CASA volunteers provide voice for children in care

HANNIBAL, Mo. — CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, is a program comprised of volunteers who advocate on behalf of children who are involved in the court system whether that is due to abuse or neglect. These CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for a child’s best interest. Court Appointed Special Advocates support children who have experienced abuse or neglect to be safe, have a permanent home and to have an opportunity to thrive.

Within the 10th Judicial Circuit (Marion, Ralls, and Monroe counties), Douglass Community Services oversees the CASA Program, which trains and supports adult volunteers who are assigned to children in foster care. United Way of the Mark Twain Area financially supports the work of CASA at Douglass Community Services with dollars from the organization’s annual campaign.

The CASA volunteers involved in the program advocate for the children they have been assigned to. For some children in foster care, their CASA volunteer may be the only unchanging adult presence in their lives. These advocates supply the courts with crucial information.

Court Appointed Special Advocates are an important role model and figure for children in foster care. People with an interest in becoming a CASA volunteer must have an open heart and a willingness to volunteer their time.

In a press release, Emily Trevathan, COO of Douglass Community Services, said, “It’s a volunteer appointment by the judge. A person needs to be at least 21 years of age or older, pass background checks and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Other than that, there’s no special background or additional education required.”

CASA volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, including those who are retired and those who work full-time.

A CASA volunteer makes a time commitment when they join the program. There are 32 hours of pre-service training and 12 hours of continuing education a year. It is an investment in the life of a child who needs someone to be their voice. CASA volunteers advocate for a child’s educational or medical needs.

The importance of a CASA in a child’s life cannot be understated. They have a crucial role to fulfill in the lives of children in the foster care system.

“CASAs are super helpful as they are for the child,” Trevathan said. “They walk along next to the child throughout the duration of the time the kid is in the care of the courts.”

Giving a voice to a child while advocating for permanency is the role of a CASA.

“Studies show children in the care of a CASA are more likely to find a permanent home, and they are more likely to end up succeeding at school because they’ve had this mentor,” Trevathan said.

The work CASA volunteers do is valuable to the children they are assigned and also to the court system.

“They attend court hearings with them,” Trevathan said. “They attend any family support group meetings. They can talk to teachers. They can visit them at school. They do write court reports as well and communicate and collaborate with the whole team.”

To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer, check out Douglass Community Center’s web page dedicated to the CASA program at douglassonline.org or call the local office at 573-221-3892.