CASA

Speak up for a child.
Become a CASA volunteer and be rewarded with some of the most powerful and fulfilling experiences you can find. Help children find safe, loving homes where they can thrive. And show them that someone in our community cares.

Becoming a CASA volunteer carries with it enormous responsibilities. When a CASA volunteer is accepted into the program, he or she must agree to commit to one year of service, and must be able to volunteer at least 5-15 hours per month. Each CASA volunteer is asked to investigate no more than one or two cases at a time, and can expect to spend 80 or more hours preparing each case for court. Before an individual is accepted as a CASA, he or she must complete a written application and a personal interview, consent to a criminal records check, and complete our 40-hour pre-service training program.

Once a CASA is accepted, he or she is appointed by a judge to a particular case, is considered a "party " to the case and performs the following duties:

• Acts as an independent fact-finder who reviews all relevant record an interview the child, parents, social workers, teacher, therapists an others, to ascertain the facts an circumstances of the child's situation.
• Considers the best interests of the child, taking into account the child's age, maturity, culture, and ethnicity.
• Seeks cooperative resolutions to the child's situation within the scope of the child's interests and welfare.
• Provides written reports of findings and recommendations to the court at each hearing to assure that all the relevant facts are before the court.
• Appears at all hearings to represent the child' interests, providing testimony when required.
• Explains the court proceedings to the child, when appropriate, in language and terms that the child can understand.
• Asks that clear and specific orders be entered for the evaluation, assessment, services, and treatment of the child and the child's family.
• Monitors the implementation of treatment plans to determine whether services ordered by the court are actually provided in a timely manner, and are accomplishing their desired goal. Monitors the progress of a case through the court process and advocates for timely hearings.
• Informs the court promptly if services are not being made available to the child and/or the family. If the family fails to take advantage of such services and if services are not achieving their purpose, the CASA brings this to the court's attention, as well as any violation of court orders, new developments, or changes in the child's circumstances.
• Advocates for the child's best interests in mental health, educational, and other community systems.

While fulfilling these duties, the CASA is supervised by professional staff, with access to legal representation.

Visit the National CASA web site for more information about CASA.