11th Judicial District Court
San Juan County
Court Appointed Special Advocates Program
Executive Summary

Mission Statement:

San Juan County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer) program's mission is to support effective volunteer advocacy for the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in the court system.   The program's vision is to ensure that every child has a safe, supportive and permanent home. A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained, community volunteer, appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of the child in court. Once appointed to a case the CASA volunteer becomes an official part of the judicial proceeding, working alongside attorneys and social workers as an appointed officer of the court.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1 . To serve the best interests of abused, neglected and abandoned children in the court system in San Juan County.

Objectives for Goal 1:

•  CASA volunteers provide services to a minimum of 40% of children involved in abuse and neglect cases filed in San Juan County.

Goal 2.   Increase or maintain the number of CASA volunteers serving abused and neglected children in San Juan County while maintaining a high volunteer retention rate.

Objectives for Goal 2:

•  Hold a minimum of two CASA Pre-Service training sessions per year.   A minimum of three volunteers will attend each training

•  Recruit a minimum of six CASA volunteers per year maintaining a core group of 16.

Goal 3:   CASA volunteers expedite the permanency plan of the child while working as a member of the multidisciplinary team.

Objectives for Goal 3:

•  Recommendations made by the CASA volunteer in his/her report are followed in 70% of the cases.

Goal 4:   Maintain a volunteer retention rate of 75%.   San Juan CASA volunteer commitment is one year.

Objectives for Goal 4:

•  Provide in-service training monthly for CASA volunteers.

•  CASA Program Director and CASA Volunteer Supervisor provide monthly supervision to volunteers.  

San Juan County CASA Program History:

In 1996, a group of concerned citizens with the support of the Children's Court District Judge organized a preliminary CASA program in San Juan County. This group was comprised of a local lawyer, children's court judge, Guardian Ad Litem (GAL), and Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) trained the first four volunteers. Since 1998 the program has been under the umbrella of Childhaven Inc., a private non-profit organization. Childhaven Inc. was suitable to oversee the San Juan CASA program since its mission is to serve abused, neglected, and abandoned children so that they may reach their full potential.

Funding Sources:

Childhaven is a United Way Agency and has currently received funding of $12,000 for the San Juan CASA program for the Fiscal Year (FY) 04/05. The San Juan County CASA Program was successful in securing $11,000 through a grant from VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) for the Fiscal Year July 2004/2005 and a $45,000 grant from the National CASA Association. Other funding sources of the San Juan County CASA program include $49,900 from the statewide judiciary budget.