A CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is a trained volunteer who represents the best interests of children who have experienced abuse and neglect and are currently in the child welfare system, through no fault of their own.

CASA Volunteers are supervised by CASA team members and work alongside the child’s legal and professional team. They ensure that the child’s physical, mental, educational, and emotional needs are being met, and advocate for the child in court, all while supporting them in their journey to find a safe and permanent home

A Truancy CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is a trained volunteer who represents the educational interests of a child or youth with a truancy case in the 17th Judicial District.

Truancy CASAs are appointed by the court and supervised by CASA team members. They work alongside the child, family, and school to identify barriers to attendance, access community resources, and improve the student’s school attendance and academic success.

The Family Engagement Program utilizes trained and committed community volunteers to work one-on-one with a family whose children are chronically absent from school. They partner with families to identify and build upon their strengths, and provide peer support and resource navigation for families to access wraparound community supports.

It is a new, voluntary, program for families and operates entirely outside of the child welfare and court system. Family Engagement Advocates support students’ needs in order to help get them re-engaged in school.