We are thrilled to announce that Riverbend Family Ministries has established a collaborative relationship with CASA of Southwestern Illinois. As a result of the partnership Riverbend Family Ministries is an official screening and training site for CASA of Southwestern Illinois.
CASA of Southwestern Illinois, Riverbend Family Ministries and the 3rd Judicial Courts have entered into a partnership to address the needs of abused and neglected children in the Madison County Region.
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Illinois CASA reported in 2010 that there were 109,181 children reported to be victims of abuse and neglect in Illinois. This means that 30 out of every 1,000 children in Illinois were abused. Tragically, 63 children in Illinois died from abuse or neglect.
Additionally, in 2010, there were over 2,511 CASA volunteers contributing over 188,622 volunteer hours for 5,961 children. This is equivalent to $244,830,192 in taxpayer dollars (based on a minimum attorney's fee of $110 per hour) to advocate for abused children in juvenile and family courts in Illinois. With local programs in only 33 out of Illinois' 102 counties, CASA provides a volunteer advocate for only 38% of the state's abused and neglected children.
Riverbend Family Ministries embraces the partnership with Southwestern Illinois CASA (formerly St. Clair County CASA) and 3rd Judicial Court System. Riverbend Family Ministries will serve as the official CASA Training Site for screening and training for volunteer advocates.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Madison County Court system and St. Clair County CASA” stated Executive Director Tammy Iskarous. “Bringing these services under one roof in Madison County has further enhanced the cooperative nature of their support mechanisms.” Riverbend Family Ministries is a consortium of non-profit organizations such as CASA, Safe from the Start, Pathways Counseling, RAVEN, PEACE Ministries, Riverbend Youth on Fire, The Institute for Successful Living, and LCCC Project Read. Our collective goal is supporting individuals, bringing wholeness to the family and strength to the community. Although each of these is an independent entity, they all work in tandem to address various aspects of individual, family and community needs. For more information or to volunteer please call Riverbend Family Ministries at 618.251.9790 www.riverbendfamilyministries.com.
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