What does CASA stand for?
How long has Lookout Mountain CASA been in operation?
How is CASA funded?
Do I have to live in the same county (or state) where I volunteer?
What qualifications does a CASA advocate need?
What types of cases are CASAs assigned to?
How often are the pre-Service trainings held?
How are individuals selected to participate in the Pre-Service training?
At what point are CASA trainees sworn in as official CASAs?
How is a CASA assigned to a case?
How much time do CASAs commit to volunteering?
What kind of support is available to CASAs after they accept a case?
Who else is involved in a foster child’s life and how does a CASA fit in?
How does a CASA volunteer differ from a social worker?
How does the role of a CASA volunteer differ from an attorney?
Are there any other agencies or groups that provide the same service?
I’m interested! What is my first step?

What does CASA stand for?

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASAs are screened and trained volunteers appointed by the Juvenile Court Judge to advocate for children in the foster care system. The work of CASA volunteers is authorized and regulated by Georgia law and standards established by the National CASA Association.

How long has Lookout Mountain CASA been in operation?

During the summer of 2005, community leadership sought to bring a CASA program back to this area. Ione Sells, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center in Fort Oglethorpe, welcomed the request to host the CASA Program. A CASA Program Director was hired in November 2005 and the name, Lookout Mountain CASA was coined. L.M. CASA took off in this area because the Northwest Georgia community believed in the program. The first class of eight CASAs graduated and began taking cases in April 2006. The second group of CASAs graduated in November 2006. L.M. CASA Volunteers have advocated for 51 foster children since April 2006. Our goal is to have a CASA Volunteer assigned to EVERY child in foster care by Spring 2008.

How is CASA funded?

Lookout Mountain CASA is a private, non-profit organization and receives funding through grants from foundations, individuals, corporate contributions and special events.

Do I have to live in the same county (or state) where I volunteer?

No. We have several CASAs that live in Tennessee and volunteer in the NW Georgia counties we serve. Some prefer to live in a county or state next to the community where they volunteer. Other CASAs prefer volunteering in the same county where they live. They are familiar with the schools, social service providers, and have less of a commute.

What qualifications does a CASA advocate need?

CASA advocates are people who want to help abused and neglected children. Advocates come from all walks of life and are all ages. What is needed is the ability to make at least one year’s commitment to the child and an ability to assess a child’s needs.

What types of cases are CASAs assigned to?

Because L.M. CASA Program is new, the number of CASA Volunteers available is limited. There simply are not enough CASAs to appoint to every child in the state’s custody. In Walker and Dade County, the first graduating CASAs were immediately assigned to the cases in which the children needed a CASA the most. Among those were children removed from home and placed in a non-relative foster home. Such cases involved sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Other factors involved domestic violence, drug abuse, neglect, unsanitary living conditions and cruel punishments. As a CASA Volunteer, you will be exposed to a way of life you may not have imagined. It may not always be pleasant, but you will have the chance to make a significant difference in a child’s life.

How often are the pre-Service trainings held?

The Pre-Service CASA Training is held twice a year, once in the spring, and once in the fall. Classes are held Thursday evenings from 5:30-8:30pm for ten weeks. There are several opportunities to observe court and shadow a CASA Volunteer.

How are individuals selected to participate in the Pre-Service training?

Before each training cycle, there are usually 20-30 people who contact CASA and express an interest in volunteering. Of those contacts, L.M. CASA must decline several because their current position or status makes it a conflict of interest to be a CASA. A CASA cannot be a current foster parent, an employee of a group home or residential treatment center for foster children, in the process of adopting a child through the dependency system, or involved in a dependency court matter. Some contacts realize they do not have sufficient time to devote to being a CASA. After the application and interview stage, L.M. CASA invites 10-12 individuals to participate in the Pre-Service CASA training. Classes have been held in the comfortable living room of the Children’s Advocacy Center. CASA Trainees get to know each other well during the course of the ten weeks and they develop a bond that continues throughout their time as a CASA Volunteer.

At what point are CASA trainees sworn in as official CASAs?

