The Need
During 2023 in Denton County:
- More than 300 children entered the child welfare system due to abuse and/or neglect.
- CASA served 550 children with a caring, trained advocate to speak to the court about their needs and best interests.
- Over 225 community members gave their time, talent, and voices to support the most vulnerable children in need by serving as a CASA advocate.
The Impact
The difference a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, makes in the life of a child in foster care is profound. Children with a CASA volunteer:
- Are less likely to return to foster care after their case closes than those who don’t have an advocate.
- Receive more services while in foster care than those children who don’t have an advocate.
- Their caregivers also receive more services during the case goes than those where a CASA is not appointed.
CASA of Denton County has a reputation in the community for its effective and quality services. In 2023, 94% of final hearing recommendations made by our volunteers were accepted by judges/juries. Volunteers recorded an average of 30 hours of advocacy for each child served during the year, and less than 1% of children served re-entered the child welfare system for a second time within six months of case closure.
Annual Reports, 990
In an effort for transparency, CASA releases an annual report to the community, including information from our audited financial report, program statistics and details about our program’s functioning during the previous fiscal year.
