CASA

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a nonprofit organization focused on advocating for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The program recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers who serve as independent advocates in the juvenile court system. These trained volunteers work to ensure that children in foster care have safe, permanent, and nurturing homes by representing their best interests in court.

CASA volunteers maintain regular contact with the children they advocate for, gathering information about their circumstances and communicating with social workers, foster parents, teachers, and legal professionals. They provide objective recommendations to judges regarding the child's health, education, and overall well-being. CASA supports children from birth up to the age defined by state law, typically up to 21 years, and advocates in both dependency and delinquency court cases. Through its structured volunteer program, CASA plays a crucial role in the child welfare and judicial systems.