Fairmont State University, in collaboration with the West Virginia Court Appointed Special Advocates (WV CASA) Association, has released a groundbreaking study demonstrating the profound impact their volunteers have on children in the state’s foster care system. This report highlights Fairmont State’s commitment to making West Virginia a Great Place to Call Home through relevant scholarship and community partnerships.

The comprehensive analysis utilized three years of federal child welfare data (2019–2021) from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System and the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect. The findings demonstrate how WV CASA volunteers significantly mitigate the negative effects of abuse and neglect, leading to improved outcomes for children in the foster care system.

Key findings include:

• Abuse Mitigation: In counties where WV CASA serves more than 170 children annually, the adverse effects of multiple substantiated abuse reports on achieving case goals—such as reunification or adoption—are significantly reduced. For example, a child with three substantiated abuse reports in a county where WV CASA is not present has less than a 3% chance of achieving their case goal, compared to more than 25% in counties with a high WV CASA presence.

• Neglect Mitigation: Similarly, WV CASA’s presence reduces the detrimental effects of neglect when serving more than 105 children in a county. In such areas, children with three neglect reports have a 38% chance of meeting case goals, compared to only 7% in counties without WV CASA support.

• Broad Positive Trends: Each additional child served by WV CASA increases the odds of achieving a case goal by 0.2%, with more dramatic results observed in counties with robust programs serving 300 or more children.

“Fairmont State is honored that we were asked to apply our academic expertise to assess WV CASA’s impact,” said President Mike Davis. “The results of this project demonstrate the positive difference their volunteers make for our state’s most vulnerable children. This research also exemplifies Fairmont State University’s commitment to delivering transformational impact for West Virginia, particularly to address the foster care crisis.”

The study also highlights the crucial role of resource allocation in CASA program success. Counties investing more than $170,000 annually in CASA initiatives demonstrate statistically significant improvements in outcomes for children experiencing substantiated abuse or neglect.

“We are profoundly grateful to Fairmont State University for applying their expertise to analyze federal child welfare data,” said Shanna Gray, WV CASA’s State Executive Director. “This comprehensive research provides compelling evidence that investing in CASA programs leads to measurable improvements in children’s lives. As we work to expand our reach, this study reinforces the urgent need for sustainable funding to serve more children in every West Virginia county.”

WV CASA ensures children’s voices are heard in the judicial system, providing consistent advocacy for children who have experienced neglect or abuse. This study reaffirms the importance of CASA’s mission and highlights the need for continued investment to expand their reach and impact.

For more information about CASA’s work and how to support its mission, visit www.wvcasa.org.