OUR
Advocacy programs
Our Programs
Early Childhood Court Team
Medically At-Risk Kids (M.A.R.K.)
CASA of Cook County is assigned to medically fragile children who are identified by local hospitals as victims of abuse and neglect. Through the Medically At-Risk Kids (M.A.R.K.) Program in partnership with local hospitals, CASA volunteers monitor the cases to ensure that they receive the appropriate medical care and to minimize the potential for re-abuse. CASA volunteers also work with youth that are later determined to have cognitive delays and/or medical trauma.
Creating Independent Transitions for Youth (C.I.T.Y.)
Youth who are still in child protective custody by age 16 are particularly vulnerable;
they are likely to leave the system without returning to their home of origin or being
adopted. Without a safety net, the stark reality for youth aging out of foster care is
that within two years they are at high risk to be unemployed, homeless, and/or
incarcerated. CASA’s C.I.T.Y. Program addresses these challenges by assigning a
specially trained CASA volunteer to older youth with a focus on empowering the
youth with tools for successful independence, including education, job training,
financial planning, housing, and health care.
Large Sibling Groups
CASA of Cook County is court ordered to be assigned to all sibling groups of two or more, with seven siblings as the average family size assigned. These large sibling groups are assigned to ensure that siblings who are separated with different housing placements are able to be reconnected with their siblings via CASA for visitations, support, therapy, and as an additional resource to the family and foster parent.
