How Do CASA Volunteers Make a Difference?

In Geauga County, all abused and neglected children in the court system are appointed a CASA volunteer to serve as a Guardian ad Litem(GAL).  Some counties throughout the country use a combination of CASA volunteers and attorney GALs while others have no CASA program and all abused and neglect cases are served by attorney GALs.  A number of studies have shown that CASA volunteers can make a difference in a number of ways.  Here are a few:

• Judges, attorneys, child welfare workers, and parents who have been surveyed overwhelmingly report that volunteers make a difference with the children they serve.[1]
•  CASA volunteers are far more likely than paid attorneys to visit children in their homes, and more likely to investigate whether there are appropriate services for the child or family.[2]
 
• CASA volunteers are highly effective in getting their recommendations accepted in court because of their detailed reports that justify the recommendations.[3]
• CASA volunteers handle just 1 or 2 cases at a time, so that they can give each child’s case the sustained, personal attention he or she deserves.
•  Ohio juvenile judges were surveyed and asked to rate the importance on nine specified GAL investigative duties.  A “face to face” interview with the child was ranked as the most important duty.  One hundred percent of CASA GALs interview or meet with the children in a case as compared to sixty-three percent in attorney GAL cases.[4]
• Children with CASA volunteers may receive more court-ordered services and because of the volunteer’s detailed knowledge of the child’s circumstances, those services can be monitored more carefully.
• CASA for KIDS of Geauga County is able to provide enrichment opportunities to the children served through the support of Friends of CASA.  Many children are able to receive tutoring, attend summer camps, or take an art class that otherwise would not be possible.  In 2008, Friends of CASA funded over $10,000 of activities to the children served.  Click here to learn more about Friends of CASA.

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