CASA volunteers are everyday people – teachers, business people, retirees, stay-at-home moms, and grandparents – who are committed to making a difference for children who might otherwise slip through the cracks in an overburdened foster care system. They are appointed by a judge to guide one child or sibling group through the system to a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible. CASA volunteers research case records and speak to each person involved in a child’s life, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. They monitor the progress of the child and family throughout the case and advocate for the child’s current and future needs in court in school, and in agency meetings. CASAs’ independent evaluations allow the court to make better informed decisions.
Because CASAs serve on one case at a time, they truly get to know the child and can give each case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.
We invite you to join our family of volunteers and make a difference in a child’s life – and your own.
Qualifications
A CASA Volunteer must:
- Be 21 years of age or older.
- Successfully pass screening and background check requirements.
- Successfully complete initial training provided by the CASA program.
(30 hours of initial training plus courtroom observation, then 12 hours of continuing education annually) - Be able to make a commitment for the duration of the case (usually one year), engaging in casework an average of 10-15 hours per month.
- Be able to keep information confidential and work within established program guidelines.