Sample Message to Governor

Dear Governor Christie,

I am writing with a request on behalf of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs statewide. We understand that the FY17 budget bill in the legislature includes restoration of funding for CASA to the FY15/FY16 amount of $2 million. We urge you to maintain this funding -- it is urgently needed and represents a wise investment of state dollars.

The restored appropriation amount of $2 million is well-justified. While CASA programs raise the vast majority of needed funds from private sources, State Funding of $2 million in FY15 and FY16 has allowed us to start serving a greater percentage of the children in placement (over 26%). This, in turn, yields greater benefits to the State. Not only does the work of our 1,600+ CASA volunteers reduce the cost of caring for children in placement by millions of dollars each year (over $3.5 million in just 6 cases), it also creates an opportunity for Federal reimbursement through Title IV-E claiming. As such, CASA represents a cost-effective public-private partnership which is of incalculable value to the lives of New Jersey’s most vulnerable children. The $2 million contemplated in the FY17 budget bill would mean that the State of New Jersey is paying a reasonable share – close to1/3 -- of the cost of that partnership.

It is critical to maintain the $2 million level of CASA State Funding in FY17 in order to maintain the gains that have been made for children during FY15 and FY16. This includes CASA serving 600 additional children while meeting the mandates of the revised state standards for CASA programs and volunteers. Absent the restoration, hundreds of children will lose CASA advocacy.

As such, we respectfully urge you to maintain this restored CASA funding of $2 million in the budget you ultimately approve for FY17, and thereby enable us to continue to provide advocacy for at least the same number of New Jersey’s most vulnerable children.

On behalf of the entire CASA network – including the more than 1,600 volunteers who served 3,500 children last year, thank you for your support and your commitment to doing the right thing for children!

Respectfully, ______name, CASA program & title