CASA of Southwest Montana

CASA of Southwest Montana Anaconda GAL represents all children residing in Deer Lodge, Granite and Powell counties and encompasses 4,888 square miles.

Our program works in the court system through specially selected screened trained and supervised community volunteers, in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel, and community resources, assuring every child a voice in the court process. Anaconda’s Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program began in 1984, making it the second town/city in the state of Montana to offer volunteer court appointed child

advocacy services for children in need. The program became affiliated with the National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program in the 1990’s. Every year, many youth residing in our tri-county area become victims of abuse and neglect. As a result they are often removed from their homes. That's where the Guardian Ad Litem program steps in. These children are deserving of safe, permanent, and nurturing homes. The Guardians Ad Litem are instrumental in determining what measures should be taken in order to place them in such homes. In the midst of a complex system of court procedures, Child Protection Services and legal dealings the child is need of an advocate who is focused soley on their best interest. Guardians Ad Litem are appointed to ensure that the voice of the child is heard. A Guardian Ad Litem volunteer provides the judge with a carefully researched background of the child and the child's family in order to help him or her make a sound decision about the child's future. The Guardian Ad Litem helps the judge to determine whether it is in the child's best interest to stay in foster care, be returned to the parent(s) or be released for permanent adoption. To prepare a recommendation to the court, the volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school personnel, health providers and others familiar with the child's situation and
background. They investigate the case intensively, attending meetings pertinent to the children, and providing input to and monitoring of the parents’ treatment plan. In addition, every GAL appointed to a child is required to continue advocating for that child until a permanent home is found and the case is officially closed. This means that a relationship that may span many years is established and maintained between the child and the GAL. This relationship is one of the few unchanging relationships in these children’s often hectic and tumultuous lives which can involve being moved from foster home to foster home numerous times. The Anaconda Guardian Ad Litem Program operates under the umbrella of the Anaconda Family Resource Center in Anaconda MT.

LOTS of good informatio
05/20/2024

LOTS of good informatio

Find resources from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, including research, data briefs and initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for children in foster care.

04/27/2024

Cindie Green
19 minutes ago
·
Shared with Public
The Kinship Navigator program here in Anaconda is going well. Currently we have a group of Kinship caregivers (relatives raising other relatives' children) that meets once a month, the second Tuesday at the Forge Hotel in the board room from 11-12ish. We can go longer if needed with the group or individuals. It's pretty casual. We share circumstances and problems. We offer one another help and support. Our area has a lot of resources available, and my job is to help caregivers find them.
I am beginning another group through Kinship Navigator for caregivers of anyone; your spouse, your neighbor, your adult child, maybe it is your job to care for people, anyone doing any caregiving of other people. The date and location will be the same, but the meeting time will be 1-2ish. The goal is the same as stated above. If you are interested, please either message me or just show up.
Everyone needs support and help when life is hard. Even when you think you don't. Come and join us.

04/18/2024

Well, today didn't go as we hoped but it's in the hardest of times we learn the best lessons and feel the most gratitude.
Buffy was scheduled to have her teeth cleaned and removed today but Dr. Mac had a gut feeling she needed to look at some lab work before putting her under anesthesia. She was right; Buffy showed signs of advanced kidney failure so anesthesia was not an option and as a family we decided that the kindest and most loving thing to do would be to let her go before she lost her will to live and stopped eating and drinking.
I wouldn't have dreamed of leaving Robbie out of this decision or not allowing him to be part of the entire process so I immediately went and picked him up from school. On the way there he told me he wanted to be the one to hold her when she went to heaven. And of course, I gave him that honor. On the way home I told him how proud I was of him for understanding the importance of caring for old animals and helping to make sure they never ever suffer.
This is what he said...
(And for those of you who don't know, Robbie was adopted from the foster care system after years of severe abuse and neglect.)
"I know how it feels not to be loved or cared for and I don't want any animal of mine to ever feel that way. It's only sad for us when they go to heaven. It's a happy day for them. Thank you for being proud of me. Are you ok, Mom?"
From the mouths of babes.
(As our story is being shared more and more I feel like I need to add a little more context and also give you a deeper glimpse into the heart of my son. We adopt senior dogs. Robbie LOVES adopting senior dogs. He is sadly aware the longer a child remains in foster care the less likely they are to be adopted. He told me once "if all you guys had wanted was a baby, you would have never gotten me." He relates to our "old people" (that's what we call our senior dogs) in much the same way.
He has also reminded me on several occasions that it doesn't matter how long you have something for how much you love it. I asked him what he meant and he said "well you've only known me for two years but you love me like it's been forever." Yes, my son is the coolest.)

04/06/2024

CASAs, let your kinship resource parents know this is available to them!

Just a reminder for grandparents raising grandkids, Kinship will be meeting at the Forge next Tuesday Apr 9 at 11am, in the board room off the lobby. Get support from other grandparents, direction and advice on resources available to you, and a cup of coffee! Come check us out!

03/01/2024

CASA of Southwest Montana is hiring! We are hiring a Program Director. This is a full-time position. For more information email [email protected]

09/28/2023
Anaconda Family Resource Center is Offering Parenting A Second Time Around (PASTA) classes and support group! This Progr...
09/25/2023

Anaconda Family Resource Center is Offering Parenting A Second Time Around (PASTA) classes and support group! This Program comes out of MSU and is open to anyone raising kinship children.
PASTA provides grandparents and other kinship caregivers with information, skills and resource designed to enhance their ability to provide effective care for their young relatives they are parenting.
Family dynamics, what is acceptable in raising children and society in general has change a great deal in the last generation. WE have changed. Most people don't think they will end up raising a second set of children. It is not an easy job.
PASTA classes can help! PASTA consists of 8 sessions, once a month, starting in September and ending in May with December off.
Classes begin this Tuesday, September 26, at 6pm. You may come in person to our office at 307 E Park St, Glacier Bank Building, 2nd floor, suite 203, or you sign in on the Microsoft TEAMS app on your computer or phone. *You may need to upload the app on the device if you have not done so previously. TEAMS is free with no time limit.
Meetings will generally be an hour to an hour and a half depending on participation. We would prefer to start out face to face for the first session, but online is fine.
Please join us tomorrow evening at 6pm and see if this is something that would be of benefit to you!
NO CHARGE!!

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device.
Click the link below to join the meeting.
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZTM4OTQxOTMtNzI3Zi00YjI4LWFiNzgtM2Y1Y2EwMDY5M2Q1%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2295c49e58-26b1-4dbe-b5d8-9e92686ab273%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2283a794c4-8335-4648-8f59-7200ee3409f1%22%7d
Meeting ID: 253 432 323 375
Passcode: TEcRvm
Download Teams | Join on the web

We are now accepting sign ups for our second session of Miner Leagues! Fun, non competitive sporting activities for chi...
07/10/2023

We are now accepting sign ups for our second session of Miner Leagues! Fun, non competitive sporting activities for children 3-10 years old. Only $10 for 4 weeks!

Sign up at anacondafrc.org

Miner Leagues starts this morning. Still time to sign up. We will be at Friendship park 10: 00 AM
06/20/2023

Miner Leagues starts this morning. Still time to sign up. We will be at Friendship park 10: 00 AM

CASA Night at the Cardinals game
06/13/2023

CASA Night at the Cardinals game

Address

307 E. Park Avenue Suite 202
Anaconda, MT
59711

Telephone

+14065637972

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