Recruit

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA is a volunteer-based nonprofit that spans the nation, providing Court-Appointed Special Advocates for abused, neglected, and dependent children in the family court system. CASA volunteers are community-based and are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interest(s) of the children whose case they are appointed to. Once assigned to a child, the volunteer researches the child's case, reviews documents, meets with the child and family, meets with professionals involved in the case and in the child's life.. Then, the CASA creates a report for the court that details observations and factual information, as well as recommending services, visitation, and more that may be in the child's best interest. 

The beauty of this role is that a CASA volunteer is a community member with no particular formal education or experience, who is then trained to become an objective, open-minded advocate. CASAs focus their efforts on gathering information and making recommendations for abused, neglected, and dependent children, who otherwise may not have a voice. Often, a CASA is one of few consistent people in these children's lives during the course of their family court case.

Volunteers are carefully screened and are very well trained; they receive a minimum of 30 hours of initial training and complete 12 hours of ongoing training each year.  When a CASA volunteer accepts a case, there is a commitment to staying with that case until the child has a safe, permanent home, and the case is formally closed within the court. 

• Researches – determining all relevant facts through personal interviews and a review of records, documents, and clinical data.
• Advocates – presenting the relevant facts before the Court at hearings, through written reports and direct testimony. 
• Facilitates/Collaborates – ensuring that the Court, social services, and legal counsel fulfill their obligations to the child.
• Monitoring – ensuring compliance by all parties and bringing to the Court’s attention any changes in circumstances that may require modification of the Court Order.

• A Big Brother or Big Sister.
• A counselor/therapist.
• A babysitter for the child to whom he or she is appointed.
• An advocate for the parents or anyone other than the assigned child.
• An attorney (therefore, does not offer legal advice or advocate for the child’s wants, although that may be taken into consideration).
• A crisis counselor.

• Take the child into their home or have the child in their custody.
• Become a surrogate.
• Become part of the resolution of the case.
• Transport the child.
• Supervise visits between parents and children.
• Try to work our problems between family members, except by making recommendations to the Court of the families to whom they are assigned.
• Make placement arrangements for the child.
• Give money or expensive gifts to the child or family.

CASA of the Bluegrass is a member of the National CASA/GAL Association, as well as being a part of the Kentucky CASA Network.