Richland County’s advocacy program that serves neglected children has once again been spotlighted nationally, this time for its innovative approach to solving a critical information gap.

Richland County Court Appointed Special Advocates (RC CASA) trains and manages more than 600 volunteers to serve as Guardians Ad Litem for local children who are tangled in the family court system. RC CASA has received more than a dozen awards from the National CASA Association and other organizations for exceptional service and exemplary work. Earlier this week, RC CASA added another accolade to its repertoire when it was presented with the Promising Practice Spotlight Award at the national conference in Seattle.

The Promising Practice Spotlight Award is presented to a CASA organization that demonstrates successful, innovative methods in carrying out CASA’s mission.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Richland County CASA, not just for winning another national honor, but for the invaluable work it does for our community every day,” said Richland County Council Chair Joyce Dickerson. “Countless children have been given a new opportunity at life because of the gracious hearts and dedicated minds of our CASA employees and volunteers.”

When RC CASA staff recognized a lapse in getting vital information from the S.C. Department of Social Services (DSS) – such as the name of a child’s social worker, where a child had been relocated or the contact information for a family member – relayed to CASA volunteers in a timely manner, staff approached the problem creatively to find a solution. By inventing a CASA/DSS liaison position, CASA now has a staff member housed at DSS who quickly and efficiently locates requested information and provides it to CASA employees. Information that used to take days to obtain is now provided to CASA and its volunteers in mere hours.

“Every day, we strive to identify ways to provide heightened support to CASA volunteers, and the CASA/DSS liaison has greatly enhanced our services,” said RC CASA Director Paige Greene.

Dee Dee Johnson, who serves as the CASA/DSS liaison, accepted the Promising Practice Spotlight Award on behalf of the entire RC CASA organization.

“Richland County CASA has given our network of nearly 1,000 programs across the country something worth replicating,” said Tara Perry, chief executive officer of the National CASA Association. “Richland County CASA has demonstrated the importance of collaboration with a critical partner, and the community’s most vulnerable children are the beneficiaries.”

Greene said winning the national award is an honor and privilege and is a direct result of the dedicated County employees and volunteers who make RC CASA such an exemplary program nationwide.

“Our volunteers are the heartbeat of Richland County CASA,” Greene said. “It’s their hours of selfless dedication that are making a generational difference in the lives of abused children.”

For more information about Richland County CASA, visit www.rccasa.org.