CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate, and the CASA program is designed to train and support volunteers who advocate for children entering into the court system due to abuse or neglect. In Porter County, CASA has been a part of the Family & Youth Services Bureau since 1989, and is a member program of National CASA.
Our mission is to help children find their way to a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible. CASA volunteers are appointed by the court judge to help determine their needs and speak for them in court.
The CASA gets to know the child and communicates with important people and professionals in the child’s life, ensuring that his or her individual needs remain a priority in an over-burdened child welfare system. In fact, the number of abused or neglected children who have entered into the court system has increased close to 140% over the last five years. There are kids in Porter County waiting for a CASA.
A child who is appointed a CASA volunteer is less likely to languish in the foster care system, less likely to stay in long-term care or to re-enter the system, and MORE likely to do better in school, and be adopted.
If you are interested in learning more about the program and finding out how you can become a volunteer, please call the CASA office at 219-464-9585, or email [email protected] .