Volunteer with CASA

CASA volunteers are ordinary people who are committed to doing what is best for a child. The volunteers help by providing an extra set of eyes and ears for the court and child welfare agencies. After gathering the information, CASA volunteers provide the court with the information by way of a report that speaks to what is in the child's best interest.

CASA volunteers are actively involved in their assigned cases, adopting roles that include not only advocacy, but also frequent contact with the children and caregivers, and coordination and involvement with involved parties (including schools, law enforcement, psychologists, foster and biological parents, caseworkers, counselors, case managers and the State's Attorney's office). Every CASA volunteer makes a difference in the lives of the children they choose to advocate for. Join us today, and speak up for a child.

Volunteer Job Description

General Description

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are trained volunteers whose role is to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the Champaign County Juvenile Court system.

Qualifications

The CASA Advocate must be an adult and have the following qualifications:

• Age 21 or older
• Possess emotional maturity, stability, and common sense
• Be objective and flexible
• Exhibit self-assurance and assertiveness
• Have the ability to deal with hostility and rejection
• Be able to keep information confidential
• Be able to work within established guidelines
• Have the ability to interview, observe, listen, and analyze written material
• Be able to write clearly and concisely
• Have the ability to make decisions and set goals
• Be willing to commit to the program for a minimum of 24 months

Accountability

Upon successful completion of pre-service training, background, and reference checks, the CASA Advocate will be formally accepted as an advocate at the official swearing-in ceremony. The CASA Advocate reports directly to either the Executive Director or Volunteer Coordinator.

Responsibilities

1. Attend training arranged by the CASA office
   • Attend the pre-service training (30 hours)
   • Complete 10 hours of staff supervision & in-service training, and 6 hours of court watching.
   • Attend 12 hours of in-service training per year (continuing education)
2. Complete an intensive independent investigation of the case
   • Interview the child and all relevant parties to the case
   • Review appropriate records and reports - DCFS, schools, healthcare, etc.
   • Participate in case conferences concerning the child
   • Observe the child at least once per month and significant others as needed
   • Determine and assess the child(ren)'s permanency options
   • Advocate that appropriate services be provided for the child and family
3. Report findings to the Court
   • Provide a written report containing factual information
   • Provide the Court with as clear a statement as possible to what is in the child's best interest. Research/investigate available placement alternatives for the child including, but not limited to, relatives, foster care, and group homes.
   • If appropriate, submit supplemental written reports to the court concerning changes in circumstances, recommendations for modifications in disposition, or compliance with the court orders.
4. Ensure representation of child's best interest
   • Attend all Court proceedings to see that all relevant facts are presented
   • Attend appropriate interagency meetings regarding the child or family
   • Monitor the case following a Court hearing or decision as designated by the court
   • Attend administrative case review (ACRs), individual education plan (IEPs), and any other meetings regarding the child/ren or family
   • Continue contact with the child, family, or others (as ordered by the court) to monitor progress
5. Consult with the CASA office
   • Review the case plan and set goals
   • Discuss preliminary findings
   • Review progress in the case
   • Review court report
6. Submit volunteer information monthly
   • Case contact hours, time spent in court, and mileage/long distance phone calls (for reimbursement purposes only)
   • In-service hours (continuing education)

Steps to Becoming a CASA

Now that you have decided to make a difference, you might be wondering how to become a CASA volunteer. The steps are listed below. If you have any questions about being an advocate visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, call our staff at (217)384-9065 or send an e-mail to casa@chcocasa.org.

Steps to Becoming a CASA Volunteer

1. Fill out an application
2. Visit our office, pick up a manual and meet with the staff
3. Enroll in an upcoming (LINK) training class
4. Attend and participate in (LINK) training (30 hours classroom)
5. Observe Court (6 hours)
6. Pick a case and develop an action plan (4 hours)

A Volunteer's Story

My Girls

I recently attended a graduation party. Nothing unusual in that, but this was special because it was a party for an exceptional young lady whom I've come to know over the past four years because I am a CASA. I advocated for her and her two younger sisters who were in the foster care system.

