Did You Know...
Rock 'n Rowl for Kids
April 17, 2010
The
annual Rock 'n Rowl for Kids Bowl-a-thon was held on April 17th. We are
pleased to announce that we were able to raise over $35,000 to help us to continue to provide quality advocacy for abused and
neglected children.
Frequently Asked Questions
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- What is a CASA volunteer?
- What is the CASA volunteer's role?
- How does a CASA volunteer investigate a case?
- How does the role of a CASA volunteer differ from an attorney?
- Is there a "typical" CASA volunteer?
- How many cases does a CASA volunteer carry at a time?
- How effective have CASA programs been?
- How much time is required to be a CASA volunteer?
What is a CASA volunteer?
- A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in court.
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What is the CASA volunteer's role?
- A CASA volunteer provides a judge with carefully researched background of the child to help the court make a sound decision about that child's future. The CASA volunteer must determine if it is in a child's best interest to stay with his parents or her parent or guardians, be placed in foster care, be placed with other relatives, or be freed for permanent adoption.
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How does a CASA volunteer investigate a case?
- To prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, healthcare providers and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child -- school, medical and case worker reports, and other documents.
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How does the role of a CASA volunteer differ from an attorney?
- The CASA volunteer does not provide legal representation; that is the role of the attorney. However, the CASA volunteer does provide crucial information that assists in representing the best interests of the child and makes recommendations that the judge considers key when making decisions in child abuse and neglect cases.
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Is there a "typical" CASA volunteer?
- CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of educational and ethnic backgrounds. There are more than 58,000 CASA volunteers nationwide. Aside from their CASA volunteer responsibility, 50% are employed in regular full-time jobs.
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How many cases does a CASA volunteer carry at a time?
- The number varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but an average caseload is one to two.
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How effective have CASA programs been?
- Research suggests that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Judges have observed that CASA children also have better chances of finding permanent homes than non-CASA children.
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How much time is required to be a CASA volunteer?
- Each case is different. A CASA volunteer usually spends 20 hours doing research and conducting interviews prior to the first court appearance. More complicated cases can take longer. Once initiated into the system, volunteers work 10-15 hours per month.
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