THE NEED FOR CASA

An estimated 794,000 children in the United States were found to be abused, neglected, or abandoned by their families in 2007, with about half of those children removed from their homes and placed in temporary foster care or institutions.

In 2007, an estimated 1,670 children died from abuse or neglect. The rate of fatalities per 100,000 children has stayed fairly stable: 2.0% for 2003, 2.03% for 2004, 1.96% for 2005, 2.04% for 2006 and 2.3% for 2007. Children 0-4 years old accounted for 75.7% of child fatalities. Children younger than 1 year old accounted for 42.2% of all child fatalities.

More than 3 children are dying each day, right here in the United States, at the hands of their parents or guardians.

The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates there are currently more than 510,000 children in the United States foster care system, waiting for the courts to determine their fates. They spend an average of over 15 months in temporary foster care.

It is up to a Family Court Judge to decide where these children will spend their future. In the past, judges have often had to base decisions regarding the future of abused and neglected children on inadequate information and very little time. Given the number of cases that move through Family Courts each year, a judge has an average of less than four minutes to determine the resolution of each family crisis.

Overburdened child welfare workers and attorneys may not have had the time or resources to thoroughly monitor court orders, or to find out first-hand what was in the best interest of each individual child. As reports of abuse and neglect keep crowding court dockets, more and more children have become "lost" in the confusing and overburdened maze of the child welfare system.

The consequences of child abuse and neglect are devastating to the victim and expensive to society. A 2001 study by “Prevent Child Abuse America” (link) indicated that children who grow up in foster care are more likely to suffer serious injuries; suffer chronic medical problems including substance or alcohol abuse; undergo mental health treatment; have court action taken on their behalf; suffer a learning disorder requiring special education; become juvenile delinquents; experience teen pregnancy; become runaways and/or prostitutes; be disproportionately affected by unemployment and underemployment as adults; and become involved in violent crime as adults. Most notably, these children are more likely to grow up to perpetuate the cycle of abuse.

CASA makes the difference.
While CASA must work within the system, studies show that a child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to secure needed services in a timely manner; is moved from placement to placement less frequently; is more likely to have his/her case reviewed on a regular basis by the court; and has a better chance of living in a safe, loving, permanent home – sooner.

CASA has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice as a model juvenile delinquency prevention program, which indicated that the investment in CASA advocacy for one child will have paid off 40 times over when CASA’s involvement in a child’s case prevents later juvenile delinquency or placement.

CASA is successful due to the personal motivation of the volunteers and the ability to devote the time and attention needed to advocate for one child at a time. CASA volunteers spend considerable time and effort on their cases and remain involved over extended periods of time. The volunteer is in the unique position of providing a meaningful service while gaining a true sense of personal satisfaction.

By helping to reduce time spent unnecessarily in foster care, CASA programs can reduce child welfare costs. On September 30, 2006, an estimated 510,000 children were in foster care, at an estimated annual cost to Americans of $33 billion. If the median length of stay in foster care (18 months) were shorted for children in foster care by just one month, it would realize a savings of approximately $2.75 billion.

In 2007, CASA volunteers across the country contributed more than 5.2 million hours of advocacy for children. If compensated to perform such a role, the total would be more than $250 million.