HOW TO GET INVOLVED
We welcome people from all walks of life. We are simply looking for people who care about children and have common sense. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well supported by professional staff to help you through each case.
Being a CASA volunteer does not require any special education or background, simply the desire to help abused and neglected children find safe, permanent homes.
What does it take to become a CASA volunteer?
Step 1: Each candidate must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check and participate in a 40-hour training course.
Step 2: After completing the training, the volunteer is assigned his first case. A volunteer’s average time commitment to a case is approximately 4-8 hours per month.
Step 3: Maintain monthly visit with your child(ren) and give written reports prior to court hearings.
Volunteer advocates have support and supervision every step of the way and always have resources available.
SERVICEHEART
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
what is CASA?
The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program was founded on a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves someone who will stand up for their best interests. In 1977, a juvenile court judge in Seattle recognized that critical decisions about abused and neglected children were being made without enough information about their individual circumstances. Determined to ensure that every child's voice was heard, he created a program that trained community volunteers to advocate for children involved in the child welfare system.
What began as a single local initiative has grown into a nationwide network of CASA and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) programs serving children across the United States. Today, thousands of dedicated volunteers work alongside judges, attorneys, social workers, educators, and caregivers to help ensure that children experiencing abuse or neglect receive the support, stability, and services they need.
CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate exclusively for the best interests of the children they serve. They take the time to get to know each child, gather information from the important people in the child's life, and provide independent recommendations to the court. Their involvement helps ensure that children do not become overlooked in an often complex and overburdened child welfare system.
At the heart of the CASA model is a simple yet transformative idea: one child, one dedicated advocate. For many children, a CASA volunteer becomes the one consistent adult who remains by their side throughout the uncertainty of a court case. Through advocacy, compassion, and commitment, CASA volunteers help children achieve safer, more stable, and more permanent outcomes.
The impact of a CASA volunteer extends far beyond the courtroom. By providing a voice for children when they need it most, CASA advocates help create brighter futures and ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, permanent, and nurturing home.
What Does It Mean to Be a CASA Volunteer?
Being a CASA volunteer is a meaningful commitment of time, compassion, and advocacy. It means standing beside a child during one of the most challenging periods of their life and ensuring their voice is heard. While volunteers often begin the journey hoping to make a difference for a child, many discover that the experience changes them as well. Through the relationships they build and the lives they touch, CASA volunteers gain a deeper understanding of resilience, courage, and the power of one caring adult.
As a CASA volunteer, you become a consistent presence for a child navigating the foster care system. While specific responsibilities and procedures vary by state, CASA advocates across the country share the same mission: to promote the best interests of children and help them achieve safe, permanent, and nurturing homes.
Who are our Local Volunteers?
Our CASA volunteers come from all walks of life and bring a wide range of experiences, skills, and perspectives to their advocacy. Volunteers in our program range in age from 21 to 75 and include parents, educators, social workers, college students, interns, business owners, attorneys, doctoral professionals, retirees, and active-duty service members from Holloman Air Force Base. While their backgrounds may differ, they all share a common commitment: ensuring that children in foster care have a dedicated voice and a caring advocate by their side.