WHAT IS A CASA?
CASA (n.) [kah-sah]
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Objective, community volunteers – who are not part of the child welfare system – that focus their efforts solely on gathering information and making recommendations regarding children in abuse, neglect, or dependency cases.
VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE THOROUGH TRAINING
Volunteers receive a minimum 30 hours of initial training.
Volunteers complete 12 hours of ongoing training each year.
WHAT DOES A CASA DO?
LEARN
Volunteers learn as much as they can about the child and their family.
ENGAGE
Volunteers will engage with the child during visits (at least once a month).
RECOMMEND
Volunteers speak for the child’s best interest in court. They make recommendation on child placement and any services they may need.
MONITOR
CASA volunteers monitor the child’s situation ensuring their safety and basic needs are being met.
Collaborate
Volunteers collaborate with others involved with the case to ensure needed services are provided and are in the child's best interest
REPORT
Volunteers report what they have learned and observed in court.
A CASA IS AN ADVOCATE
When a CASA volunteer accepts a case, they must agree to follow through with it until the child has a safe, permanent home.
Because most volunteers carry only 1 or 2 cases at a time and are assigned to each case for its duration, they typically have a depth of information that other parties may not have obtained.
More importantly, unlike child protective service providers, a CASA is legislatively mandated to see the child more often, assuring stability and their voice is consistently heard.
BECOME A VOLUNTEER