There are currently 100+ children in the foster care system in Coconino County, AZ alone. These children face tremendous obstacles while in the system, and are more likely than other children to face homelessness, unemployment, and even prison as adults.
That's where CASA comes in. The CASA program was created in the 1970s to make sure the abuse and neglect these children originally suffered at home doesn't continue as abuse and neglect at the hands of the system.
CASA of Coconino County recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for these children involved in the foster care system.
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are appointed to a foster care case (so one child or a group of siblings) by our county judge. The child(ren) already have a foster family and a caseworker, but CASA volunteers are unique: everyone else in the case has overfull caseloads, has a bias, or isn't around long enough to build a rapport with the child. CASA volunteers focus on the one child, stick with them through the whole case so as to be a consistent adult presence, and advocate for the child's best interest in the courtroom.
Volunteers meet with their assigned child once/month to see how they're doing, attend team meetings (usually monthly), and attend court hearings (every 3-6 months depending on the age of the child).
Apply today to Change a Child's Story!
If you are interested, please apply on our website at www.CASAofCoconinoCounty.org.