2.  Board of Supervisors
 Executive Director
 Marketing Coordinator
 Program Manager
 Senior Advocate Supervisor
 Recruiting Specialist
 Advocate Supervisor
 Advocate Supervisor
 Advocate Supervisor
 Advocate Supervisor
 Administrative Assistant
 Program Assistant

3.  CASA of Fresno and Madera counties is a
community based non-profit organization.
 This organization relies on community
members and their willingness to volunteer
their time as an advocate.
 Volunteers from Fresno and Madera
counties come from all walks of life. They
are not necessarily involved in the child
welfare system. They are people with a
desire to help abused children.

4.  As a non-profit organization CASA relies
on donations
 Donations are used to support CASA
volunteers in their efforts to help some of
the most vulnerable children.
 Some CASA founders are:
› First 5 Fresno County
› Judicial Council of California
› Garabedian foundation

5.  The CASA movement began in 1977 when
a Seattle superior judge named David
Soukup was concerned about trying to
make decisions on behalf of abused and
neglected children without enough
information.
 He expressed his desire to appoint
community volunteers to speak up for the
best interests of these children in court.
 He made a request and 50 citizens
responded and began the CASA
movement.

6.  CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge
to recommend the best possible outcome
for an abused or neglected child’s future.
 Whether this means helping to make a
connection with adoptive parents or safely
reuniting the child with parents or relatives,
the ultimate goal of the CASA volunteer is
to help ensure that every one of these kids
can live in a safe, permanent home.

7.  There are more than 500,000 children in
foster care in the United States of America.
California is the home of 13% of the nation’s
children, but 19% of its children are foster
care children. In Fresno, the population of
its children is over 250,000 and over 3,000 of
them are in foster care.
 CASA has over 100 volunteers representing
over 300 abuse and neglected foster care
children in Fresno and Madera Counties.

8.  CASA is a 501(c) 3 community based non-profit
organization whose mission is to provide
community members to serve as advocates for
abused and neglected children in child
welfare and juvenile court system.
 In order to accomplish CASA’S mission
statement community members are recruited
and trained by professionals with the tools
needed to advocate for abuse and neglected
children.
 There is an application process that must be
completed before a community member can
become a CASA.

9.  A CASA program recruits potential volunteers
 A CASA program must screen potential CASA volunteers
› A written application
› Security check that includes fingerprinting, driving record, or
other records of conduct
 Three completed references
 A personal interview by the program
 Once the application process is done a CASA advocate
attends a 40-hour training. Once the training is completed
they are officially officers of the court.
 Once an advocate is sworn in he or she is assigned a case
and an advocate supervisor. An advocate supervisor
guides an advocate through their case.
 A CASA program offers continuation classes so advocates
can be aware of the latest information

10.  Volunteers present their recommendations
to the court as to what they feel is best for
the child. Judges rely heavily on this
testimony to make an informed decision on
the child’s future.
 Social Work values are reflected in this
agency such as social justice. Advocates
pursue change for abuse and neglected
children. They strive to ensure access to
needed information, services, resources,
and equality of opportunity for foster
children.

11.  Dignity and worth of a person is also value within the
agency. Advocates must be mindful of individual
differences and cultural and ethnic diversity.
Children in foster care are do walk into the system
with their own diversity. A CASA advocate must keep
this in mind when advocating for a child.
 Foster Care children deserve to have a family and
specially a family that can provide shelter, food, and
clothing. When an advocate is speaking in behalf of
a child they are advocating for their human rights to
be taken into consideration. The advocate always
wants the what is in the best interest of the child and
that includes a child’s human rights.