Sixth Judicial District CASA / GAL

Livingston – The Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL Program, Inc.  of Park and Sweet Grass Counties has just been awarded certification by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association.   This certification recognizes that the local CASA/GAL is in compliance with National CASA’s high standards for quality child advocacy.

According to Michael Piraino, CEO of the National CASA Association, “The National CASA quality assurance process is very rigorous, and reflects our commitment to ensure every child we serve has the most powerful volunteer advocate working on their behalf.  This certification says, “The Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL Program, Inc.  has demonstrated to us a strong capacity to provide excellent services to the abused and neglected children within their community.”

The Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL Program, Inc.  was started accepting cases January 2004. Currently all children with cases have been assigned a CASA who works hard to ensure the child’s best interest is protected.  When speaking on our local CASA programs volunteers, Wm Nels Swandal said they are, “dedicated advocates who are genuinely concerned for the children and are generous with their time. They spend hours investigating each case and compiling thorough reports which are essential in determining the best interest of the abused and neglected children.”

About the National CASA Association
In 1976, concerned over making decisions decision about abused and neglected children’s lives without sufficient information, a Seattle judge conceived the idea of using trained community volunteers to speak for the best interests of these children in court, helping to ensure that they will live in a safe and loving environment. So successful was the Seattle program, that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates.  In 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA/GAL with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act.  Today, there are more than 950 National CASA member programs across the country, with more than 70,000 men and women serving as CASA or Guardian Ad Litem volunteers.

From left to right: CAN Daughter of Judge Swandal Rebecca Swandal, wife of Judge Swandal Debra Swandal, the Honorable Justice Jim Rice of the Montana Supreme Court, and Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL Program Director Ann Schilling.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Nels Swandal has been selected Judge of the Year for 2009 by CASA of Montana. Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court Jim Rice presented the awards on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at the start of the Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference held in the Helena Red Lion Colonial Hotel, April 21-23. Judge Swandal was unable to be present at the awards ceremony Tuesday, April 21, but his wife Debra and daughter Rebecca were able to attend and accept the award on his behalf. Justice Rice shared Sixth Judicial District CASA Program Director Ann Schilling’s nominating remarks, “Judge Swandal has always been supportive of the volunteers and the work they do in his court. Not only does he make the volunteers feel comfortable on the witness stand, you can be sure that he has always read the CASA’s report and he considers all their information when making his decisions.” Justice Swandal made an appeal to the communities of Livingston and Big Timber in 2002 to start their local CASA Program. More than 60 people attended the initial meeting. By 2004 a board was formed, policies developed, and the first group of 15 volunteers were trained and started representing cases.

The Livingston Enterprise printed an article about Judge Swandal on May 5, 2009: Livingston Enterprise May 5, 2009.

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Park-2-Park bike ride across Montana! The ride will take place September 7-11, 2009. As in past years, the goal is to raise money as well as awareness for CASA of Montana and local CASA programs. Information on how to participate in this exciting event as a sponsor or cyclist is now available at www.park2parkmontana.org. Follow this link to learn more about the 400-mile route from Glacier to Yellowstone, preview the daily ride schedule, and find out how you can help.

CASA Park-2-Park from Big Sky News & Entertainment on Vimeo.

The Sixth Judicial District CASA/GAL program is happy to welcome Sherri Stanton to our Board of Directors. Sherri moved to Montana in 2007 from Yucaipa, CA. She has extensive experience in non-profit administration and fundraising, including seven years as Executive Director of the Yucaipa Animal Placement Center. Sherri looks forward to collaborating with the CASA Board of Directors and staff members to continue to develop our program to best serve the needs of children in Park and Sweet Grass counties.

After four nights and two Saturday mornings, nine community members completed training and are ready to be assigned as Court Appointed Special Advocates to the abused and neglected children of Park and Sweet Grass Counties. The volunteers have various background experience but all share an interest in and concern for the children of our community. Many local professionals came to speak to the group including Barb Braughton of the Department of Health and Human Services; Detective Barnes from the Drug Task Force; lawyers Jim Lippert, Kelly Voyich and Vuko Voyich; Court Administrator, Nancy MacCracken; and Brenda Quillen of Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. Thank you to everyone for the work you do on behalf of the children of Park and Sweet Grass counties and for making the training a success.

There’s only one week left before the drawing of TWO winners in the Bugle For Kids raffle.  Get your tickets now and support the Sixth Judicial CASA/ GAL Program.  For every $25 ticket, the Program receives an additional $50 from the sponsors:  the Brokaw Family, Dollens Family and Ware Family.  So you not only get the chance to hunt on beautiful private ranches, you support the children of Park and Sweet Grass counties.

If you have any questions concerning the raffle, please call the office:  406-222-4904 or check the website:

www.casajd6.org/events.html

RADIO TIME

Tune in Thursday morning at 7:50 to KPRK AM 1340.  Gary and I will be talking about the Bugle event and the CASA Program.