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WHAT IS A CASA?
A Court Appointed Special Advocate is appointed by the Juvenile Court Judge to an individual child, or family of children. They take on no more than one or two cases at a time. A CASA investigates all aspects of the case and works with the system to ensure that each child gets the services that are responsive to their particular needs, and to help them find a safe permanent home as quickly as possible.
CASAs are able to have a significant impact on both the child and the system. They are able to determine whether any particular service is working for the child, and to make recommendations for change if they see that it is not. CASAs are able to coordinate communications between the Case Worker and the child's world – teachers, counselors, etc. - to keep the Case Worker informed of developments in the child's case. They are able to help the Judge to see the true circumstances of the child's world, so the Court can make a truly informed decision as to the future of that child.
WHAT SKILLS ARE NECESSARY?
The Judge is really looking for a common sense, objective view of the child's circumstances. In depth knowledge of the legal and social service systems isn't necessary (although CASAs get training on both), and you don't need to be a great speaker either. Your regular, lived-a-life common sense and understanding are the best gifts you can bring to your child's case.
WHY DO WE NEED CASAs?
At any given time there are (on average) 1,200 kids in foster care in Marion County.
At present, the people that serve these families (Department of Human Services workers, attorneys, doctors, dentists, therapists,teachers, etc.) are overtaxed due to the sheer volume of cases. Although each family is assigned a DHS caseworker, and each person (parent and child) has an attorney, tracking what's actually happening with all of these players is a daunting task. Added to the burden is a high 'burn-out' factor, and much 'system process' evolution, both of which can interfere with the smooth running of any single case, and complicates the management of many cases.
CASAs on the other hand generally serve only 1-4 children at a time so they can visit the children and all the other people involved regularly; stay on the case for it's duration; provide written and oral reports and recommendations to the judge; and advocate for the child's best interests.
CASA VOLUNTEERS ARE EFFECTIVE
National studies have shown that having a CASA assigned to a juvenile case results in:
- More appropriate services actually being received by the child
- Reduce the number of foster home moves for a child while in state care
- Reduce the overall length of time in state care
- For children not rejoining their parents, a child is more likely to be adopted and less likely to remain in 'permanent foster care' when served by a CASA.
Most significantly, for those children with closed cases (children who have found a 'home'), kids served by a CASA are only half as likely to re-enter foster care as those kids who didn't have a CASA.
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Sunday, September 05, 2010
