Federal cuts to children’s advocacy group hits Coastal Georgia counties hard 

The federal government has cut some of its aid to National Court Appointed Special Advocates, which provides special advocacy for fostered youth in the juvenile court system. CASA Savannah, which serves 300 children, has felt the impact of the decision, with immediate losses of $110,000. CASA Glynn, which serves 400 children annually across five counties, could lose up to $100,0000.

CASA staff members and volunteers are essential in the juvenile court system. They are appointed to children in foster care for abuse or neglect and tasked with fostering connections with them. The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) is involved in initial court hearings with its counsel and the parents’ attorneys. CASA represents their interests since children are not allowed to be in court proceedings.

“They’re there to ensure that the child is getting everything that they need while they’re in foster care, that their voice is heard and that they’re not falling through the cracks of the system,” said Cary Greenfield, Executive Director of CASA Glynn. “They’re also the most stable person in that child’s life, from the time they come into foster care until the time that they’re either reunified with their families or with a relative or adopted.”