Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County

CASA provides a powerful voice and a meaningful connection for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

CASA OC recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who mentor and advocate for the most at-risk youth in foster care. As mentors, our volunteers teach life skills, connect youth with resources, and encourage them to plan their future. As advocates, our volunteers ensure needs, such as mental and physical health, education, enrichment, living skills, and the permanency of the child they serve, are met. They utilize information they obtain from their frequent outings and conversations to make recommendations to all involved parties, including social workers, attorneys, judges, school administrators, teachers, therapists, etc. Volunteers are required to pass interviews, background checks, and fingerprinting and must complete 32 hours of core training prior to being sworn-in by a judge and becoming a CASA. They are then matched with a child on our waitlist, which sits at 325 as of today. Volunteers commit to a minimum of 2 years in their role and are asked to spend time with and advocate for their youth at least 8-10 hours each month.

CASA OC operates at the intersection of advocacy, mentorship, and systemic reform for youth in foster care that are underserved by our traditional child welfare system. At any given time, there are roughly 3,000 youth in Orange County’s foster care system. We are currently serving just over 30%, with an additional 353 youth on our waitlist, hoping to be matched with a CASA volunteer. Our advocacy model fills a critical gap by pairing trained volunteer advocates, who serve as consistent mentors and trusted court-appointed advocates, with a child in foster care.

CASA OC operates at the intersection of advocacy, mentorship, and systemic reform for youth in foster care that are underserved by our traditional child welfare system. Our advocacy model fills a critical gap by pairing trained volunteer advocates, who serve as consistent mentors and trusted court-appointed advocates, with a child in foster care.

The outcomes of CASA OC’s advocacy are profound. In California, only 64% of youth in foster care will graduate high school. Yet, youth with a CASA in Orange County beat those formidable odds with a graduation rate of 96%. CASA supported youth are more likely to access mental and physical health care, remain in stable placements, build independent living skills, and avoid homelessness and incarceration. CASA OC’s proven model strengthens protective factors and addresses the social determinants of health, giving each youth the tools and relationships they need to transition successfully into adulthood.

Our approach is rooted in connection and centers around the individual experience of each youth, which is reinforced by measurable outcomes. CASA OC’s 2024 impact survey with former CASA youth, revealed that 76% of participants reported no drug use; 91% reported no interaction with the justice system; none of the youth reported belonging to a gang; 85% report stable housing; and 81% of youth reported regular school attendance with 100% of youth surveyed completing high school or achieving their GED. Furthermore, 46% are enrolled in college, which is significantly higher than the nationally reported 3% of former youth in foster care without a CASA volunteer. CASA OC’s survey results indicate a child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to have better outcomes both academically and behaviorally. CASA volunteers become a vital part of bringing stability to a youth that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks of an overwhelmed system.

As CASA OC is 80% privately funded through donations, additional support from the community is always needed to help us recruit, train, and support more dedicated volunteers to be paired with the 300+ youth on our waiting list.

Additionally, CASA OC needs and is always accepting more volunteers for our Mentor-Advocate Program. Each CASA volunteer must complete 32 hours of national and state mandated training and a series of background checks and interviews prior to being sworn-in by a judge and assigned to a child. Volunteers commit to serving for a minimum of two years and spending 8-10 hours each month on their case. We serve about one third of the dependency population, therefore, we always have a need for more volunteers.

Central to our mission is ensuring that all children in foster care experience a sense of belonging. CASA OC focuses on recruiting volunteers who reflect the demographics of the youth we serve. Currently, 45% of youth served are male and 56% are Hispanic/Latinx, yet only 16% of volunteers are men and 12% are Hispanic/Latinx, making the recruitment of men, Hispanic/Latinx, and Spanish-speaking volunteers a priority.

CASA serves abused and neglected children in foster care throughout all of Orange County, California.

CASA is a unique organization that gives ordinary individuals in our community the opportunity to make a truly life-changing difference for a child.  The CASA youth will tell you that there is something special about having a CASA volunteer - a consistent and caring person who is there simply because they care and who is focused solely on that one child's needs.  I invite you to join our team and help us make a difference for more of these kids - whether it is through becoming a volunteer or making a donation.  Thank you for your support!