CASA FAQs

Commonly asked questions about the CASA Program.

What function do Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers serve?

CASA volunteers are trained to act as first-hand experts on the individual needs of abused and neglected children in the system due to abuse or neglect, giving them the best possible chance at a hopeful future by making fact-based recommendations to the court, and in meetings about the child, so that best interests decisions are made as these children navigate the foster care system in Jefferson county.

As an appointed member of the court, a CASA volunteer assumes the following core responsibilities:

Serve as a fact-finder for the judge by thoroughly researching the background, and staying heavily involved in the current aspects of the assigned case.

Speak on behalf of the child in the courtroom, and any meetings about the child, solely representing his or her best interests.

Act as a keeper of the child’s story for the entire duration of the case, ensuring it is brought to a swift and appropriate conclusion.

How are CASA volunteers assigned to cases?

Our judge assigns CASA of Jefferson County at all the initial hearings in Child In Need of Services (CHINS) cases that open by the Jefferson County Department of Child Services. The child’s case is then triaged by our program and then (hopefully) assigned to a CASA volunteer. Since we currently have a wait list, we typically assign CASA volunteers to the most difficult and complex cases first. Those might involve physical or sexual abuse and neglect. Several other factors are also considered in making this decision:

The instability of the child’s current placement

The presence of conflicting case information
Concerns about the implementation of special services, such as medical care, counseling and education assistance

What are the qualifications to become a CASA volunteer?

Commitment: The vast majority of cases last one to two years, and the amount of time spent on a case per month typically ranges between 15-20 hours, which is primarily completed on the volunteers own time. Volunteers must make case time a priority in order to provide quality advocacy, and to meet National, State, Local, and the Court’s requirements.

Objectivity: Volunteers research past case records and speak to everyone involved in a child’s life on a consistent basis throughout the entire CHINS case, including their family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers, foster parents, other family members, visit supervisors and others. Their third-party evaluations must be based on proven facts, evidence and testimonies. CASA volunteers must be non-biased and incredibly professional while an active member of the CASA network.

Communication skills: Once a volunteer has fully evaluated a case, with the assistance of CASA staff they prepare a written report every three months for the court. These reports outline the status of parents’ needs and services, and most importantly the child’s. Based on those facts, the CASA makes best interest recommendations to the judge ultimately becoming the child’s voice in the court room. They must be able to present their rationale to the judge in court based on facts only.

What is the process to become a CASA volunteer?

CASA volunteers undergo a thorough training and development program that consists of at least 30 hours of pre-service training that includes classroom instruction, court observations, judicial training, testimony training, mandated reporter and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training. In order for our volunteers to continue as an officer of the court year-to- year, they must complete 12 hours of yearly in-service training that directly develops the CASA volunteer and their role in child advocacy.

Volunteers learn about courtroom procedure and etiquette from the principals in the system, primarily the executive director, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, social workers, court personnel, Veteran CASAs, and others.

CASA volunteers also learn effective advocacy techniques for children, and are educated about specific topics focusing on issues our local communities are facing that results in abuse and neglect, as well as seminars, guest speakers, and conferences ranging from child sex abuse or exploitation to discussions on early childhood development and adolescent behavior.

After completion of the initial training, volunteers are sworn in as Officers of the Court. This gives them the legal authority to conduct research on the child’s case and with the help of CASA staff file reports, motions, updates, requests for emergency hearings, etc. into the case on behalf of the child.

What does it mean to be a certified CASA program?

CASA Jefferson County is certified by the State of Indiana CASA/GAL program. This means we adhere to all standards and best practices set forward by our state office, which is located underneath the umbrella of the Indiana Supreme Court. It means we have support, at a state level, for questions or issues that may arise in our cases or in our programs. We turn in our data to the state quarterly. A CASA program in Indiana has the choice as to whether or not they are going to apply for this certification and adhere to the policies. CASA of Jefferson County is proud to be a member of this renowned organization.

In addition to our certification by the State of Indiana, CASA of Jefferson County is also a member of the National CASA Program. The 939 local and state member CASA program offices adhere to formal standards set by National CASA and are required to pass a quality assurance review, which is administered every four years. This self-assessment is a course of action taken by local programs in order to evaluate and improve their operations.

Staff teams work together to answer 446 questions and gather 58 supporting documents for submission to National CASA. Professionals outside the CASA network determine overall compliance by conducting an independent review of the standards self-assessment instrument and supporting documentation. Programs must address any compliance concerns within six months in order to maintain CASA membership. CASA of Jefferson county is proud to be a compliant member of this organization.

How is CASA funded?

As a certified program of the state of Indiana CASA/GAL, we receive funding from the State of Indiana called “Matching Grants”. This amount is one number for the state of Indiana, to cover all 87 programs in the state. The amount each program receives is pro-rated based on the number of CHINS (Child In Need of Services) cases filed in the previous calendar year. For the past few years, our program has received approximately $20k a year. In addition to this portion from the State, the court we serve is required to “match” the amount the state provides. This means we receive funding from Jefferson County Circuit Court.

We do not receive any additional operating funds other than the State and the county’s matching grant. Since we are a 501c3, we are responsible for our own fundraising to supplement our operating costs. We are constantly working on fundraising and grant-writing opportunities.