2017 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 45
BY SENATORS ALARIO AND WALSWORTH
A RESOLUTION
To commend the CASA programs and its volunteers for the work they do to ensure safe
permanent homes for Louisiana's foster children and to designate April 27, 2017, as
CASA Day at the state capitol.
WHEREAS, the mission of CASA is to give every child who has been abused or
neglected an opportunity to thrive and establish permanence with quality advocacy from a
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, and nationwide local CASA
programs recruit, train, and support volunteers in their work with abused and neglected
children; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana CASA Association (LACASA), which grew out of an
informal association of CASA program directors throughout the state, supports local
programs in their efforts to ensure that abused and neglected children in the Louisiana legal
system have a competent and caring volunteer advocate through quality, local CASA
programs; and
WHEREAS, the first CASA program in Louisiana began in 1986 in Orleans Parish
and currently there are seventeen local programs serving 55 parishes in Louisiana including:
1. CAPITAL AREA CASA in Baton Rouge serving East Baton Rouge Parish
2. CASA JEFFERSON in Metairie serving Jefferson Parish
3. CASA NEW ORLEANS serving Orleans and St. Bernard parishes
4. CASA OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA (NATCHITOCHES) serving Natchitoches,
Red River, and Sabine parishes
5. CASA OF LAFOURCHE in Thibodaux serving Lafourche Parish
6. CASA OF NELA (NORTHEAST LA) in Monroe serving Caldwell, East Carroll,
Franklin, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, and West
Carroll parishes
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7. CASA OF PLAQUEMINES in Belle Chasse serving Plaquemines Parish
8. CASA OF SOLA (SOUTH LOUISIANA) in Lafayette serving Acadia, Lafayette,
and Vermilion parishes
9. CASA OF ST. LANDRY AND EVANGELINE in Opelousas serving St. Landry
and Evangeline parishes
10. CASA OF TERREBONNE in Houma serving Terrebonne Parish
11. CASA of the 16th JDC in New Iberia serving Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary
parishes
12. CASA OF WEST CENLA (WEST CENTRAL LA) in DeRidder serving Vernon
and Beauregard parishes
13. CASA, A PROGRAM OF FAMILY & YOUTH in Lake Charles serving Allen,
Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes
14. CHILD ADVOCACY SERVICES in Hammond serving Ascension, Assumption,
East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, Tangipahoa, and
West Feliciana parishes
15. RAPIDES CAC in Alexandria serving Avoyelles, Grant, Rapides, and Winn
parishes
16. VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUTH JUSTICE-CASA in Shreveport serving Bienville,
Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Jackson, and Webster parishes
17. YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU - CASA in Covington serving Washington and St.
Tammany parishes; and
WHEREAS, there are approximately 4,800 foster children on any given day in
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, there are over 1,800 CASA volunteers assigned to more than 3300
foster children and these volunteers provide over 65,000 hours of volunteer service to
Louisiana's foster children.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend the CASA programs and its volunteers for the work they do to ensure
safe permanent homes for Louisiana's foster children and designate April 27, 2017, as CASA
Day at the state capitol.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
hereby recognize the need and impact of the CASA program in Louisiana and thanks local
CASA programs and their volunteers, staff, and boards for protecting Louisiana's foster
children.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
to Capital Area CASA, CASA Jefferson, CASA New Orleans, CASA of Central Louisiana,
CASA of Lafourche, CASA of NELA, CASA of Plaquemines, CASA of SOLA, CASA of
St. Landry and Evangeline, CASA of Terrebonne, CASA of the 16th JDC, CASA of West
CENLA, CASA, A Program of Family & Youth, Child Advocacy Services, Rapides CAC,
Volunteers for Youth Justice-CASA, and Youth Service Bureau-CASA.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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