About the Alexandria/Arlington CASA Program
SCAN of Northern Virginia oversees the CASA Program for the City of Alexandria and Arlington County, working closely with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
The Alexandria/Arlington Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program has helped hundreds of children have a voice within the court system. All children have a right to a home with loving people to care for them. But each year in the United States, millions of children are abused, neglected or abandoned by their families. Over 542,000 of them are removed from their homes and placed in foster care or other out-of-home placements. Eventually, they end up in court. Their only "crime" is that they have been victims.
This is where CASA comes into the picture.
Who are CASA volunteers?
CASA volunteers are Court Appointed Special Advocates for children - trained community volunteers appointed by judges to speak up for children in the juvenile court system.
CASA volunteers are citizens who want to help their community's children. They work alongside attorneys, social workers, treatment providers and other professionals to advocate for the child.
When CASAs are appointed to a child, they are responsible for taking time to find out as much as possible about the child and the child's circumstances. CASA volunteers search for information. They review records, get to know the parents, talk to teachers, neighbors and - most important - the child.
The CASA volunteer then appears in court to recommend to the judge what is best for the child's future.
Become a CASA volunteer!
Are you a mature, responsible adult? Can you talk to people who are having problems? Do you have time to commit? Do you care about children? If your answers are Yes, then you may be qualified to be a CASA.
CASA volunteers come from all walks of life. The majority of them hold full-time jobs. They have a variety of professional, education, and ethnic backgrounds. No special experience is required. Volunteers are selected on the basis of their objectivity, competency and commitment.
Once accepted, volunteers are trained. Volunteers learn about the social service system, the juvenile court system and issues such as substance abuse and mental health. They learn about the special needs of children who are involved in custody and abuse and neglect cases.
It takes an average of 10 to 20 hours a month to be a CASA volunteer. It will likely be the most challenging and gratifying volunteer work you will ever do.