By Gabi Diaz De Leon | CASA in the Heart of Texas is looking for sharp, passionate, and committed new volunteers. CASA, which stands for “Court Appointed Special Advocate,” refers to a movement across Texas, independent offices in the different regions of Texas, as well as the individual volunteers. CASA in the Heart of Texas is the office that oversees CASAs in Brown County.
Being a CASA would require about 10 to 20 hours a month and a one to two-year commitment to a case. Volunteers will be assigned a child’s case and be expected to get to know a child and their situation. It is a CASA responsibility to be able to objectively help the courts decide what is in the best interest of said child. Other tasks will include monthly contact with both the parents and the placement of the child and preparing a report and recommendations for the action of the court.
“The most important quality of a CASA is that they will be dedicated to their child, because most of them have people coming in and out of their lives so often that they need to know someone who is not being paid to be there is there for them and is on their team,” said CASA recruiter and trainer Joanne McCraw.
Other important qualities of a good CASA include a genuine concern for children, strong oral and written communication, cultural competence, and objectivity.
HPU Student Emily Talley has been a CASA for a year and a half now and she says she decided to become a CASA because she is a social work major and “wanted real world experience, and being a CASA has really reinforced that the right career path has been chosen.”
Becoming and being a CASA is no simple task but Talley shared that “all the training is so worth it because of the relationships and differences that are being made.”
To become a CASA one must first apply online at www.CASAbrownwood.org, then will have a background check and interview done. Each CASA will then complete 28 hours of training and be required to have 12 hours of continued education either through CASA or another approved program.
“All the steps and training may seem daunting but is 100 percent doable,” said Talley, who became a CASA as a full-time student with a job outside of her classes.
Talley also strongly encourages all students, but specifically social work majors, “to take this opportunity to serve and to confirm that this is what they really want to do.”
If being a CASA sounds interesting to you, then the first step is to attend a CASA 101 session for more information. Attending this session does not mean you must commit right then and there, but at the meeting there will be a place where you can apply if you are sure about joining the program.
The next CASA 101 session will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the Community Connections of Central Texas at 901 Avenue B.