CASA volunteers are everyday people – teachers, business people, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and grandparents – who are committed to making a difference for children who might otherwise slip through the cracks in an overburdened foster care system. They are appointed by judges to guide one child or one set of siblings and their family during their time in the child welfare system. CASA volunteers research case records and speak to each person involved in a child’s life, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. They monitor the progress of the child and family throughout the case and advocate for the child’s current and future needs in court, in school, and in agency meetings. Their independent evaluations allow the court to make better informed decisions.
Because CASA volunteers serve on one case at a time, they truly get to know the child and family and can give each case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.
We invite you to join our family of volunteers and make a difference in a child’s life – and your own.
Qualifications
A CASA Volunteer must:
- Be 21 years of age or older.
- Successfully pass screening and background check requirements.
- Successfully complete initial training provided by the CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County program.
(35 hours of initial training (15 in-person classroom hours and approximately 20 online/independent reading hours), plus 3 hours of courtroom observation) - 12 hours of continuing education annually related to the work of best interest advocacy.
- Be able to make a 12-month minimum commitment to a case.
(An average of 10-15 hours per month) - Be able to keep information confidential and work within established program guidelines.
- Be computer-literate.
FILL OUT AN ONLINE APPLICATION
Want more information or have questions? Attend one of our “Conversations with CASA” events, and you will have the opportunity to join current CASA volunteers for informational conversations about becoming an Advocate. View our calendar for upcoming events.
