CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)

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Make a difference in a foster child's life! CASA Lake County recruits, screens, trains and supervises volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children while they are involved in the child welfare system and juvenile court.

Every year more than 1,500 children in Lake County are reported abused and/or neglected - and become part of a child welfare system that is complex, overburdened, and slow. Too many spend years moving from one temporary home to another. They have no family to call their own. They are more likely than other individuals to face homelessness, teen pregnancy, unemployment - even prison - as adults.

As trained advocates, CASA volunteers are appointed by the judge to visit the children every month and provide the court with reports and recommendations regarding the child's "best interests." CASA volunteers also interact with adults who know the children (e.g. caregivers, teachers, therapists, etc.) and advocate for the children's needs while they are in care (e.g. educational, healthcare, physical resources, etc.).

Thorough training is provided (40 hours over 6 weeks). Advocates are appointed to one case at a time, although the number of children in each case will vary. While working on a case, every advocate is supervised and guided by an Advocate Manager. On average, advocate volunteers invest around 10 to 15 hours/month on their cases. A two year minimum commitment (or, ideally, for the life of the case) is expected.

The process: Contact CASA via VolunteerMatch or go to CASA Lake County's website at www.casalakecounty.com and complete an application. We will contact you to schedule a meeting to discuss the role in more detail, answer questions, and identify next steps.