Washington, DC – August 2020 - CASA FOR CHILDREN OF DC is pleased to announce the official launch of their BRIDGES expansion program! Under the expansion program, BRIDGES will provide Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to all youth encountering the juvenile justice system in Washington, DC. A virtual meeting will be held with stakeholders and community partners on August 26, 2020, at 12:30p. RSVP HERE
CASA DC began research in 2018 regarding the needs of youth involved in the juvenile justice system in Washington, DC. CASA DC focused on providing specialized training for advocates working with youth and advocating for the particular issues that they may be facing. In June of 2019, CASA DC launched the BRIDGES program to serve youth in specialty courts (JDPB, PINS, HOPE, etc). The BRIDGES program is combining its efforts to support all youth who have encountered the juvenile justice system under one program. CASA DC will be able to provide specialized training to advocates around the unique needs of this population, which will lead to better outcomes and a reduction in recidivism.
The mission of the BRIDGES Program at CASA for Children of DC is to provide advocates to court-involved-youth in the District of Columbia. In particular, addressing the intersectional needs of crossover youth and youth who are involved in specialty courts. In doing so, CASA’s provide the basic principles of working with a team of professionals for the best interest of the child, as well as providing that child with a consistent relationship with a trusted adult.
The aim of the BRIDGES program is to do everything in our power to prevent youth from becoming multi-system involved, decrease recidivism, and to promote diversion opportunities. The BRIDGES program focuses on empowering court-involved youth to build BRIDGES, that is, to be resilient, be individuals, be determined, be great, be educated, and be safe!
CASA DC is proud to launch a program that focuses on encouraging youth to know their rights, skill development, rehabilitation, and advocacy. CASA DC is committed to enriching the lives of youth that we serve.
Contact: Alexandra Fields, BRIDGES Program Manager
Email: afields@casadc.org
Phone: 301.221.0232
