The foster care system in Richmond is supported and enhanced by a program called Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an independent, non-profit entity that works in conjunction with the juvenile courts and the foster care system.

“The mission of CASA is to ensure safe and permanent homes for abused and neglected children who are before the City of Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Court,” states Peg Ruggiero, program director for the CASA pro-gram in Richmond.

Children who potentially have been victims of mistreatment have their cases reviewed by judges in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. CASA volunteers assist the court in of determining what course of action to take for the child.

In 1977, the first CASA program was founded in Seattle by a judge who wanted to make sure he had sufficient information to make decisions about the fate of the children before his court. Today, over 900 CASA programs exist throughout the country; 27 of them are located in Virginia.

To become a CASA volunteer, applicants attend a 30-hour training course, along with five hours of courtroom observation. Upon meeting the training and observation commitments, the volunteers are sworn in and appointed cases by the judge.

The major role of the CASA volunteer is to investigate the assigned case and gather all pertinent information relating to the child and anyone involved with the child. This information is gathered through interviews with social workers, parents, teachers, pediatricians, therapists and neighbors, to name a few. CASA volunteers also research school records and medical records if necessary

At the end of the investigation, the CASA volunteer writes a report and recommends a course of action. Before submitting the report to the judge, a CASA staff member reviews the report and signs off on it.

Judges have come to rely heavily on this report and consider it a “nugget” of information for them to use. CASA volunteers have often been called the “eyes and ears of the judges.”

The backgrounds of the CASA volunteers vary. The primary requirements to become a CASA volunteer are to be at least 21 years of age and to possess a strong commitment to children and their well-being.

In the past fiscal year, the Richmond CASA pro-gram served 500 children, up from 400 the year before. Currently, 63 people serve as CASA volunteers. Ruggiero has hopes of increasing that number to 100 by the end of the year.

For more information about becoming a CASA volunteer in Virginia, go to dcjs.virginia.gov and enter CASA in the search box.

Susan Grandpre earned a B.A. in English from James Madison University and has been a freelance writer for nine years. She lives in Richmond with her husband and three children.

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