Established in October 1985, the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program provides services to thousands of children annually. The CASA volunteers get to know their children personally and develop a special bond with them to help them through this difficult time in their lives.

A Court Appointed Special Advocate becomes someone to whom the child can talk and ultimately helps the court to understand what is in the best interests of that particular child. A CASA volunteer develops a caring, positive relationship with a child who has been removed from the home because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Appointed by a juvenile court judge, a CASA volunteer is specially trained to speak out for the best interests of the child throughout the court process.

During CASA’s 20-years of service, the program has trained more than 3,694 volunteers. These volunteers have helped children receive a safe and permanent home and have served 11,918 children through the court system. Sadly, this is just a small percentage of the children needing help -- annually, over 30,000 reports of child abuse and neglect are made. CASA only has enough volunteers to help one in five of these children.

If you’re interested in becoming a CASA volunteer, or would like to learn more about the CASA program, visit their website at www.azcasa.org.