There are now 900 CASA programs across the country including Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Research suggests that children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and less time within the foster care system than those who do not have CASA representation. Judges have observed that CASA children also have better chances of finding permanent homes than non-CASA children. Each case is different. A CASA volunteer usually spends about 10 hours doing research and conducting interviews prior to the first court appearance.
More complicated cases take longer.
Once initiated into the system, volunteers work about 10-15 hours a month. The volunteer continues until the case is permanently resolved. One of the primary benefits of the CASA program is that, unlike other court principals who often rotate cases, the CASA volunteer is a consistent figure in the proceedings, and provides continuity for a child. There are other pro bono child advocacy organizations, but CASA is the only national program using carefully screened and trained community volunteers who are appointed by the court to represent a child's best interests. Children who are victims of abuse and neglect who have become wards of the court are assigned CASA volunteers.