Giving a voice to children.

Join as Volunteer

Home
Volunteer

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Become a CASA

Are you interested in volunteering?

If you are concerned about the children in our community who have been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse, and you want to prevent them from getting lost in the system, then you already have what it takes to become a CASA volunteer! All you need is a little bit of training in how best to be an advocate for these children, and the willingness to make an 18-month commitment to the program.

What is involved?

Learn more about what is involved in volunteering as a CASA and submit an application if interested.

Learn More

Training

Learn more about the training and find when then next training dates are scheduled.

Interested in volunteering?...
Here are some frequently asked questions.

What is a volunteer advocate?

A volunteer advocate is appointed by a judge to be an independent voice in court for an abused or neglected child who has been placed in foster care. CASA volunteers come from all walks of life. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They speak up for children who have been neglected, abused, ignored. They’re trained and they have a cause – with a first and last name.

How does a volunteer advocate differ from a caseworker with the Department of Family Services?

Caseworkers are employed by state governments. They work on as many as 30 cases at a time and are frequently unable to conduct a comprehensive investigation of each. The CASA worker is a volunteer with more time and a smaller caseload (an average of 1-2 cases at a time). The CASA volunteer does not replace a caseworker on a case; he or she is an independent appointee of the court. The CASA volunteer examines a child’s case thoroughly, knows about available community resources, and makes a recommendation to the court, independent of state agency restrictions.

How does a volunteer advocate differ from an attorney?

The volunteer advocate does not provide legal representation in the courtroom; that is the role of the attorney. A volunteer advocate speaks specifically to what is in the best interests of the child and provides crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases.

Are Advocates compensated?