CASA set to start new year with new director

CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates — of Hill County is scheduled to bring in the new year with a new executive director.

Incoming director Terry Hanson will begin her new job Jan. 2, Board of Directors of CASA of Hill County President Beth Hannah said Wednesday. Hanson has an extensive social work portfolio and the board is very happy with the incoming director, Hannah added.

Former CASA of Hill County Director Mark Douglass left CASA to work for Child Protective Services around the end of October, Hannah said.

The absence of a director, Hannah said, has not negatively affected CASA.

In an Aug. 24 Havre Daily article, Douglass said the child advocacy nonprofit had 15 CASAs. CASA of Hill County, which also serves children in Blaine, Chouteau, Philips and Valley counties, has between eight and 10 CASAs now, Hannah said.

“We always need more volunteers,” she said.

A CASA is a member of the community who serves as the “eyes and ears” of the judge in child abuse and neglect cases. The volunteer-advocate gets to know a child and their specific circumstances to provide the knowledge necessary to treat the child as a person and not just a case number.

CASAs must undergo training. All CASAs must go through 30 hours of preservice training and then an additional 12 hours each year.

Volunteers typically exceed those requirements during their first year of service, with many volunteers doing 40 to 50 hours of preservice training, the former director has said.

The only requirements for somebody to become a CASA is that they must be at least 21 years old and not have a criminal record with any child-related or violent offenses.