National Casa Website           CASA Application

KID’S KLOSET Pajama Drive

CASA Job Description          CASA Application Procedure 

WHAT IS A CASA ?
A CASA is a well-trained individual who can devote the time necessary to listen to the child, investigate their concerns and situation and develop feasible options for the Court to consider that represent the best interest of the child.  They are not tethered to an overburdened caseload and they are not responsible for focusing on the entire family.  They are not responsible for providing appropriate legal representation but rather mentorship and support.   To be clear, a CASA is not designed to be an adversary to the social worker or the attorney, but rather is an important member of the team whose ultimate goal is the best interest of that child.

CASAs stand up for abused, and neglected children as they travel through the Court system; in short they are the voice of the child.  In an overburdened system where children risk slipping through the cracks, the CASA’s sole goal is to see that the child’s best interests are served.

What are the requirements for becoming a CASA?
A CASA must be over the age of 21.  They must successfully pass a criminal background investigation and submit to and receive a clear CANS (a system that contains information on reported cases of Child Abuse) report.  They must provide at least three references that are not relatives.  They must submit to a thorough interview and are screened closely for objectivity, competence and commitment.  We are requiring a two year commitment for all our CASAs (that is the normal time frame for a case).  Once they have passed the screening process they must attend and successfully complete the training program (approximately 40 hours).  Only after completing the training are they sworn in as a CASA.

How much time does it require?
Each case is different however, normally, a CASA will initially spend about ten to fifteen hours doing research and conducting interviews prior to the first court appearance (normally 30 days after being assigned the case) and another few hours writing a court report and developing recommendations. The more complicated the case, the more time.  During this initial period, the CASA must be available to attend the court hearings. Once the initial case is heard, the CASA will work about 10 hours a month monitoring the case, meeting with DCFS, the school, the parents and most importantly the child.

Kid’s Kloset
The Churchill County Kid’s Kloset is a regional resource for the Division of Child and Family Services and the Churchill County CASA Program to use in the event that a youth in DCFS custody requires clothing (emergency or otherwise), shoes, personal hygiene items and school supplies that cannot be obtained by any other means but are necessary for their comfort, improvement of quality of life, safety, health or simply something to make their lives easier.    The Kid’s Kloset is always in need of donations of new or very gently used items.  Contact the Churchill County CASA office at 423-6088 ext 263 to donate new clothing/shoes or to see if you qualify for help.

(MOST) Mobile Outreach Safety Team

MOST pairs a clinical social worker with a police officer to create a skilled intervention team for persons who suffer from mental illness and are in crisis. The MOST team responds to psychiatric emergencies and maintenance check-ups on previous mental hospital patients. The intent is to reduce the imprisonment of local mentally ill citizens while simultaneously increasing the safety of the general public.

To make a non-emergency referral for MOST:
1. Call the appropriate law enforcement agency.
2. Tell dispatch you wish to make a MOST referral.
3. Provide the following:
* Your name, agency and contact information.
* Name of individual/individuals being referred.
* How the individuals can be contacted, i.e. address, phone # etc…
* Reason for the referral: remember the more detail provided the better the MOST Team will be able to maintain safety and provide adequate service.

Mission:

To Protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Churchill County through integrated State, County and Community efforts.

Core Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.
C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals and solve problems.
A countability: We perform with integrity and respect.
R esponsiveness: WE achieve our mission by serving our customers and engaging out partners.
E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning and continuous performance Improvement.

Who We Are

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need of assistance in dealing with mental health.

What We Do

We educate. Offered in thousands of communities across America through our NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, our education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need about mental health, mental illness, crisis and support.

We advocate. NAMI shapes the national public policy landscape for people with mental illness and their families and provides grassroots volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.

We listen. Our toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows us to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free referral, information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many.

We lead. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), NAMIWalks and other efforts, successfully combat stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.

New Frontier Treatment Center

• 24 hour emergency number (775) 427-4040

General Services

• Drug & Alcohol treatment (775) 423-1412
• 28 bed program
• Mental health issues
• Co-occurring disorders
• Issues uncomfortable seeking help for
• Treat Children, Youth, and Families
• Child welfare cases
• Residential gambling program
• Federals funds, state funds, grants, donations
• Primary health, mental health, and substance abuse health
• Medication Management
• 24/7 food pantry – emergency (775) 427-4040
• Infant and toddler supplies
• Thursday Adolescent Group – 12-17 years of age – Free of charge
• Emergency hot meals
• Family communication drug/violence program
• Partner with DCFS and the Police Department to adopt a family at Christmas
• Screenings for Alcohol Awareness Week (April) at CCHS and CCJH
• Limited money for transportation
• Grant for school clothing and shoes
• Bi-lingual services
• “Rooms for Ruth”