News & Events
Systemic Change in Alaska Child Welfare
By Gloria O’Neil
As a new member of the National CASA Board of Trustees, I am honored to bring a tribal perspective to one of the greatest issues facing Alaska Native people: the crisis in child protection. Despite efforts by the state court system and child protective services agencies, disproportionality and disparity in child protective custody for Alaska Native children have persisted and intensified over the past thirty years. We must do better. This is the time to think comprehensively, to take our experiences and the lessons we have learned and make systemic change to improve outcomes for Alaska Native children.>> Read More
Be a Voice for a Child, Become a CASA Volunteer in the YK Delta
More than 300 children in the YK Delta region are in the State of Alaska’s child protection system because of abuse or neglect. To help meet their needs, the state Office of Public Advocacy plans to expand its Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASA) program to the Bethel area this fall.>> Read More
Youth Editorial: Keep Moving Forward
By Michael Schwietert
Alone. Confused. Unorganized. These are words that describe my time in the foster care system. I was placed in foster care at the age of 3 and reunited with my mother at 5. During the time away from my mother, I was able to see things from a different point of view, from a really unstable point of view. I was able to see many different homes from many different standpoints, and it was then I realized that I was my own best friend. There were never adults to share much time with me. Other youth in each home looked at me differently, and many were thrown off by my skin color. I became self-reliant and trained myself to go through the motions, home after home.>> Read More
