CASA is an organization of screened and trained volunteers. The CASA volunteer is appointed by the court to a child’s neglect or abuse case and is an officer of the court. The volunteer is responsible for taking the time to find out as much as possible about the child. They search for information and review records. They interview parents, talk to teachers, social workers, health providers, neighbors, and most importantly spend time with the child. The CASA volunteer does not provide legal representation, that is the role of an attorney. The volunteer will appear in court and attend hearings regarding the child’s case.
Unfortunately, the courts are seeing an increasing number of children in abuse and neglect cases and more volunteers are needed. In Indiana, the law was recently changed to say that EVERY child (not just children in certain cases) should have a CASA to speak for them. There is a critical need for more volunteers.
CASA - The Voice of Clark County’s Children, P.O. Box 866, Jeffersonville, IN 47131-0866 Telephone: (812) 285-0743, Fax: (812) 285-0751, E-mail: sgrahn@casavoice.org
