CASA in Alaska

State of Alaska CASA Program

The state Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) administers Alaska CASA, the state CASA organization, and five local CASA programs. These programs recruit and train volunteers who are supervised on their cases by OPA’s staff guardians ad litem. In 2011 there were 166 CASA volunteers in OPA’s CASA programs, representing the best interests of 418 children in Anchorage, Mat-Su Valley, Juneau, and Fairbanks.

To learn more about Alaska CASA, visit the program web site or contact State Director Marion Hallum

CASA Program Mission Statement: The mission of the Alaska CASA Program is to recruit, train, supervise and support quality volunteers who reflect the diversity of Alaska’s population. CASA volunteers speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courts, and advocate for each child to have a safe permanent home.

The state program includes five regions. To learn more about the CASA program in your region, contact the local program coordinator:

• Anchorage: June Haisten
• Fairbanks: Anne Udry
• Juneau: Lynn Squires-White
• Kenai: Kym Miller
• Valley: Cecily Skoog-Moore
• Y-K Delta: Valerie Dudley

Tribal CASA Programs

Alaska’s Tribal CASA programs train community volunteers to advocate for children involved in Tribal courts as a result of abuse or neglect.

Alaska’s Tribal CASA programs includes three regions. To learn more about the these Tribal CASA programs, contact the local program coordinator:

• Kenaitze Indian Tribe CASA: Kym Miller
• Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich’in (Fort Yukon) Tribal CASA Program: Arlene Joseph
• Ukteagvik (Barrow) CASA Program: Dora Arey