CASA of Linn County’s umbrella of care for children recently grew after taking under its wings cases from the recently shut-down CASA of Benton and Lincoln counties.
CASA of Linn County Executive Director Shyla Malloy wants the community to know the children have not been disrupted by the change, but there is a place to go to find answers to questions the community might have.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) trains volunteers appointed by judges to advocate for children in the welfare system. They gather information, build relationships with the children they serve, and provide recommendations to the court to help ensure children’s needs remain at the center of important decisions.
Until recently, Oregon CASA Network (OCN) oversaw 19 CASA organizations in the state, including the Corvallis-based CASA Voices for Children, which had been advocating for children in Benton County and also took on Lincoln County in 2022.
According to the Corvallis Advocate, the budget for Voices for Children was in the red in November 2025 after federal funding was suspended and state support shrank. But OCN issued a warning to the nonprofit because it hadn’t filed its audits for several years, and later terminated the program this past July.
Malloy said CASA of Linn County was asked to take on Benton County cases so the children would have continued advocacy, while CASA of Yamhill County was asked to take on the cases in Lincoln County.
“This was not a decision our Board of Directors took lightly,” Malloy said. “We understood that saying yes would require additional volunteers, increased staff capacity, new financial resources and careful planning. We also knew that children could not wait.”
But Malloy said she noticed something fairly soon in: Voices for Children didn’t inform the community what was happening, and many people started having questions.
For anyone with questions or concerns about the expansion into Benton County, or for Benton County CASA volunteers who have questions, contact Shyla Malloy (CASA of Linn County) at 541-926-2651, or email [email protected].
For questions, concerns or further information about what happened with Voices for Children, contact Stephanie Brown, State Director of Oregon CASA Network, at [email protected].
“Our priority is, and always will be, the children we serve,” Malloy said. “Every child deserves a voice and a dedicated advocate. We are committed to working alongside our community partners to ensure children in Benton County continue to receive the support, advocacy and stability they need while navigating the foster care system.”