CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Sonoma County)

The Sonoma County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program is committed to serving vulnerable children who have been abused, neglected and/or abandoned.  The purpose of the CASA program is to humanize the complex child welfare system for the child victim by providing a trained volunteer who will act as a consistent role model, advocate, and potential life connection. 

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained volunteer appointed by a judicial officer to provide best interest advocacy for a child who is under the jurisdiction of the courts due to abuse or neglect. The CASA serves as the “eyes and ears” of the judge for children in foster care. Volunteers spend time with children, monitor needed services, and provide child-focused recommendations to the court based on the best interest of the children they serve. A child in foster care may have experienced, physical, psychological and/or emotional trauma, only to endure long periods of uncertainty in the system as they wait to go home, be adopted or simply see what happens next. Along with the judges that appoint them to cases, CASA volunteers are critical members of the child’s support system of social workers, teachers and foster parent. 

May is National Foster Care Month and a time to acknowledge the many people involved in the lives of the children in foster care. Much like the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” it takes many people working together to create safety, permanency, and well-being in this complex system. The caseworkers, resource parents, family members, service providers, judges, attorneys, and CASA volunteers all play a vital role. This month, we want to raise awareness about foster care and encourage others to get involved in the lives of these special children and youth! Join us at the Human Race and be part of a “village” for children in foster care!