CASA is an acronym for “Court Appointed Special Advocates”.

The requirements to become a CASA volunteer include the following:

• You must be at least 21 years old.
• Willingness to complete necessary background checks, provide references, and participate in an interview.
• Willingness to complete the required Pre-Service CASA Volunteer Training. This training series is offered multiple times a year throughout the course of the year.
• Willingness to complete observation hours in Hardin County Family Court.
• Availability for court appearances with advance notice.
• Willingness to commit to the CASA program and your CASA child for at least two years.

We encourage people from all cultures, professions, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds to apply. Once accepted into the program, you will receive all necessary training in courtroom procedures, social services, the juvenile justice system, and the special needs of abused and neglected children.

CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in Family Court and other areas of the child’s life including school, therapy, and the Child Welfare System. The primary responsibilities of a CASA volunteer are to:

• Gather information: Review documents and records; meet with the assigned case child (or children) on a regular basis; speak with family members and professionals in their lives.
• Document findings: Provide written reports and recommendations at Family Court hearings.
• Appear in court: Advocate for the child's best interests and provide testimony when necessary.
• Explain what is going on: Help the child understand the court proceedings.
• Facilitate Collaboration: Seek cooperative solutions among individuals and organizations involved in the child's life. As one volunteer said, “Be the glue that connects the pieces in our complicated Child Welfare System.”
• Recommend services: Ensure that the child and his/her family are receiving appropriate services, and advocate for those who are not immediately available. Bring concerns about the child's health, education, mental health, etc., to the appropriate professional’s attention.
• Monitor case plans and court orders: Ensure that plans are being followed and mandated review hearings are being held.
• Keep the court informed: Update the court on developments with agencies and/or family members which may affect the child’s welfare, recovery, or stability. Ensure that appropriate motions are filed on behalf of the child so the Court knows about any changes in the child's situation.

• Upon completion of the CASA training course, volunteers complete a form detailing the types of cases on which they would consider working, including case circumstances and number of children.
• CASA volunteers are appointed to Dependency, Neglect, or Abuse (DNA) cases in which the Family Court Judge feels (s)he needs an extra set of eyes and ears.
• Due to the high demand and the limited number of CASA volunteers, the judges usually appoint CASA volunteers to the most severe cases of abuse and neglect.

• You receive all necessary instruction in courtroom procedures, social services, the juvenile justice system, and the special needs of abused and neglected children.
• The 30-hour training course is based on the National CASA Association’s new guided learning sessions. The chapter titles are:
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: The Bleux Case
  • Chapter 3: The Greene Case
  • Chapter 4: The Amarillo Case
  • Chapter 5: The redd Case

• Each chapter is facilitated by CASA staff members.
• Classes are informal and relaxed with an emphasis on open communication and engaging discussion.
• Following completion of the training class, potential volunteers complete observation during Hardin County Family Court Judges' dockets before being assigned to a case. Additionally, there is an annual 12-hour in-service training requirement. CASA and our community partners offer many options for meeting this requirement.

• No. You are supported in every step of your experience as a CASA volunteer.
• Our staff is available to answer questions, assist CASA volunteers in writing court reports, act as sounding boards, provide advice, attend home visits or other meetings with CASA volunteers as needed, and act as liaison between CASA volunteers and other organizations when necessary.
• You also have ongoing in-service training opportunities beyond the 30-hours of initial instruction.

• No. Our hope is that you will be ready to put your new knowledge and skills to use after you complete training. However, if you feel you are not yet ready to take a case after the training class ends, you are under absolutely no obligation or pressure to do so.
• We want our CASA volunteers to be comfortable and confident in their decision before they commit to a child’s case.

• CASA policy requires volunteers to see the child in person at least once per month. Volunteers may also make phone contact during the weeks when they do not see them in person. 
• Many CASA volunteers choose to see “their” children more often, based on the circumstances of their individual cases or the relationships they develop with the children.
• It is important to remember that your personal knowledge of the child and the child’s needs is essential to advocating for your CASA child’s best interest.

• As a child’s CASA, you will receive appointment orders from the Court that allow you to access any and all people of relevance to the child’s case.
• The CASA volunteer’s role is to connect the child with targeted services that best meet his or her individual needs. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a CASA might speak with natural parents, Cabinet for Health and Family Services workers, neighbors, foster parents, relatives, teachers, and therapists.

• CASA children frequently change foster homes, schools, therapists, Cabinet workers, and other service providers. The CASA volunteer is the one stable adult presence in these children’s lives.
• CASA asks that a volunteer commit to remain with a child until his or her case is closed.
• The average CASA case lasts about 18 months, though the length of time varies based on each child’s unique circumstances.

Our Support Staff members act as “Advocate Volunteer Managers.” They are available 24/7 to answer questions, assist CASA volunteers in writing court reports, act as sounding boards, provide advice, attend home visits or other meetings with CASA volunteers as needed, and act as liaisons between CASA volunteers and other organizations when necessary.

• It’s natural that you will become emotionally involved to some degree.
• Part of your Advocate Volunteer Manager’s role involves helping you maintain perspective. CASA training, along with the organization’s policies and procedures, assist volunteers in setting emotional and professional boundaries. For instance, CASA volunteers do not transport or supervise children, and gift-giving is limited to small items.