GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Cuts to federal grants are threatening crucial support for foster children in Michigan, according to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) leaders.
On Monday, Attorney General Dana Nessel and State Representative Hillary Scholten were invited to a roundtable in Grand Rapids, sitting in a room alongside CASA representatives from multiple counties, including Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Barry, and Eaton, to discuss the impact of cuts to federal grants for the program.
CASA is a national program that trains and supports volunteers who serve as a voice for children navigating the foster care and family court system. Volunteers attend every court hearing, check on kids in person at least every 10 days, and serve as a unique and consistent presence throughout a child’s case.
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The program aims to provide every foster child with a trained CASA volunteer. Despite a waitlist of volunteers eager to help, many children navigate the foster system alone due to funding limitations, according to advocates…