Wisdom proposed a one-time fee of $45 for anyone who is found guilty or pleads guilty to crimes, excluding moving violations, when CASA representation is used. Wisdom explained that $3 of this fee would go to the clerk’s office and the rest would go to CASA.
A CASA advocate is a volunteer trained to talk to the family for a judge and gather information the judge needs. Wisdom said the CASA advocates work with the whole family while serving as an advocate for the child in court. Many of the cases that CASA works with involve drug abusers and domestic violence.
Commissioner Jeff Yarber explained that Bradley County’s program had not been receiving much funding, so Wisdom has been trying to find alternative ways to fund the program.
Wisdom had patterned her resolution after one used in Wilson County. Wisdom explained that CASA programs are funded for a couple of years by state and national CASA programs. The state CASA programs lobby the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth for the individual CASAs, but Bradley County has only received a small amount of funding.
Commissioner Lisa Stanberry asked Wisdom how many cases CASA handles, and Wisdom estimated it at some 3,200 cases. Stanberry also asked about CASA’s overall budget.
“Right now I am working part-time, but when I was working full-time our overall budget was about $40,000,” Wisdom said.
Stanberry also asked about the number of cases. Wisdom explained she currently had 40 cases open.
Commissioner Ben Atchley asked Wisdom to put together a spreadsheet of how CASA would use the money, so the commission could see how the money would be spent. Wisdom said she had a plan already prepared that she could show them.
Chairman Louie Alford suggested that the juvenile committee meet with Wisdom and bring back a recommendation to the commission.
Yarber said it was important to have the meeting as soon as possible to keep the program running.
