CASA program adapts to COVID-19, restrictions

The North Star CASA program through Virginia’s House is adapting to COVID-19 with additional training and procedures to limit contact. CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are trained and serve as representatives for abused or neglected children.

The advocates must check in about travel now due to COVID-19 where in the past it has been normal for them to just see the child on a regular basis and check in with Virginia’s House. The organization has had additional COVID-19 training through telephone and conference calls to go through a screening process.

“There is one question that came up a couple of weeks ago that we thought was a given, but we decided that we needed to ask it anyway and it was, ‘Is anybody in your house where you live (...) does anybody have COVID.’ Because it was skipped over at one time somewhere else I think it was in north central Texas where a CASA was about to visit a child’s home and there was actually an active case there so we decided that we need to have clear screening and even those questions that you think would already be asked, include those too,” Clack said.

Clack said the advocates are still calling and reporting on their child and that nothing has stopped, but hearings have mostly moved to Zoom calls for the advocates and their assigned children. Clack said those interested in becoming a CASA member can visit their website at virginiashousetx.org.

For the rest of the story, see the Aug. 26 edition of The Graham Leader.