CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocate
Our Mission
The La Porte County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program provides trained volunteers and professional staff to serve as the voice of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. CASA advocates for each child’s best interest in court, with the ultimate goal of helping every child achieve a safe, stable, and permanent home.
What CASA Does
When children are removed from their homes, they are often placed into a complex system filled with social workers, attorneys, judges, and court proceedings—where life-changing decisions are made on their behalf. In this overwhelming environment, children need someone focused solely on them.
A CASA volunteer is a court-appointed, trained, and committed adult who ensures that each child’s individual needs remain the priority. Volunteers spend time getting to know the child, visiting with them regularly, and gathering information from parents, caregivers, teachers, medical providers, and other professionals involved in the child’s life. This information allows CASA volunteers to make informed, independent recommendations to the judge about what is truly in the child’s best interest.
CASA volunteers are the heart of the program and are supported every step of the way by experienced staff Guardians ad Litem and the CASA Program Director.
The Role of a CASA Volunteer
CASA volunteers step into the juvenile court system as a steady, consistent presence for children during one of the most uncertain times of their lives. They advocate for needed services, ensure safety and stability, and help move cases toward permanency.
As a CASA volunteer, you become a trusted adult a child can depend on—sometimes the first person willing to truly listen and speak up for them. You help ensure there is a plan for the child’s future and that their voice is heard in a system where they might otherwise feel invisible. It is a significant responsibility, but one that makes a lasting difference.
No legal background is required. CASA provides comprehensive training, including mock cases and court hearings, along with ongoing support from a full-time CASA case manager and program staff. Volunteers are never alone in their advocacy.
Why Volunteers Are Needed
Every child deserves a safe, permanent home and a “forever family.” In La Porte County, the need for CASA volunteers is great. Children are waiting right now for an advocate who will speak up on their behalf and ensure their rights and needs are not overlooked.
CASA volunteers visit with the child at least once a month, build meaningful relationships, and present unbiased recommendations to the court focused solely on the child’s best interests.
How Children Benefit
- CASA Volunteers Are the Voice of the Child
CASA advocates speak on behalf of children in court, ensuring their needs, wishes, and best interests are clearly represented. - CASA Volunteers Provide an Essential Presence
A CASA reminds everyone involved—judges, attorneys, and caseworkers—that at the heart of every case is a child who deserves safety, stability, and love.
- CASA Is an Evidence- and Research-Based Program
Children with a CASA volunteer spend less time in foster care, receive more appropriate services, experience improved self-esteem, and achieve greater success in school.
Make a Difference
For children who have experienced abuse or neglect, CASA can mean the difference between feeling lost and feeling protected—between being overlooked and being a priority. For volunteers, CASA is a life-changing experience that strengthens families and builds a better community.
If you are looking for a meaningful and enriching volunteer opportunity and want to make a real impact in the fight against child abuse and neglect, CASA may be right for you. We invite you to join our community of advocates and help change a child’s story.
Frequently Asked Questions
All volunteers must complete a 30-hour pre-service training. The time commitment to a case varies depending upon the stage of the case. Volunteers sometimes say that there is a greater amount of work in the beginning of the case, when they are conducting their initial research. On average, you can expect to spend approximately 10 hours a month on a case. As a CASA you will work with judges, attorneys, social workers and other professionals in the field. To insure the continued education of our volunteers we offer in-service training on many subjects throughout the year.
You are asked to dedicated yourself to a case until it is closed. The average case lasts about a year and a half. Most CASA programs require that a volunteer commit to serve for a least one year.
No special background or education is required to become a CASA volunteer. We encourage people from all cultures and professions, and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds. Once accepted into the program, you will receive all necessary training in courtroom procedures, social services, the juvenile justice system and the special needs of abused and neglected children.
Volunteer Today!
make a lifelong difference for a child's future, Contact us at:
EMAIL: khahn@lpfamilyadvocates.com
Call: 219.324.3385 for assistance.
Mail:
Family Advocates
1104 Indiana Avenue
La Porte, IN 46350