CASA

Court Appointed Special Assistants

CASA or Volunteer Court Appointed Special Assistants are everyday people who are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in Family Court proceedings. A CASA volunteer speaks up for each child until he or she is placed into a safe, permanent and nurturing home.

Capital District CASA - operating under the principle that a safe, loving and permanent home is every child's birthright-is one of over 900 National CASA programs and 22 New York State CASA programs promoting permanency for every child.

CASA volunteers' responsibilities include:

• Advocating for the child's best interests and monitoring progress while the child is involved in court proceedings.
• Facilitating a good working relationship between all parties involved.
• Monitoring and coordinating court ordered actions.
• Preparing independent, factual reports for the Court.

CASA is successful due to the personal motivation of the volunteers and the low number of cases each volunteer manages. CASA volunteers spend considerable time and effort on their cases and remain involved over extended periods of time. The volunteer is in the unique position of providing a meaningful service while gaining a true sense of personal satisfaction.

For more information on CASA and how to become a volunteer, click here to go to the Capital District CASA website.