CLAREMORE – The Board of Directors of CASA of Northeast Oklahoma announced today its plan to expandcourt-appointed special advocate services into Washington County in the 11 th Judicial District of Oklahoma.Formerly Child Advocates of Northeast Oklahoma (CANO), the organization’s name was recently changed to CASA of Northeast Oklahoma in alignment with new branding and naming protocols from the National CASA Association, of which CASA of Northeast Oklahoma is a member. The move further expands CASA of Northeast Oklahoma’s reach into the northeast region of Oklahoma and
ensures that more abused and neglected children will receive the important advocacy services provided by CASA of Northeast Oklahoma’s dedicated court-appointed special advocates. District Judge Linda Thomas and Special District Judge Kyra Franks requested the program for the juvenile courts in Washington County. “The expansion effort into the 11 th Judicial District will be led by Angela Henderson, Executive Director, who four years ago successfully expanded the program into the 13 th Judicial District,” said Ashley Landon, President of the CASA of Northeast Oklahoma Board of Directors.
CASA of Northeast Oklahoma began May 1, 1995 as Tri-County CASA, serving the courts of the 12 th Judicial District in Rogers, Mayes, and Craig counties. On September 22, 2015, the organization expanded to serve the 13 th Judicial District in Ottawa and Delaware counties, including the addition of a tribal CASA program in the Quapaw Nation’s tribal court in August 2017.
In fiscal year 2019, CASA of Northeast Oklahoma was the fastest-growing CASA program in the state of Oklahoma, serving 30 more cases than in the previous fiscal year.
Henderson has more than 15 years of experience leading CASA of Northeast Oklahoma. She is a native of Bartlesville and a 1987 graduate of Bartlesville High School.
“The opportunity to help children in the county where I grew up is a full-circle moment for me,” Henderson said. “I know firsthand how important children are to the people of Washington County. I have no doubt our first class of CASA volunteers will be a large one.”
Henderson said that the first CASA training class for Washington County will begin in January 2020. Headquartered in Claremore, Oklahoma, CASA of Northeast Oklahoma has a satellite office in Miami,
Oklahoma. Henderson said that CASA is currently seeking temporary office space in Bartlesville. For more information, call (918) 923-7276 or www.casaneok.org.
CASA of Northeast Oklahoma
CASA of Northeast Oklahoma is a CASA agency that recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers to be the “voice” for abused and neglected children in the judicial system.
With offices in Claremore and Miami, the organization supports CASA volunteers in seven counties throughout northeast Oklahoma – Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, Rogers, and Washington Counties. The agency also serves the courts of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma.
CASA of Northeast Oklahoma is a member agency of the Ottawa County United Way. People interested in learning more about CASA can find information about on the agency’s website: http://casaneok.org. To support the work of our CASA volunteers, go to https://www.casaneok.org/ways-to-give.
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