A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers are victims of abuse and neglect.

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life and possess a variety of professional, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. Community members over the age of 21 who pass a background check and complete training are eligible to become a CASA volunteer.

The first step in becoming a CASA volunteer is to fill out an application and sign up for our volunteer pre-service training. After completing training and passing a comprehensive background check, the judge will swear you in as an officer of the court.

Pre-service training is 32 hours. After a volunteer has been sworn in by the court, they are required to complete 12 additional hours of training each year.

Each CASA volunteer participates in a comprehensive background check process. Since Advocates work on behalf of abused and neglected children, the law requires that all advocates receive proper training, thorough screening, and assessment.

Children who are victims of abuse and neglect become wards of the court. Judges assign our advocates to children who are the most at risk, having experienced abuse or neglect and needing the Court’s protection. Some children live at home with their parents, but the majority live out of home in foster care, in group homes, or with relatives.

A CASA volunteer provides a judge with carefully researched background details about the child to help the court make a sound decision about that child’s future. Each case is as unique as the child involved. The CASA volunteer must determine if the best interest of the child is staying with their parents or guardians, remaining in foster care, or being freed for permanent adoption. The CASA volunteer makes a recommendation on placement to the judge and follows through on the case until it is permanently resolved.

CASA volunteers offer children trust and advocacy during complex legal proceedings. They help explain to the child the events happening involving the case, reasons they are in court and the roles of the judge, lawyers and case workers. While remaining objective observers, CASA volunteers also encourage the child to express his or her own opinion and hopes about the case. Key responsibilities for our volunteers include: Advocate for the child in court, investigate and gather information, submit court reports, and monitor the case progress.

To prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers and others who are knowledgeable about the child’s history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child: school, medical, case worker reports and other documents.

Yes, CASA volunteers will write court reports and attend court hearings to provide their report and advocate for the child's safety, well-being, and permanency.

Every child and every case is different. The amount of time required will vary, depending on the case and the child’s age and needs. Volunteers devote, on average, 8 to 10 hours per month. The volunteer continues until the case is permanently resolved. Unlike other court principals who often rotate cases, the CASA volunteer is a consistent figure in the proceedings and provides continuity for a child.

The number varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but an average caseload is one to two.

Social workers are generally employed by the state, working many as cases at a time. The CASA volunteer has a smaller caseload (average of 1-2 cases) and more time to get to know the child and investigate a case. The CASA volunteer does not replace a social worker on a case; they are an independent appointee of the court. The CASA volunteer thoroughly examines a child’s case, build a one-on-one relationship with the child, knows about various community resources, and makes recommendations to the court while maintaining independence from state agency restrictions.

National findings show that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time in the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Judges have observed that children who have a CASA volunteer also have better chances of finding permanent homes. Learn more on the 'Our Impact' page.