On Friday, Court Appointed Special Advocates, known as CASA, of Southwest Missouri announced the Department of Justice has terminated federal funding, causing a direct loss of $95,000 annually.
Laura Farmer, executive director of CASA of Southwest Missouri, said she got the news at 10:30 p.m. last Wednesday.
“The Department of Justice stated in their announcement to not only National CASA but 365 other victim-serving organizations across the country, that they had changed their priorities,” said Farmer.
There are currently over 1,200 children in foster care in Greene, Christian, and Taney counties, according to CASA of Southwest Missouri, and they provide 500 of those children with advocates while those children navigate the foster care system.
Farmer said losing $95,000 will impact their ability to serve 95 children. An additional 200 children remain on a waitlist to receive their services.
“We don’t want to leave our children in foster care without advocacy services,” said Farmer. “We don’t want children in foster care here locally to fall through the cracks due to this federal government debacle that is going on.”
The national CASA association is appealing this decision. Farmer said, since the announcement, the southwest Missouri office has been working to help fill the funding gap they are now left with.
“If we have any individuals that would be willing to contact their U.S. representatives and senators and other elected officials to basically contact the Department of Justice and ask them to please reverse this decision, that is the first step in this list of priorities we have,” said farmer.
Farmer said she hopes they will hear a positive result from the appeal and funding will continue.
“Our kids deserve a community, and they deserve a CASA program that cares about them and is going to show up for them through all difficulties, through all crises,” said Farmer.
For more information on how to volunteer or donate to CASA of Southwest Missouri, visit casaswmo.org.