CASA Volunteer Training
About LACASA’s Court Appointed Special Advocate Program
Our CASA program is part of the national Court Appointed Special Advocates for children organization. CASA volunteers are ordinary citizens, specially trained and appointed by Family Court judges.
Volunteers for our CASA program serve as the voice for children who are in the foster care or family court system in Livingston County. This is a unique opportunity to help vulnerable children in our community.
Training programs for CASA are held twice a year in the spring and fall.
CASA Program Goals
- Prevent children from languishing in the foster system
- Find loving, permanent homes for children who cannot return home due to abuse and neglect
- Advocate for children during court proceedings
- Protect a child’s fundamental right to be protected, safe, and treated with dignity and respect
CASA Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
- Work in partnership with attorneys and foster care workers as specially appointed officers of the court
- Maintain confidentiality as a trusted source of crucial information
- Research the case, assess the facts, identify key problems, and submit court reports
- Attend hearings, provide insight to the judge, and recommend actions in the best interest of the child
- Represent one child, or in some cases, a group of siblings
CASA Volunteer Eligibility
Candidates must:
- Be at least 21 years-of-age
- Posses a high school diploma or GED equivalent
- Receive a clean background check
- Attend an initial 30 hours of CASA volunteer training (required)
- Commit to 12 hours of additional training per year
- Meet with the child a minimum of 15 hours per month
- Conduct additional meetings when representing sibling groups
- Write court reports
- Attend all court hearings
If you are interested in making a positive impact in the life of an abused and neglected child, please contact our CASA Program Manager at 517-548-1350 or email casa@lacasacenter.org.
CASA Volunteer Application Form >>