Their case is closed now. These girls, now, 18, 14 and 13, are living lives they couldn't even have dreamed about four years ago. They have futures that hold genuine possibilities.

They were victims of biological parents who had little interest in and no ability to parent. Both are now in prison. The girls lived in several foster homes that did not enhance their well being, however well intentioned the foster parents may have been. In one environment, the children were little more than unpaid staff. The major achievement of these placements was that "my girls", as I came to think of them, were still together.

Well, now thanks to a terrific team of a DCFS caseworker, therapists, a CASA (me!), and loving guardians, these girls can really live, not just exist. They now have a real home, and parents that they are happy to call "Mom and Dad."

I cannot communicate to you how wonderful it is to know that I have helped make this happen.

As a Christian, I believe that I am required to serve others, and to show God's love. Through the years, I have found it easy to write checks and to salve my social conscience, but I've come to realize that simply writing a check is not enough.

Besides, it's great fun to actually know that person you're helping, and it' s amazing to actually see the positive impact you've had on another person's life.

Mary Ellen Dorner
CASA Volunteer and 2003 George Frampton Award Winner

CASA Program Fundamentals

• Advocates are appointed to advocate for the long-term best interest of the child
• Advocates are not mandated by law to "reunite the family" as is true with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
• Advocates work with the professionals who aim in that direction, but are expected to work in the in the best interest of the child, even in the face of a disagreement with DCFS
• Advocates are appointed by the judge to conduct independent investigation and to monitor Court orders pertaining to the child
• Advocates may agree or disagree with other professionals
• Advocates must have facts to support their recommendation

Best interest of the child may require a recommendation of Termination of Parental Rights

• The decision for termination should be reached only if all other options have been tried and were unsuccessful (or not appropriate for the child), or the parents failed to cooperate with services to correct the conditions of abuse/neglect. The Judge makes the final decision on termination.
• Advocates must deal with their personal feelings regarding the permanent severing of the parent-child relationship and the sadness that may be felt toward the parents
• Advocates must focus on the "best interest" of the child
• Advocates must realize that some children are much better off placed into new families, with new lives
• Advocates strive to make certain that the Judge has all of the facts so that the best possible decision can be made

Advocates keep in regular contact with the child and interested parties on the case

• Regular contact is interpreted to be at least monthly contact, preferably face-to-face, with the child. Attorneys, caseworkers, therapists, agency providers, teachers and foster parents need to be contacted to keep updated on changes in the child's situation. This contact should be often enough to build a relationship that will enable the advocate to keep abreast of the child's situation. Because many cases involve unpredictable activity, regular contact in-person or by phone assumes a smooth flow of information.
• Advocates must be consistent in their contacts. Regular, timely contacts are much more credible and show a truer picture of the case than those contacts made just prior to the hearing

Advocates must understand their limited role

• Meeting the child for a soda at a fast-food restaurant is a good way to provide a "neutral setting" for an older child to discuss feelings, concerns, and accomplishments, and for the advocate to obtain valuable information. Taking the child to the park or for a walk in order to have a relevant, private conversation is OK. Activities such as movies, shopping, etc. are beyond the scope of the advocate and are not appropriate.
• Advocates are not Big Brothers/Big Sisters, mentors or family friends
• Advocates should not be spending time with the child on recreational outings, except as necessary to their CASA function (advocate, facilitate, investigate, and monitor)
• Advocates need to be careful not to attach themselves to the child emotionally. This can be very hard, but is necessary

The child welfare system can be frustrating and slow moving.

