Who are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)?

December 2004

Who are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and what is their relevance to child welfare?

The last ten tears have heralded a significant rise in the number of complaints and investigations of child abuse and neglect. This increase has been accompanied by an increase in placements of children under five, high child welfare caseloads, high staff turnover, increased media scrutiny, and a reduced number of available foster parents to nurture an increasingly traumatized population. Hundreds of children come to the attention of the courts daily, as judges review placement decisions and the progress of both children and families toward reunification.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) was founded by a judge in Seattle, Washington who was concerned about making decisions that affected the lives of abused and neglected children without sufficient information about their backgrounds, supports, and needs. The judge conceived the idea to use trained community volunteers to speak up for the best interests of the children. While most children survive neglectful and/or abusive situations, they are placed in overburdened child welfare and legal systems. Frequently, there is no one organization or person who really knows the child and family and can cross systems in order to be the consistent and continuous advocate for the child.

In 1990, the Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with the passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act. Today, there are more than 900 CASA programs in operation with more than 70,000 women and men serving as CASA volunteers. In some states, these volunteers are called Guardians ad Litem. Judges appoint these volunteers as officers of the court to advocate for the abused or neglected child and to remain with him/her throughout the child's association with the court.

CASA is supported by the National CASA Association. This association provides leadership for CASA programs across the country (including Guardian ad Litem Programs). In addition, the association provides:

an annual conference.
a quarterly newsletter.
public relations promotions.
opportunities for corporate sponsorship.
training and assistance for developing programs.

The following websites can provide additional information:

The National CASA Association – www.nationalcasa.org
The National CASA – African American Outreach – www.nationalcasa.org/aao/
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – www.ncjfcj.org

Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

Child Welfare Frequently Asked Questions

December 2004

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	December 2004 Who are Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and what is their relevance to child welfare? The last ten tears have heralded a significant rise in the number of complaints and investigations of child abuse and neglect. This increase has been accompanied by an increase in placements of children under five, high child welfare caseloads, high staff turnover, increased media scrutiny, and a reduced number of available foster parents to nurture an increasingly traumatized population. Hundreds of children come to the attention of the courts daily, as judges review placement decisions and the progress of both children and families toward reunification. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) was founded by a judge in Seattle, Washington who was concerned about making decisions that affected the lives of abused and neglected children without sufficient information about their backgrounds, supports, and needs. The judge conceived the idea to use trained community volunteers to speak up for the best interests of the children. While most children survive neglectful and/or abusive situations, they are placed in overburdened child welfare and legal systems. Frequently, there is no one organization or person who really knows the child and family and can cross systems in order to be the consistent and continuous advocate for the child. In 1990, the Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with the passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act. Today, there are more than 900 CASA programs in operation with more than 70,000 women and men serving as CASA volunteers. In some states, these volunteers are called Guardians ad Litem. Judges appoint these volunteers as officers of the court to advocate for the abused or neglected child and to remain with him/her throughout the child's association with the court. CASA is supported by the National CASA Association. This association provides leadership for CASA programs across the country (including Guardian ad Litem Programs). In addition, the association provides: an annual conference. a quarterly newsletter. public relations promotions. opportunities for corporate sponsorship. training and assistance for developing programs. The following websites can provide additional information: The National CASA Association – www.nationalcasa.org The National CASA – African American Outreach – www.nationalcasa.org/aao/ The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges – www.ncjfcj.org