Director of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
CASA provides a voice for abused and neglected children in the court system so they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. Attorneys are appointed to help work through the legal system. They are required to visit with the child once every 6 months. So, the CASA volunteer that meets with them once every month. It is the CASA volunteer that provides stability, being an ongoing advocate.
Dawn defined a CASA volunteer. They are screened and trained on the CASA program. They respect the child's right to grow in a safe environment and have the best interest of the child in mind. She defined best interest as 1) a safe home, 2) a permanent home, and 3) as quickly as possible.
The CASA volunteer is assigned to a case by a judge. They are given access to the children and all of their information (medical, educational, etc.). The CASA volunteer writes reports to the judge, providing an outside perspective. They share the wishes of the child with the judge. Their role is:
- - Information Gatherer
- - Facilitator
- - Advocate
- - Monitor
While working with the child CASA volunteers gather information about the child and family. What is the parent-child relationship? Do they have a good parental support system? What about past support and family history? How about the parents - do they take care of themselves? And, what is the status of the child's development? Many are born with alcohol or drugs in their systems and that impacts their development from early on.
We read statistics about children in Nebraska (some stats from Nebraska Voices for Children - 2022 numbers):
- 476,677 children live in Nebraska (ages 18 & under)
- 2,873 children were substantiated victims of child maltreatment
- 7,919 children were involved in the child welfare system, including non-court involvement
- 5,057 children who were in foster care
- 638 children adopted from foster care
- 343 youth (19-21) in Bridge to Independence (A program of DHHS that provide a case worker, health insurance and a monthly payment)
She shared some additional stats from 2023:
- 316 Children provided with advocacy services
- 123 CASA volunteers assigned
- 126 children reaching permanency
- 46% caucasian, 54% minority
- 52% male, 48% female
Dawn shared a quote from a former CASA child:
"To give a child a CASA is to give them a voice. To give them a voice is to give them hope, and to give them hope is to give them the world."
BIO
Dawn Rockey joined CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Lancaster County as Executive Director in December 2006.
Dawn came to CASA with a background in state government and commercial banking. Dawn worked for the State of Nebraska for 12 years, in both the legislative and executive branches, serving as Nebraska State Treasurer from 1991-1995. She spent the next nearly 12 years with First National Bank of Omaha in several commercial banking related positions and as a Second Vice President in Treasury Services working with corporate bank customers on their cash management needs.
Dawn has served as President and Treasurer of the Human Services Federation (now Cause Collective Lincoln), currently chairing the Cause Collective-LPS Task Group. She served on the Lincoln Electric System Administrative Board, the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, the Nebraska CASA Association, and the United Way Board. Dawn currently serves on the board of Aiding Angels, and the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation board.
Dawn is a graduate of UNL, with a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs (1984) and completed graduate hours in Public Administration and Political Science. She has lived in Lincoln for more than 40 years. Her husband, Brian, is the Director of the Nebraska Lottery and they have a 25-year-old son.
CASA or Court Appointed Special Advocates for Lancaster County is a local non-profit organization that recruits, trains and supports community volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in juvenile court. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned children and gather information. Volunteers then submit reports directly to the judge with their findings and recommendations. The goal is to provide the judge with more information and to move the children more quickly to permanency (a safe, stable, permanent home). CASA volunteers keep cases moving and make sure children and their families are receiving the services they need to correct the problems that brought them into the system.
Ultimately, the role of the CASA volunteer is to make recommendations that are in the children’s best interests.