Children's Voice: CASA, Inc.

Overview

Children’s Voice: CASA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children, who have been abused and neglected, in courtrooms and our community. We are empowered directly by the courts and provide judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care. Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers stay with children until they find their forever homes. 

For many children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.

You can make a lifelong difference in a child’s life by becoming the child’s voice as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Become a CASA Volunteer! Apply online on our website.

What You Need to Know

• CASA volunteers are ordinary citizens with extraordinary hearts.
• No special or legal background required.
• Outside speakers as well as staff and volunteers work together to make our training sessions educational, interesting, interactive and practical.
• Volunteers are screened closely for objectivity, competence and commitment. Volunteers are provided with all the necessary training and training materials.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

1. To be 21 years of age or older
2. Successful completion of the 30 hour training program
3. Successful completion of 10 hours of court observation
4. To undergo local and federal criminal background checks
5. To complete an interview with CASA staff
6. To commit to the program for the duration of your case
7. Complete 12 hours of in-service training each year
8. Written and verbal communication skills
9. Access to reliable transportation and a computer
10. Maintain the desire and heart to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children

Duties

CASA Volunteer Duties:

• To successfully complete the requirements of the CASA training program and screening process
• To ensure the child’s best interests don’t get overlooked while in foster care
• To ensure that the child is placed in a safe, nurturing, permanent home as quickly as possible
• To gather information in order to establish the facts and circumstances of the child’s situation
• To actively pursue a safe, permanent placement for the child
• To maintain strict confidentiality with all information related to the child and their families
• To provide written reports of findings and recommendations to CASA staff prior to court hearings
• To communicate regularly with CASA staff about the case and the advocacy steps taken to ensure the best interests of the child are represented in court
• To maintain a focus on each case until permanency is achieved, assessing the progress of the case, advocating for a permanent solution and reporting problems or noncompliance to the court
• To maintain genuine care and concern for the best interests of the child

For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer, please call 770-577-7228 or email CASA.

Endorsements

• "When you’re young, no one listens to you. To give a child a CASA is to give them a voice. To give them a voice is to give them hope, and to give them hope is to give them the world."
  - Pamela Butler, a former CASA child
• "Thanks for all you do have done for the Court and the kids. Words can never express the important work you do. When I see the smile on a child’s face, then I know you have done a great job!"
  - Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge Michelle Harrison
• "We are so fortunate to have each of you giving your time, your abilities, and more importantly, your heart. There is nothing more significant than the health, well-being and education of our children. As a CASA, each of you have a vital role as a voice for children in foster care. Your efforts make a difference in outcomes for children. You offer stability, caring and consistency in a flawed, fragmented system. I thank you for all you do."
  - Retired Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge, Peggy Walker