What is 

a casa

Volunteer ​​

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained community volunteer appointed by a judge to speak up for the best interests of an abused, neglected, or abandoned child. Bringing urgency to a child’s needs both in and out of a courtroom, CASA volunteers advocate for safety, permanence, and well-being for children through independent recommendations.

CASA advocates are ordinary people with an extraordinary desire to help Idaho’s abused and neglected children grow up in safe, loving homes. Our volunteers advocate for a child’s best interest so she may grow up in a safe, permanent, loving home.

A CASA volunteer is appointed to advocate for the child’s best interests. The advocate becomes the “eyes and ears” of the court, making independent, objective recommendations to the judge based on the information they have gathered through meeting with the child and his or her parents, foster parents, social workers, school teachers, therapists and more.

CASA volunteer advocates are trained to help the child navigate this process efficiently so he or she may find stability in a safe, permanent, loving home as quickly as possible while enduring the least amount of trauma and upheaval.

Duties of

a CASA

Volunteer ​​

How to become

a casa

Volunteer ​​

• To meet, and when appropriate confer, with the children for whom the advocate is appointed at least monthly.
  
• To conduct an independent factual investigation of the circumstances of the children, including but not limited to the circumstances described in the petition.
  
• To independently assess each child’s unique circumstances in formulating recommendations.
  
• To file with the court a written report setting forth the results of the CASA advocate’s investigation, the advocate’s recommendations, and such other information as the court may require.
  
• To act at each stage of the proceedings as an advocate for the children for whom the advocate is appointed.
  
• To participate fully in court proceedings and, to the extent necessary, adequately represent the best interests of the children.
  
• To facilitate and negotiate to insure that the courts, the Department of Health and Welfare, and other service providers fulfill their obligations to the children in a timely fashion.
  
• To monitor the circumstances of the children to assure that the terms of the court’s orders are being fulfilled and remain in the best interest of the children.
  
• To guard the confidentiality of all information regarding the case and not disclose confidential information except to the court or other parties to the case.
  

Volunteer applicants over the age of 21 are required to complete a rigorous screening process.  Each of the following steps are mandatory:

1. The applicant must submit a completed application and appear in person for a pre-interview with program staff.
   
2. The applicant must provide three references from persons unrelated to the applicant.
   
3. All advocates are required by Idaho Code to complete background checks prior to receiving a case and at least every two years thereafter.  The applicant must execute a release of information for required agencies, including the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare child abuse central registry, Idaho Sex Offender registry, and National Crime Information Center.
   
4. The applicant must complete thirty hours of CASA/GAL pre-service training, consisting of both online study and in-person training.
   

Program staff cannot make a final determination of placement in the program until the applicant has successfully completed each of the above steps.  Completion of the screening process does not guarantee acceptance into the CASA/GAL program.​