Community Assist of Southern Arizona (CASA) is an outgrowth of program initiated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Child Health Champion Campaign. CASA's goal is to empower local citizens and communities to take steps toward protecting their children from environmental health threats. Children living along the U.S./Mexico border are exposed to a variety of environmental pollutants including contaminants produced from mining and other industrial activities, lead due to paint, home remedies and imported products, water pollution due to poor sanitation, dust and other items. Along with concern about contamination of soil, water and air, community members have expressed concern about numerous health problems, including birth defects, lupus, cancer, diabetes, asthma, allergies, and poor eyesight in children. Families in these communities need strategies to help them cope with environmental pollutants potentially affecting their children.

	Counties served by CASA

Through grants from the EPA, the Flinn Foundation and the National Institutes of Environmental Health, SERI and our partner Child & Family Resources, Inc. assist families in evaluating environmental risks to their children and in making informed health improvement choices. CASA works with families through in-home visits by Promotoras de Salud (lay health workers), participation in community events and interventions in schools. CASA connects with community members in a very personal, concentrated way to achieve results throughout the communities of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. We enhance our program by closely working with local health clinics and agencies to form broad coalitions bringing the best expertise to work for families.

Annual Report 2003 - 2004