Do YOU have what it takes to be a CASA?
VOICES FOR CHILDREN CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers come from varied backgrounds. Their ages span from 21 to over 70 years and their education ranges from high school to Ph.D. degrees. Some work full or part-time and some are students. The following is a composite picture drawn from the profiles of ninety active CASA volunteers.

Chris: is 32, married, has a B.S. in Chemistry and works as a chemist with a government agency. Wanting to give something back to the community and help children, Chris investigated several agencies before applying to Voices For Children (VFC) to become a CASA.
Early in October, Chris received a five-page application. Some of the questions pertained to personal life and ambitions, while others dealt with how one would respond in certain situations involving children. The completed application was returned with three forms: one for the Colorado Registry, one for the Boulder County Sheriff's Dept., and one for the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. VFC screens every applicant through those agencies, and if an applicant cannot afford the fees, VFC will pay them.

As attendance at all sessions of the 40 hour training course is mandatory for becoming a CASA, Chris noted the training session dates which were included with the application.
The following month, after VFC staff had reviewed the application, a one-hour interview was scheduled. The interviewer asked many questions to learn more about the prospective applicant. The questions included topics such as childhood experiences, attitudes about abuse and neglect and experience in working with children. The interview was pleasant, and Chris departed with the feeling that important areas had been explored. It was understood that, because VFC usually has more applicants than training slots, the interview was not a guarantee of a place in the program.
At the beginning of February, Chris was notified of acceptance into the training program. Having passed the written application, screening, and interview processes, Chris felt quite proud and ready to accept the challenges of the rigorous training program that is presented only once each year. There would be 29 other trainees.

Chris enjoyed the training program with its mix of lecture and interactive activities, and got to know the others in the class. Several professionals from the community, the VFC staff, CASA volunteers and members of the VFC Board of Directors comprised the faculty. They helped the trainees to better understand child development, the dynamics of abuse and neglect, the legal system, communication skills, and other relevant subjects. The hefty training manual would be a handy review and reference tool when a case was ultimately assigned.

Several months after completing CASA training, Chris accepted a case involving two children, ages 8 and 4. Chris received a packet of information from VFC, including the name of the guardian ad litem (GAL) attorney with whom Chris would be working and the experienced CASA mentor who would be contacting Chris. In the case documents, Chris learned that the boys were in a foster-adopt home after having been physically abused by their father.

Chris met with the GAL, who worked with Chris to develop a case plan and then went with Chris to meet the children at their foster home. After making an appointment to meet with the Department of Social Services caseworker Chris went to DSS and reviewed the case file.
As a CASA, Chris's primary job was to provide information to the Court as to the children's best interests. This would be done by talking with day care providers, foster parents, the case worker and any others involved with the life of the boys. It was decided that Chris would also supervise one visit a week between the children and their parents.

Over the next few months, in an effort to get the best possible information to aid the Court in deciding what was best for the children, Chris saw the children regularly. They knew that Chris was there for them, to help guide them through a traumatic time in their lives. Chris also attended one court hearing and one placement review.

Ongoing support was received from the VFC staff. Chris's monthly CASA reports were submitted, reviewed and sent on to the GAL. After working on the case for 90 days, Chris and the VFC Program Manager met to discuss its progress. It seemed to Chris that the parents were complying with everything in their treatment plan and were sincere about wanting to get the children back. The parents were attending parenting classes and family therapy and Dad had a new job. At the weekly visits Chris had observed the children's eagerness to be with their parents and reported that both parents acted appropriately with the children. Chris felt that the parents were ready for unsupervised visits - perhaps even an overnight visit. The caseworker was resistant to this, believing that a few more observations were needed to make sure Dad's behavior was stable. It was decided that Chris should call the GAL and strongly urge to have a date set for unsupervised visits.

At one of the monthly inservice meetings at VFC, Chris learned about some positive discipline techniques. These were suggested to the parents at the next visit Chris supervised, and they took the advice positively. To everyone's satisfaction the children were returned home in ten months. The case was still open with DSS and Chris continued to see the children weekly. Chris explained that because their family was doing so well, their time together would soon end. Shortly after DSS closed the case, the visits with Chris stopped.

This case had a happy ending; not all do. But happy ending or not, the CASA provides invaluable support for abused and neglected children in Boulder County.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 class, which will be held February - March, 2008. You must be able to attend all sessions (Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 - 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays form 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). If you would like to apply, please call us at (303) 440-7059.