What’s a CASA?

Every day, for a whole variety of reasons, children are removed from their homes. It’s never taken lightly and always done in the child’s best interest; the legal system’s response to a home situation that’s either unhealthy, dangerous or both.

The source of the unrest could be substance use, mental illness, physical or sexual abuse or failure to maintain a healthy environment. All legitimate reasons to get the child out of harm’s way—and wheels are set in motion to get the child out of a tough situation.

In all cases, the same agencies that remove the child from the home work diligently to stabilize the situation and reunite the child and family.

But that process can take a very long time. Once a child is in the system—the courts, foster care, child protective services—they’re part of a large, slow-moving bureaucracy with limited resources and many, many moving parts.

That’s where the CASA comes in.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate®. They are committed, dedicated and tenacious men and women who work diligently to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

A foster mom’s story

Before our CASA was assigned, court dates got moved a lot and the decision about adoption or reunification was a moving target. We felt like we were in the dark. Most of those making decisions for the child had never even met him and nobody really understood what he needed.

Once our CASA arrived, everything changed. Court dates were kept. Information flowed. The school situation was settled. Our CASA not only talked to us and the child, he talked to the teachers, the doctors, the case workers—everybody involved.

In four years of foster care, we had five case workers, three nurses and countless transportation aides. We had only one CASA, who stayed by our side until the adoption was finalized. My only regret is not getting one sooner.

The professionals within the system consistently do their level best to check all the boxes needed to reunite the family. But there are a lot of boxes and many different people over time. The parents may be unable to do what’s needed. The case workers have a heavy case load of multiple families. Foster families are busy providing the basics of health, safety and shelter.

The CASA is often the single stabilizing force, one person with one priority—setting things right for the child. The CASA is a powerful ally who can literally save lives and change the course of history.

“These kids are traumatized,” explains Terry Norton-Wright, director of development for CASA for Children of Atlantic and Cape May Counties. “They’re traumatized from living in an adverse situation. Removing them from the situation brings even more trauma. The CASA quickly becomes the one person they can depend on, no matter what,” she says.

Research shows that when a child has a third-party advocate, things work out better for the entire family. Assigned by the court, the CASA advocate is the eyes and ears of the family court judge. They collect data and report regularly, speaking for the child through the entire process. Last year, over 500 kids were living in foster care in Cape May and Atlantic Counties. CASA advocates looked out for most of them—and helped place nearly 150 into safe, permanent homes.

“The CASA can literally change a child’s story. Our advocates work to get children on the better track, from abuse and neglect to stability and growth. Our advocates go above and beyond, driven to see their children not just survive, but thrive,” Terry says.

A foster child’s story

We’d been evicted many times, living everywhere. I was in and out of foster care since fourth grade. When I first met my CASA I thought he was nice, but I didn’t think much of him. He was just another worker, there were so many.

But my CASA was different. He helped me with school. He taught me how to write a resume for my first job. And he really came through getting me ready for college. I was so unprepared, I had so much going on and I was at rock bottom. He helped with the applications, the essay, transportation, references, finding work.

He was always there for me, answered every call. I knew he cared. I was way behind but I was on a mission to get things done. Without my CASA, fighting for me, I’d still be OK, but things would have ended up very different. I would not have gone to a four-year college. My CASA was the one person in my life who always went above and beyond for me. He was not just another worker. I’ll never forget him.

It’s hard work and progress often feels like one step forward, two steps back. It takes patience, commitment and diligence—a special kind of person, especially considering they’re all volunteers.

“I’m completely blown away by our volunteers. They’re smart, dedicated and determined. They leave no stone unturned to help their kids. They’re not just unsung heroes. They’re unsung superheroes,” Terry says.

Each month, the CASA volunteer spends time with the child and keeps lines of communication open between parents, relatives, teachers, doctors, counselors, caregivers and anyone else involved in the child’s life.

They review the case file, gather and document information and make recommendations to the court. CASAs are trusted, trained and objective advocates and the court places enormous value on their reporting. In many cases, the CASA’s testimony has a significant impact. In our region, 97 percent of CASA advocate recommendations were accepted and acted on.

And qualified volunteers are in very short supply, especially with the pressures of the pandemic.

“If you’re detail oriented, tenacious and want to make a real difference, this is an amazing opportunity to help south Jersey families in need,” Terry says.

But even if you’re not that person or if you live out of the area, you can help!

• Spread the word to others in your network. Start by sharing this article.
• Encourage people you think would be good at it to learn more.
• Host a Snapshot—invite some friends and family and CASA representatives will attend to explain the mission and need.

Want to learn more? Take the next step! Contact Terry Norton-Wright:

609-601-7800 • Terry [at] atlanticcapecasa.org
Or visit the website.

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