In 1977, a Seattle juvenile court judge concerned about making drastic decisions with insufficient information conceived the idea of citizen volunteers speaking up for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) developed guidelines to help the juvenile justice system protect the child’s right to a safe, permanent family. The committee coined the umbrella term “Court Appointed Special Advocate” – CASA – denoting any volunteer following a clearly defined role as a friend of the court.

From that first program has grown a network of nearly 1,000 CASA and guardian ad litem programs that are recruiting, training and supporting volunteers in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

The Clark County CASA program was established January 1982 as the “Guardian ad Litem Project”. The first volunteer CASA started advocating for children in February of that same year. The “Guardian ad Litem Project” eventually was renamed Clark County CASA and was supported by YWCA Clark County. The relationship between the CASA Program and YWCA Clark County thrived and continues today.

Our mission is to provide quality advocacy in the best interest of each child in dependency and support permanency in a timely manner served by highly-trained volunteer advocates so the children we represent may thrive in a safe, permanent home as soon as possible.

Our program is committed to training culturally competent volunteers and staff to ensure we support the cultural needs of the children in Clark County. One of our key goals is to maintain a volunteer base that reflects the diversity of the children we serve and to be an inclusive organization that values the viewpoints and life experiences of each volunteer.

LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning) youth are overrepresented in the foster care system as many have faced rejection and displacement at the hands of their families of origin (Williams Institute and RISE, 2013). One recent study estimates nearly 20% of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ. CASA provides advocacy in a manner that recognizes the possibility that any youth may be LGBTQ. When the foster youth identifies as LGBT or Q, CASA’s role is to listen to them and ensure that they have culturally competent access to the best care, advocacy, and services possible.

Foster children have the right to be protected from abuse and neglect. They have the right to be treated fairly and equally, whatever their gender, gender expression, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, medical needs, or sexual orientation.  They also have the right to be addressed by their chosen gender pronouns. As CASA volunteers, part of our mission is to assist in securing a safe, permanent and nurturing home for every child in foster care, including those who identify as LGBTQ. Children in foster care are the most vulnerable population; those who also identify as LGBTQ face even greater risks and challenges on a daily basis.

CASA advocates for the rights of LGBTQ youth, including that:

• LGBTQ youth have a right to express their sexual orientation and gender identity
• LGBTQ youth have a right to be protected from emotional and physical harm in their child welfare placements
• Child welfare professionals appropriately monitor and supervise an LGBTQ youth’s placement for discrimination and maltreatment
• LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system have a right to receive appropriate medical and mental health care and other supportive services
• LGBTQ foster youth have a right to be treated equally and without discrimination
• LGBTQ youth in child welfare placements have a right not to participate in religious activities that condemn LGBTQ people

Although no prior experience is necessary, you must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, interact respectfully with people from various cultures, economic, and educational backgrounds, gather and accurately record factual information, maintain objectivity, adhere to confidentiality guidelines and follow established program procedures, and remain actively involved in your assigned case.

• Must be at least 21 years of age with a high school diploma or GED
• May not have any active involvement with Child Protective Services or criminal history
• Complete a written application, with references,
• Successfully pass a criminal history and fingerprint check

The CASA Program provides 30 hours of program-specific training and 12 hours of YWCA core training to prepare you for the role. The application, interview, and training are part of an ongoing mutual screening process to ensure the role is a good fit all around. After successful completion of the training, CASA volunteers are sworn in by the court as Guardians ad litem.

There are 4 training cycles each year with various days & times to meet your schedule. The first step is to complete the online YWCA Volunteer Application and the CASA Supplemental Application.

YWCA Volunteer Development Director will process your application, contact your references, and submit the criminal background check. When this process is complete, you will be contacted by the CASA Volunteer Specialist to schedule an interview.

During the interview, you will learn more about the duties of a CASA volunteer and how your interests align with our program. We will take time to answer all your questions and talk about the training schedule and time commitment.

If you want to learn more about volunteer opportunities with the CASA Volunteer Specialist Cheryl White, our Volunteer Specialist at 360-906-9142 or cwhite@ywcaclarkcounty.org.