In this time of deficits and reduced federal funding for state and other social service programs, King County is facing a critical lack of volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates. These volunteers represent the best interests of children who have been taken from their families because of abuse or neglect and placed in court dependency.
These children are sent to relatives, guardians or foster families while attempts are made to reunify them with their parents. If reunification is not possible, CASA volunteers help children move toward permanent placement through adoption or other arrangements. The CASA program was started by Seattle Judge David Soukup in the 1970s after he noted that in court hearings, no one was there to speak up for children. There are now over 100,000 CASA volunteers in the United States. America runs on volunteerism, and now we need volunteers more than ever. In King County, we need 350 CASA program volunteers.
I have been an advocate for over six years. The work is immediately and immensely rewarding. I have helped dozens of children find permanency, and I have met extraordinary family members and strangers who have come forward to provide loving homes. I also sit on the board of Friends of CASA of King County, a small charity that was started by court advocates soon after the initiation of the program. We recently funded a full-time position to recruit volunteers for CASA.
This week I sat in Zoom court hearings, listening to many cases that have been postponed for lack of court-appointed special advocates. There are hundreds of children in the program each year, and too many do not have a CASA volunteer to visit them or advocate for them. And there is advocacy to be done for children in court.
Volunteers receive training from the King County CASA program and are sworn in as officers of the court before receiving their first case. I still recall my first case, the family I grew to know and the excellent outcome for the child. Your time commitment is not large. Your impact is huge. Your understanding of your community will grow immeasurably. And like me, you may find yourself going to and from meetings with these children with a broad smile on your face.
Other Washington counties have CASA programs, too; call your local court for information. In King County, go to kingcountycasa.org or call 206-477-4245.
