CASA provides a powerful, consistent voice for children in foster care who often feel invisible. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for a child’s best interest—investigating needs, speaking in court, recommending services, and staying involved throughout a case.
These dedicated advocates bring stability, oversight, and relational presence during times of uncertainty—often being one of the few consistent supports a child can rely on.
In the Our Valley Cares ecosystem, CASA is the support at the child’s side—lifting their voice, guiding their path, and ensuring that every youth in foster care has an advocate who cares enough to stay.
CASA operates inside the courts and child welfare system, ensuring the legal and systemic voice of children is heard. In the OVC network, they help translate court decisions into coordinated, wrapped-around care by other partners (shelter, mental health, mentoring, housing).
Because CASA volunteers interface directly with child welfare cases, they’re often the best positioned to identify gaps, flag needs, and coordinate services. They help ensure that youth receive what they need from OVC partners at the right time.
When youth move from placement to placement, CASA volunteers provide a degree of consistency—advocating for continuity, connection, and relational care, even as systems shift.
CASA ensures that youth are not passive objects of the system—they are heard, their circumstances are reported, and their rights are defended. This aligns with OVC’s dignity-first approach—ensuring that every youth is respected and seen.
CASA’s case work yields insights into systemic trends—gaps, service overlap or absence, systemic delays, and on-the-ground realities. These insights feed into OVC’s collaborative framework, improving alignment and reducing inefficiencies across the care network.
Supporting CASA through Our Valley Cares is more than funding advocacy—it’s ensuring every youth has someone who speaks for them, stays with them, and links them to life-changing care.
