As used in Sections 43-21-851 through 43-21-871, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:(a) 'Association' means the state Court-Appointed Special Advocate Association established under Section 8 of this act.(b) 'Court' means youth court or, if there is no youth court in the county where the CASA program is located, then chancery court.(c) 'Court-appointed special advocate case' or 'CASA case' means a child or group of siblings who are within the jurisdiction of the court as a result of abuse, neglect or dependency proceedings and for whom the court has appointed and the program director has assigned a CASA volunteer.(d) 'Court-appointed special advocate program' or 'CASA program' means a program by which trained community volunteers are provided to the court for appointment to represent the best interests of children who have come into the court system as a result of dependency, abuse or neglect.(e) 'Court-appointed special advocate volunteer' or 'CASA volunteer' means a person who completes training through, and is supervised by, a CASA program and appointed by a judge to represent the best (e) 'Court-appointed special advocate volunteer' or 'CASA volunteer' means a person who completes training through, and is supervised by, a CASA program and appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of dependent, abused or neglected children in court.(f) 'Local board' means the local board of directors appointed or selected pursuant to Section 2 of this act to govern a local CASA program.(g) 'Program director' means the director of each local CASA program selected under Section 2 of this act.(h) 'State board' means the state board of directors elected under Section 8 of this act.(i) 'State director' means the director of the state association provided for in Section 10 of this act.Added by Laws, 2024, ch. 525, HB 1624,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2024.
Mississippi Legal Code