You can be an advocate for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia by becoming a CASA volunteer.

What is a CASA volunteer?
A CASA is a person who is appointed by a Philadelphia County Dependency Court judge to represent the best interests of children who are victims of abuse or neglect who are in out-of-home placement and receiving services from the Department of Human Services (Philadelphia Children and Youth Agency).

What is the CASA volunteer’s role?
The CASA volunteers serve as the "eyes and ears of the court" by providing a detailed investigation of each child's situation and recommendations to the court to aid the judge in permanency planning decisions.

Is there a “typical” CASA volunteer?
CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds.

Can anyone volunteer to be a CASA?
CASA volunteers are ordinary people. No special or legal background is required. Volunteers are screened closely for objectivity, competence, and commitment.

What training does a CASA volunteer receive?
CASA volunteers undergo a thorough 30-hour training course. They learn about courtroom procedure, effective advocacy techniques for children, and specific topics ranging from child sexual to early childhood development and adolescent behavior.

How much time does it require?
Each case is different, so the amount of time required to get the job done varies significantly. Typically, a CASA spends an average 10-15 hours per month working on a case.

For more information on CASA of Philadelphia or to download an application, please visit our website at www.casaphiladelphia.org

You can also contact us via email at volunteer@casaphiladelphia.org or by phone at 215-922-1409

Thank you for this information. They have this program in NJ where I moved from, but I didn't know about the program here. I'm going to look into it--seems like a really good way to get involved.

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"If you think you're too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito."

--Bette Reese

That's great to hear! Although desperately needed, Philadelphia has not had a viable CASA program until very recently. As a new non profit in the city, this organization needs a tremendous amount of community support in order to be successful.