Amy D’Aprile, Michigan CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children) board secretary and CASA advocate, is running 100 miles across the state this weekend to help raise money for the nonprofit organization committed to advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children in Michigan’s foster care system.  

Michigan Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is thrilled to announce the signing of House Bill 5429, which further establishes the vital “Court-Appointed Special Advocate” program to ensure consistent representation for abused and neglected children across the state.  

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It’s back-to-school season, and although it can be an exciting time, it can also be filled with anticipation and anxiety. It can be especially overwhelming for children who are in the child welfare system due to allegations of neglect or abuse. CASA and GAL volunteers are trained to gather information to advocate for children’s best interest in the court and in the classroom.

The White House hosts a convening on transforming child welfare and announces new policy to prevent family separation due to poverty.

Michigan will become the first state in the country to acknowledge kinship caregivers with the same level of financial assistance and licensing requirements as other foster care providers.

Governor Whitmer signed two bipartisan bills to better protect foster care children in Michigan and ensure they are receiving a high-quality education.

Michigan has a sizable Muslim population but only about 10 licensed Muslim foster care homes. It's difficult to place Muslim foster children with families of the same religious or cultural background.

A Grand Rapids adoption and foster care program is attempting to make the transition to adulthood easier for teens.

When Christian Goode transferred from a traditional high school to Lakeside Academy, a state-licensed residential foster care facility near Kalamazoo, some of his academic records never made it over.

As a result, he had to repeat an entire year of classes, and redo school work he had already completed.

“At times, I didn’t want to do it, because I had already done it,” Goode said of the work. “It felt like I was forgotten and no one cared.”

Especially following the pandemic, there is a need for foster parents in Michigan. There are approximately 10,000 children in foster care in the state, and nearly 200 children who still need an adoptive family.

November 2023: Adoption Month

Zenell Brown appointed to oversee Wayne County trial courts

If you've visited the CASA of Kent County website recently, you may have noticed something is a bit different... their brand-new website.

Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) International says a recent study published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology has unveiled the high prevalence of psychotropic drug usage among foster children.

As children and youth in the foster care system return to their schools or are faced with entering a new school environment, CASA volunteers will continue to advocate for the best interests of children and help families identify resources for them to be successful.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to express our gratitude to Kathleen for her considerable contributions and dedication to Michigan CASA, Inc. as a valued board member and constant supporter.

Recently, while I was conducting a survey investigating the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on children’s mental health, I noticed all my phone conversations were starting the same way: I would introduce myself as Tom, a medical student at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, then ask if the person I was speaking to was the parent or guardian of the patient I was inquiring about

Native American tribes in Michigan are joining hundreds of others across the country, waiting on a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Indian Child Welfare Act.