Mission:
All children deserve a safe, permanent, and stable place to call home. Our goal is to make sure every child in the Court system has a voice in the Court to advocate for the best interest of the child.
History Of CASA:
In 1977, the concept of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program was introduced in Seattle, Washington. Seattle Juvenile Court Judge David W. Soukup realized that children who entered the legal system due to abuse or neglect in their own homes were often inadvertently re-victimized by courts and public social service agencies who were over-burdened, understaffed and woefully lacking in resources. Lawyers typically represented the interests of the parents and the state. Seldom did someone speak exclusively for the child, the party who arguably had the most at stake in proceeding. Once Judge Soukup recognized the problem, he looked to community volunteers for a solution. He personally recruited and trained volunteers to serve as volunteers for children who entered the child welfare system.
The idea caught the attention and approval of the Children in Placement Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and in 1978 the Committee adopted the model that came to be known as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Indiana law requires the appointment of either a guardian ad litem or a trained court appointed special advocate (CASA) in all abuse and neglect cases. Although of the number of volunteers who provide an invaluable service to Indiana courts is remarkable, the need for volunteers is ongoing.
Gibson County CASA held its first volunteer training in March 1998 with 10 volunteers. They began serving the children of Gibson County in April 1998. Gibson County CASA is always accepting new volunteer applications!