Why CASA?
CASA volunteers achieve results for kids
Judges rely on community volunteers who bring an independent voice into the courtroom. Research indicates that children with a CASA are more likely to:
- have fewer and more appropriate placements
- spend less time in the social service system and are less likely to reenter
- have an increased amount of time spent on their cases
- be placed in safe, permanent homes more quickly
CASA builds cost-effective partnerships
Since state law and the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) both require that all abused and neglected children have someone to represent their best interests in court, a CASA volunteer is appointed when available. When a CASA is not available, the court must appoint a paid guardian ad litem or no representation at all.
Last year, CASA volunteers:
- donated approximately 350,000 hours of service to children
- averaged 15-20 hours every month to each child they advocated for
- represented a community value of over $17 million
Despite record numbers of children being served, more than 6,000 children went without a CASA volunteer last year*.
*Due to a lack of program staff to recruit, train, and adequately support enough volunteers, local CASA programs cannot currently serve every child that enters the system.
In 2008, more than 2,400 CASA volunteers advocated for the best interests of 7,355 abused and neglected children in Washington.
