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CASA

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1. What is a CASA volunteer?

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a trained citizen (21 or older) who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those in foster care for whom permanency is being addressed. Most of the children are victims of abuse and/or neglect.

2. What training does a CASA volunteer receive?

CASA volunteers undergo a thorough training course conducted by the local CASA program. Training requirements vary from program to program, but Cumberland County CASA offers 35-40 hours of training. Volunteers learn about court room procedures from the principals in the system: judges, lawyers, social workers, court personnel, and others.

CASA volunteers also learn effective advocacy techniques for children, and are educated about specific topics ranging from child sexual abuse to early childhood development and adolescent behavior. Volunteer trainees also observe dependency court proceedings.

In addition to the pre-service training volunteers receive, they are also expected to complete 12 hours of in-service training annually.

3. What responsibilities does a volunteer have as a CASA?

As a child advocate, the CASA volunteer has four main responsibilities:
to serve as a fact-finder for the judge by thoroughly INVESTIGATING the current and background facts of each assigned case;
to provide these facts in report form to the judge and to speak for the child in the courtroom, ADVOCATING for the child's best interests;
FACILITATING communication between the parties in the case;
and to continue MONITORING the parties in the case, ensuring that dependency is brought to a swift and appropriate conclusion in the child's best interests.

4. How does a CASA volunteer investigate a case?

In order to prepare a recommendation, the CASA volunteer talks with the child, parents, family members, social workers, school officials, health providers, and others who are knowledgeable about the child's history. The CASA volunteer also reviews all records pertaining to the child - school, medical, and caseworker reports, etc.

The authority of the CASA volunteer to act on behalf of the child is based on the PA Juvenile Act (Title 42 Act PA C.S. Sec. 6301 et.seq.) and is delineated in the Court Order issued at the time a volunteer is assigned to advocate for a child or sibling group.

5. How does a CASA volunteer differ from a caseworker?

Caseworkers are employed by the County. They work on as many as 30 cases at a time and are frequently unable to conduct a comprehensive investigation of each. The CASA volunteer is assigned to only one child or sibling group 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 can examine a child's case thoroughly, has knowledge of community resources, and can make recommendations to the court, independent of state agency restrictions.

6. How does a CASA volunteer differ from an attorney?

The CASA volunteer does not provide legal representation in the courtroom. That is the role of the attorney or Guardian ad litem.

However, the CASA volunteer does provide crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases. It is important to remember that CASA volunteers do not represent a child's wishes in court. Rather, they speak to the child's best interests.

7. Is there a "typical" CASA volunteer?

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. Aside from their CASA volunteer work, nationwide 52% of the volunteers are employed in regular fulltime jobs; 82% are women and 18% are men.

8. How does the CASA volunteer relate to the child?

CASA volunteers offer children trust and advocacy during complex legal proceedings. They explain to the child the events that are happening, the reasons they are in court, and the roles the judges, lawyers, and social workers play. CASA volunteers also encourage the child to express his or her own opinion and hopes, while remaining objective observers.

9. Do lawyers, judges and social workers support CASA?

Yes. Locally, Judge Edward Guido was instrumental in establishing the Cumberland County CASA Program. CASA has been endorsed by the American Bar Association, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Dept. of Justice. In 2006, Judge M.L. Ebert, Jr. also began hearing dependency cases in Cumberland County, and has embraced the CASA concept.

10. How effective have CASA programs been?

Preliminary findings have shown that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and in the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Judges have observed that CASA children also have greater chances of finding permanent homes than non-CASA children.

11. How much time does it require?

Each case is different. A CASA volunteer usually spends more time conducting research and interviews prior to the first court appearance. Once the initial investigation is complete, volunteers spend approximately 10-15 hours a month maintaining contacts and gathering information. CASA volunteers meet with the child(ren) they are assigned to at least monthly.

12. How long does a CASA volunteer remain involved with a case?

The volunteer remains committed to the case until it is permanently resolved, i.e., when the child is deemed to be safe and dependency is terminated. This may take from 18 to 24 months. One of the primary benefits of the CASA Program is that, unlike other court principals who often rotate cases, the CASA volunteer is a consistent figure in the proceedings and provides continuity for a child.

13. What children are assigned CASA volunteers?

Children from birth to 18 years of age who are victims of abuse and/or neglect and who have become wards of the court may be assigned a CASA volunteer.