CASA provides quality court-based advocacy for abused and neglected children. Children are referred to our program by the family court judges in Boone and Gallatin Counties.
CASA volunteers are matched to a case where their skills and training will benefit the children most. CASA volunteers work to get their child’s court case expedited in addition to helping the child they’re working with find permanency sooner.
A CASA volunteer acts as an advocate for a dependent, abused, or neglected child. The volunteer’s responsibilities include assessing the circumstances surrounding the case, making an independent evaluation of what is in the child’s best interest– both immediately and in the long run, attending the court hearings, and monitoring the case until a permanent plan is approved by the court.. These children deserve to have an adult who is advocating for their best interest. Often these children become victims of an overburdened juvenile justice system. The CASA volunteer helps to assure that children don’t get “lost in the system” and remain in foster care for many years. Volunteers can restore confidence that placements of children are truly in the best interest of each child.
Each CASA volunteer is assigned to an average of only 1–2 cases at one time, so they can do a thorough, in–depth assessment on each child’s case. Because of their volunteer status, the volunteers are able to make completely independent recommendations and are able to concentrate solely on the needs of the child.
