CASA -
Children Worth Saving
Change a Child's Story®
Become a CASA Advocate Today!
Serving Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa and Meade Counties
Children in CPS care have lost everything familiar – home, family, friends, and school – through no fault of their own. They leave home with next to nothing: clothes their families may have hurriedly packed, perhaps a favorite stuffed animal, their belongings often quickly shoved into a trash bag. Their stories are heartbreaking.
While many well-intentioned people are assigned to help, there is no single person to always be there, to consistently watch over these children and to ensure that they end up in safe, permanent and loving homes…unless there is a CASA volunteer for them.
CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for these abused and neglected children and to make sure they don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system. They stay with each case until it is closed. For many abused children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence—the one adult who cares only for them.
CASA-Children Worth Saving, Inc. is one of 22 CASA programs in Kansas. We serve the 16th Judicial District which is comprised of Ford, Gray, Clark, Meade, Kiowa and Comanche counties. Established in 1989 by a group of concerned professionals and lay persons, the program was incorporated in early 1990 and receiving its 501(c)(3), in July of the same year.
Volunteer
What is a CASA Advocate?
CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates. CASA-Children Worth Saving volunteers are voices for children who a judge has determined need intervention for their protection. CASA volunteers are trained and supervised to gather information and make recommendations that help judges decide the best possible outcome for children in need of care. CASA volunteers get to the know the children, review records, research information and talk to everyone involved in a child’s life — social workers, attorneys, judges, parents, teachers and family members. CASA volunteers are a source of hope and support for child victims as they wait for the courts to decide where they may safely live. Advocates help children access the services they need to heal from their abuse, and the information and recommendations CASA volunteers provide help to expedite the court process and provide better outcomes for children under the state’s protection. The volunteers then make recommendations to the court that help judges decide the best permanent home for the children. Judges depend on CASA volunteers to help keep them better informed about each child’s case. They want CASA volunteers on every case in their courts. There is a child in our six counties waiting for your help!
Would I be a good CASA?
Our volunteers come from all walks of life, and most are employed full-time or retired. Volunteers must be 21 years of age and must be able to pass both reference and background checks. -A CASA volunteer must be both compassionate and objective. They have sharp minds, even temperaments, are direct communicators, and must be able to handle challenging personalities with diplomacy and tact. CASA volunteers need to be tireless advocates on behalf of their children. They need to consider what’s best for the child, investigate and accurately communicate the child’s conditions to the presiding judge, as they work to make the child’s experience in the court system safe, efficient and quick as possible. - A CASA volunteer must be able to dedicate themselves to 30 hours of initial training (provided in a flexible format that meets the need of each applicant) and an additional 12 hours of training annually. While each case is different, CASAs spend between 5-15 hours each month meeting with their child and others involved in their case and preparing their report for the court. CASAs are asked to make an initial two year commitment, as cases are often a year and half in length. While this commitment may seem daunting, we are here to guide you during every step of the process! -Our CASAs travel to a variety of neighborhoods and home settings. Our youth can also move placements during their time with us, so volunteers need to be comfortable traveling across our six county area.
I'd Like to be a Volunteer CASA Advocate!
We are excited that you are interested in being a CASA CWS Advocate! Your help and support will make a huge difference in the life of a child! Research suggests that 95% of the children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Children with a CASA are also more likely to succeed in school and are half as likely to re-enter the foster care system. Don't forget that Advocates do not have to work alone. We accept advocate teams, often comprised of married spouses or friend groups. Having multiple people on one team gives the child additional caring adults in their life as well as ensures continuity if one person has a scheduling conflict. When you apply, please let us know if you would like to work as part of an Advocate Team. To get started, please use the form on the contact us page to request an emailed or hard copy application form.
I'd like to help, but I can't commit to being an Advocate.
We are thrilled that you are interested in helping CASA CWS. We realize that committing to becoming an advocate is a large undertaking and that it isn't a role for everyone. We have numerous ways to get involved and support our Advocates: -Serve as a CASA volunteer interpreter -Volunteer for our auction and special events committee -Join our outreach team to help spread the word about CASA at community events -Serve on our Board of Directors Let us know how you would like to help today!
Contact
- 2601 Central Avenue STE LL14, Dodge City, KS, USA
- +1-620-225-1278
- outreach@casacws.org
- Monday to Friday - 8am to 4pm