CASAs are required to participate in 30 hours of pre-service training and 10 hours of courtroom observation. They must also pass local, FBI and GBI background and personal reference checks. If they complete and pass all requirements, trainees will be sworn in by a juvenile court judge during the CASA graduation ceremony. A Judge will read the CASA Volunteer Oath, which the CASAs repeat. At that point CASA trainees become official CASA volunteers and are able to take their first cases.

How is a CASA assigned to a case?

Children come into care of the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) when a DFCS caseworker demonstrates to the court that negligence/abuse occurred by a caretaker. Children do NOT come into custody by any fault of their own. They are innocent. A CASA is generally appointed during the Preliminary Protective Hearing, also known as a 72-hour hearing (a hearing that must take place within 72 hours of a child’s removal). The court will call L.M. CASA and request that a CASA Volunteer be present at this hearing and subsequently assigned to the case. L.M. CASA will decide which CASA will be appointed to the case according to availability and other factors. Sometimes a foster parent, attorney or case worker will request a CASA be appointed to a particular case. Occasionally, during visits, another child in a foster home will ask a CASA to be appointed to them as well. Under these special circumstances, the CASA Program Director will speak with the Judge and at the Judge’s discretion a CASA may be appointed.

How much time do CASAs commit to volunteering?

It depends. Some CASAs work or study and only have time to take one case. Other CASAs are retired or have flexible work schedules and are available to devote their time to two to three cases. It really depends on the volunteer. According to Monthly Activity Reports, some CASAs volunteer 1-5 hours a week, while others with more than one case volunteer 15-20 hours in a week. Some weeks are busier than others. Some weeks, only a couple phone calls are made. Also, LM CASA requires a minimum one-year commitment.

What kind of support is available to CASAs after they accept a case?

During the Pre-Service training, CASA Trainees are paired with veteran CASA Volunteers, who serve as mentors. CASA Trainees are encouraged to meet with their mentor at least once during the Pre-Service training and shadow them on a visit to DFCS or when they meet with a family member. The relationship with the graduating CASA and his mentor could remain during his first couple cases, or until the new CASA feels comfortable with his role. The L.M. CASA program director is available via telephone, e-mail and in person. She will also accompany CASAs on home visits and social service meetings/reviews when requested. Throughout the year, L.M. CASA offers several In-Service trainings where training groups have the chance to reunite and support one another. Georgia CASA and National CASA offer In-Service trainings as well.

Who else is involved in a foster child’s life and how does a CASA fit in?

Each foster child has a social worker, an attorney and a court-designated caregiver (e.g., relatives, foster parents, group home, legal guardian, or other type of caregiver). Whether or not a foster child lives with his or her parents, they may continue to play a major part in the child’s life. Many children have therapists or other professionals helping them. In addition, all children attend school and may receive special services at school. A CASA helps integrate the efforts of all these people, focusing everyone on the child’s needs and encouraging a “whole-child” approach.

How does a CASA volunteer differ from a social worker?

In Georgia, social workers are generally employed by the county government’s Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS). They sometimes are responsible for as many as 30 or more cases at a time, with multiple children per case. This limits the time they have to spend with each child. The CASA works with only one or two cases at a time and therefore has more time to research each child’s individual needs. The CASA volunteer does not replace a social worker on a case; he or she is an independent appointee of the court assigned to thoroughly research the child’s case, explore community resources and make a recommendation to the court independent of agency restrictions.

How does the role of a CASA volunteer differ from an attorney?

The CASA volunteer does not provide legal representation in the courtroom. That is the role of the attorney. However, the CASA volunteer does provide crucial background information that assists attorneys in presenting their cases. It is important to remember that CASA volunteers do not represent a child’s wishes in court. Rather, they speak to the child’s best interest.

Are there any other agencies or groups that provide the same service?

No. There are other child advocacy organizations, but CASA is the only program where volunteers are appointed by the court to represent a child's best interests both inside and outside the courtroom.

I’m interested! What is my first step?

Complete and submit a CASA Volunteer Application.