• Phone calls are not always promptly returned from professionals. Caseworkers have high caseloads, are very busy and do not always have enough time to be thoroughly familiar with a case. The Court does not always accept Advocates' recommendations, but experience in Champaign County demonstrates that the Champaign County CASA, through its advocates has enormous influence. Clients and professionals may become upset with Advocates - disagreements can be expected. Clients' parents may not make necessary changes to allow their child to be returned - they fall short of advocate's expectations. Often the advocate is the only person who, over time, has full knowledge of a case.
• Advocates need to be persistent
• Advocates need to use that knowledge for the best interest of the child

Training

Our advocates are unique in the volunteer field because they undergo over thirty hours of classroom training. This allows our organization to stand out as a model of specialized experts, qualified and certified to provide excellent service.

Once a community member decides to become a CASA volunteer, our office conducts a personal interview with the perspective advocate, verifies character references, and conducts a thorough background check. Classes are assembled four to five times a year, where the new advocates spend two days a week for five weeks learning about child welfare and the juvenile court system. Each class is designed to both educate the volunteer and to provide an opportunity for discussion of concerns and observations.

Our training classes cover such topics as Cultural Competence, Minimal Parenting Standards, Juvenile Court Process, and the specifics of the CASA GAL Role. During training, several guest speakers address the class to speak about their expertise. Unparalleled insight is gained from The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Champaign County CASA Attorney's, and Judges currently presiding over abuse and neglect cases. In addition, our trainer assembles a panel of experienced advocates to field questions from the new class.

The classroom is only part of the educational process. Our new advocates are required to observe six hours of courtroom hearings and four hours of one-on-one case planning with their supervisor. This solidifies the knowledge gained and makes the advocate more comfortable in an unfamiliar setting.

Qualifications

The most notable qualification to become a CASA volunteer is a desire to advocate for children. In addition, applicants must:

• Pass routine background checks
• Provide three references
• Be 21 years of age or older
• Have the ability to work with people in diverse backgrounds

No legal or social service background is necessary!

Volunteer Application

Filling out an application is the first step to becoming an advocate. Applications can be mailed to CASA at One Lincoln Square, Urbana, Illinois, or faxed to (217)384-6450, or submitted via e-mail to casa@chcocasa.org.

Please be sure to submit all 5 pages, including the "Authorizing for Background Check (pg.5)". Do NOT submit any documentation directly to the Department of Children and Family Services. It is also important that an accurate address is provided for each reference listed.

CASA Volunteer Application

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are a CASA volunteer's main responsibilities?
A. The three most important tasks for the CASA volunteer are to:

• Complete an intensive independent investigation of the case
• Report findings to the Court
• Ensure representation of the child's best interest.

Q. How much time does it take to be a CASA volunteer?
A. Training to be a CASA volunteer is 30 hours over 5 weeks. As a CASA volunteer the time you put into investigating your case will reflect the needs and size of the family in the case you choose. The average advocate spends between 10-15 hours a month.

Q. Do I choose my case?
A. Yes, each CASA volunteer is given a selection of cases to review and choose from. We may suggest a case, but the CASA volunteer always has the right to choose his or her case.

Q. I cannot make one or two of the training dates. Do I have to wait for the next training?
A. No, please call the office and we can make arrangements for you to make up one or two missed classes.

Q. I work full time. Can I still be a CASA volunteer?
A. Yes, as a CASA volunteer you have control of your investigation schedule. The only conflicts you might have are court hearings and some case meetings. With advance notice, staff can attend on your behalf if you are unavailable.

Q. What happens if I go out of town or am on vacation?
A. CASA staff or another CASA volunteer will cover any important meetings you would miss. If you are going to be on an extended trip (more than one month) we might ask that you make phone contact with the child or children on your case.

Q. Where is Champaign County CASA located?
A. Champaign County CASA resides near the east end and on the main floor of Lincoln Square Mall, which is located on Illinois Street between Race Street and Vine Street.

If you have any additional questions about being an advocate please call our staff at (217) 384-9065 or send an e-mail to casa@chcocasa.org.

CASA News & Events

National CASA celebrates 30-year anniversary in 2007

Save the Date September 24-27
CASA Luggage Drive & Banquet