CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

Save to Favorites

About CASA Program of St. Joseph County

Location:

Juvenile Justice Center, 1000 South Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601, US

Mission Statement

Our mission is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so that they can thrive in safe and permanent homes. We locally recruit, screen, train, supervise, and support volunteers who are appointed by the court to advocate for children who come into the court system primarily as a result of alleged physical, sexual, emotional abuse and/or neglect. As a CASA volunteer, you speak up for the best interests of a child in court.

Description

Every year, more than three million children nationally are reported abused or neglected. Despite the states' attempts to help, many of these kids become trapped in the court and child welfare maze and can spend their childhood moving from one temporary shelter to another.

This is where you step in by becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer.

Volunteers are screened and trained by the CASA/GAL program and appointed by the court to advocate for children who come into the court system primarily as a result of alleged abuse or neglect.

After successfully completing the training, the volunteer is assigned his or her first case. A volunteer's average time commitment to a case is approximately 10 hours per month.

A volunteer assures that the child's best interests are represented in the court at every stage of the case.

Advocates are supervised every step of the way and always have resources readily available.

As a CASA volunteer you are rewarded with some of the most powerful and fulfilling experiences you can find. CASA is the only organization that empowers everyday citizens as appointed officers of the court. Your involvement will make a direct impact on a child's life and perhaps for generations to come.