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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Court Appointed Special Advocates need to stand up to Child Protective Services

CASA, court appointed special advocates for children of alleged abuse, is a well intentioned organization that has done much good. However, CASA has been getting a bad reputation as word spreads from parents who have been victims of Child Protective Services. Based on the experiences of our organization, we believe that CPS is causing more harm to children and parents in about 70 percent of its cases. Further, our members report that CASA is dropping the ball by failing to challenge the CPS actions in the secret dependency court hearings. A call to CASA found that they have no studies regarding the psychological and other damage children suffer from being abducted/seized by CPS and put in dangerous foster care. CASA also told our organization that it is their official policy not to have or express any opinion on the subject.

Does this mean that CASA is intentionally not taking on the frighteningly out-of-control CPS? Is CASA intentionally neglecting their stated purpose of advocating the best interests of alleged abuse victims?

It is obvious to me, and those familiar with the actions of CPS, that CASA needs to have the courage and integrity to buck the powerful CPS in the best interests of children. If CASA continues to turn a blind eye to what is known as “CPS abuse,” perhaps CASA is actually causing more harm than good to the children it is supposed to protect. CASA must change or the community will have to realize that CASA should be de-funded and disbanded.



Kim Cotter

Prescott, Ariz.


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