DOJ cuts funding to CASA, threatening support for 95 foster kids in SWMO
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — CASA of Southwest Missouri is facing a major funding loss after the Department of Justice cut federal grants.
The nonprofit, which supports kids in foster care, will lose $95,000 a year — putting 95 local children at risk of losing their advocates.
With 200 more already on a waitlist, CASA says community support is now critical.
As new funding challenges emerge, CASA of Southwest Missouri is highlighting the powerful impact its volunteers have on children navigating the foster care system.
Children with a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) spend, on average, four months less in foster care compared to those without one — a critical difference in a child's life. Even more striking: fewer than 1% of CASA-supported children re-enter the system, a dramatic contrast to Missouri's 17% statewide average.
The program also offers significant savings to taxpayers. By helping children exit foster care sooner and more successfully, CASA is estimated to save more than $20,000 per child per year.
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