Mission, Vision,
and Values
Our Mission
The mission of Yamhill County CASA is to speak up for the best interests of abused and neglected children who are under the jurisdiction of the court.
Our Vision
Our vision is to see every child in Yamhill County thrive in a safe and stable home.
Our Values
Yamhill County CASA believes that every child in Yamhill County deserves a safe and stable home. To achieve the best possible outcome for every child, we will recruit and maintain a diverse pool of volunteers trained in court processes, who are culturally mindful and versed in the value of family history and connections, sensitive to barriers that trauma experiences introduce, and knowledgeable about the array of services available to help these children rebuild trust and regain a sense of safety.
Yamhill County CASA is committed to cultivating diversity among our staff and volunteers, prioritizing equity in the way we carry out our mission, and nurturing inclusion and belonging within our organization.
Yamhill County CASA recognizes that there are historical inequities within the infrastructure of family-serving systems that can further traumatize children and families throughout their involvement with child welfare and affiliated services. The disproportionate distribution of resources and limited availability of services in our rural county further impacts families experiencing addiction, mental health illness, disability, and poverty- all of which are associated with a greater likelihood of child welfare and judicial system involvement. In Yamhill County, LGBTQIA2S+ youth, Black and African American youth, Native American youth, and Latino/a youth are marginalized and are more likely to enter foster care than white, cisgender, heterosexual youth.
The best outcomes are reached when every person- child and adult- feels valued, respected, and heard. For every child who enters state care, we aim to have a CASA immediately available who can acknowledge the values and cultures of a child’s life and be a reliable positive presence through the entire journey of a child welfare case. Our staff and volunteers are carefully screened to ensure every volunteer we endorse and every staff person we hire is a model of inclusivity and equity, and a powerful advocate for strengths-based trauma-informed care.