What is a CASA?

Appointed by the court, CASA volunteers advocate for the best interest of children who have come into the dependency system as a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Information and recommendations provided by the CASA volunteer assist the court in making crucial decisions about the child’s immediate needs and long-term permanency.

Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 2 years with the program so they can provide consistency for the child and stay with the case until the child is with returned safely to their parents or placed in a safe, permanent home. For many children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.

Visit Clark County CASA’s main site.

History

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.

Mission

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.

Diversity

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.

BECOME A CASA

CASA volunteers make a lifelong difference in the life of a child who has experienced abuse or neglect. They are often the one consistent adult in the child’s life. Volunteers are asked to make a minimum two-year commitment to the program to meet the average length of a case and provide consistent advocacy for the child. Volunteers typically dedicate 8 to 12 hours per month, depending on the needs of the case.

When you join our team of trained and dedicated CASA volunteers, you will receive support and coaching from professional staff, develop an in-depth understanding of the dependency system, and network with other CASAs and community partners. If you are a student, your work may also qualify as an internship for your college or university

As an alternative to taking on the full responsibility of a CASA, volunteers may also choose to spend time in a supporting role where the time commitment would be less and the hours more flexible. CASAs in a supporting role would team up with another CASA or staff member to take on specific tasks of a case such as visiting the child.

Qualifications and Training

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.

Next Steps

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 Program contact Katie Benzel, our Volunteer Specialist at 360-906-9142 or kbenzel@ywcaclarkcounty.org.