Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program of St. Joseph County

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are volunteers who advocate for children who are involved in the juvenile court system as a result of abuse and/or neglect. These trained volunteers investigate, negotiate, monitor and advocate for the best interest of the child. CASAs advise the St. Joseph Probate Court by testifying at court hearings and by submitting thorough written reports. The report

s include a factual history as well as recommendations for the child's case plan, including placement and treatment. The program has standing to file appropriate legal motions and request hearings on behalf of the child. CASAs participate in case conferences with the St. Joseph County Department of Child Services. As per Indiana Law, it is required to appoint either a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) or a trained Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in abuse and neglect cases that fall under certain circumstances. If a child is alleged to be a Child In Need of Services (CHINS) because he presents:
- a risk to himself or others; is born with drugs or alcohol in his system;
- is at-risk as a result of pre-natal substance abuse;
- is not receiving appropriate medical care;
- or the whereabouts of his parent is unknown,

the Court maintains the discretion to appoint a Guardian Ad Litem or CASA. Moreover, if a child becomes the subject of a petition to terminate the parent/child relationship and the parent objects, the Court must appoint a GAL or CASA for the child. In addition to abuse and neglect cases, some Indiana courts are now appointing CASA volunteers in custody and paternity cases. Currently, there are over 1,000 children in St. Joseph County that are in the system, and about 300 of them are served by about 100 CASAs. While our current CASAs do a remarkable job advocating in our community, our need for more volunteers is apparent.