Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) (2023-2024, 2022-2023, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, 2019-2020, 2017-2018)
The mission of Voices for Children (VFC) is to transform the lives of abused, abandoned, or neglected children by providing them with trained, volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). This year, approximately 5,000 vulnerable children will spend time in Riverside County foster care. Once in foster care, children experience additional trauma due to being separated from their family and siblings, living with strangers, and not knowing when or if they will ever be reconnected with their family. Well-intended professionals – social workers and children’s attorneys – have huge hearts for children, but they have limited bandwidth. Children in foster care need the attention of one consistent adult who is aware of their needs and also has an understanding of the foster care system.
VFC’s CASA program helps children access the services they need while providing a one-on-one relationship with an adult who can help them to overcome adversity and thrive. Through the CASA program, community members receive intensive training, are sworn in by the court, and are matched with a child in foster care to give children the individualized attention that the foster care system cannot provide. The goal of the CASA program is to ensure that children’s needs are not overlooked. By design, a CASA is intended to be a long-term support for a child. CASAs commit to serving for 10-15 hours a month for a minimum of 18 months. CASAs get to know a child’s needs in-depth, identify needed services and resources, and advocate for them in court, at school, and in the community. Twice a year, at a minimum, CASAs accompany children to court and provide judges with a formal, written report that includes case updates and recommendations. Judges rely on these comprehensive reports to make informed decisions about a child’s education, mental and physical health, housing, and overall well-being. CASAs provide a unique kind of case oversight, because CASAs serve one child or sibling group at a time.
Contact: Executive Director, Jessica Muñoz, Esq., MFS
Email: JessicaM@speakupnow.org
