There are now 900 CASA programs in every state 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. At the local level, CASA programs are generally funded through a combination of private and public funds. Many programs are privately funded through service organizations such as the Junior League and the National Council of Jewish Women.