Frequently Asked Questions

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A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer is an everyday citizen who have undergone screening and training and has been appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of a Child in Need of Care (due to abuse or neglect).

The primary responsibilities of a CASA volunteer are:

• Gather information:  Carry out an objective examination of the situation including relevant history, environment, relationships and needs of the child.
• Facilitate:  Based on information gathering process, identify appropriate resources and services for the child and family.  In collaboration with your CASA Supervisor, follow the referral procedure to initiate services.  Coordinate with the services organization to expedite service deliver and move the case forward.
• Advocate:  Speak up for the child by making fact-based recommendations regarding the child's best interest in a written court report.
• Monitor:  Track the orders of the court and plans of the child protective agency regarding fulfillment of treatment and service plans for all parties.  If parties fail to carry out plans, inform the court in collaboration with the child protective services agency.

CASA Volunteers are assigned to only one or two children or sibling groups at a time.  CASA Volunteers stay involved on the case from the time of appointment until the child achieves permanency.  Because of the small number of children a volunteer serves, they have more time to commit to each child.  CASA Volunteers are specially trained to consider issues relevant to the best interests of the child, which may be different than the interests of other parties or the child's wishes.  Traditional attorneys who represent children are required to advocate for their client's-the child's-wishes.

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Be willing to complete necessary background checks, provide references and participate in an interview.
• Complete a minimum of 30 hours of pre-service training.
• Commit to at least one year of service.
• Although each case is different, a volunteer usually spends 10-15 hour a month on each case.

**No previous experience or education is required.  All training and support is provided.

A CASA would have one case at a time, but there are occasionally exceptions.

Judges typically assign CASA Volunteers to the most difficult and complex cases involving physical or sexual abuse and neglect.  Several other factors are also considred in making this decision:

• The instability of the child's current placement
• The presence of conflicting case information
• Corncerns about the implemenation of special services, such as medical care, counseling and education assistance

Research suggests that children who have a CASA Volunteer have better chances of finding permanent homes than non-CASA children, and that they and their families receive more services than children who have no CASA Volunteer.  Children with CASA Volunteers spend less time in foster care, are less likely to be bounced from foster placement to foster placement, and do better in school than those without CASA involvement.