CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. These people are appointed by a judge to represent the best interest of an abused, neglected, or dependent child in court. CASA Volunteers provide the judge with a carefully researched background of the child to help the court make sound decisions in regards to the child’s future. CASA volunteers also make recommendations to the judge on placement and services so that every child can have a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive.

New and potential CASA volunteers must attend a pre-service training. These trainings can be in person, internet based, or a hybrid of both. These trainings are typically 35-40 hours, and span over the course of a month. In the pre-service trainings, volunteers learn about courtroom procedures, effective advocacy and investigations techniques and are educated of specific topics ranging from child abuse and neglect to domestic violence and parental substance abuse. There is also information included in the training on poverty, cultural awareness, and sensitivity. At the end of the training, volunteers will attend a swearing-in ceremony by the Juvenile Court Judge and schedule a court room observation.

In order to prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer will talk with the child and other important adults in their life who can give information about the child’s history. The CASA volunteer builds a trusting relationship with the child and advocates for them inside and outside the court room. CASA volunteers also help the child understand what is happening, who will be involved and their roles, and creates a safe space for the child to express his or her own opinions, fears, hopes, etc.

The time commitment for a CASA volunteer is different depending on each case. Generally, a CASA spends about 10-20 hours doing research, conducting interviews and writing court reports during the first 4-6 weeks of their case. After that the CASA will usually spend 2-4 hours per month on a case. We do ask that CASA volunteers be able to commit to two years of service as the volunteer will be on each case until it is permanently closed. Cases often times can last anywhere from 12 months-2 years.

A lot of people ask what the difference is between a CASA volunteer and a case worker. A caseworker often has 15-25 cases at one time, which can limit the amount of time that’s available for them to complete investigations for each case. The CASA volunteer only handles one or two cases at a time which leads to the volunteer being able to thoroughly examine a child’s case. Additionally, the case worker who has a legal mandate to try to reunify families, while a CASA Volunteer’s only priority is to advocate for the best interest of the child. It is important that caseworkers and CASAs work together to provide each other insight into the case.