In 1977, a 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. This created the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program.
CASA Volunteers are appointed by the Judge to a child living in foster care. They read the case documents, gather information from the child’s team, and most importantly, meet with the child. They collect information on how the child is doing and what the child’s needs are then report back to the court.
The primary responsibilities of a CASA volunteer are to:
- Gather information: Review documents and records, interview the children, family members and professionals in their lives.
- Document findings: Provide written reports at court hearings.
- Appear in court: Advocate for the child’s best interests and provide testimony when necessary.
- Explain what is going on: Help the child understand the court proceedings.
- Recommend services: Ensure that the children and their family are receiving appropriate services and advocate for those that are not immediately available. Bring concerns about the child’s health, education, mental health, etc. to the appropriate professionals.
- Keep the court informed: Update the court on developments with agencies and family members. Ensure that appropriate motions are filed on behalf of the child, so the court knows about any changes in the child’s situation.
CASA Volunteers play an important role in the cases they are appointed to but currently, we do not have enough volunteers for the court to a provide an advocate to the children in need.
Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers must be 21 years of age or older, pass a thorough background screening and complete 30 hours of free pre-service training, either in person or virtually. On average, advocates in Gila County dedicate about 10-15 hours per month attending virtual meetings, documenting findings, and seeing the child. Volunteers must be willing to stay appointed to the child until a permanent resolution of the child’s family’s case has occurred.
For more information on the CASA of Gila County program, visit www.CASAofGilaCounty.org or call 928-474-7145 for the Payson Office or 928-402-4427 for the Globe Office.