Court advocates needed in county

Foster program seeks volunteers

FOR THE KIDS—To become a CASA volunteer, make a donation or learn about other volunteer opportunities, visit casaofventuracounty.org or call (805) 389-3120.

FOR THE KIDS—To become a CASA volunteer, make a donation or learn about other volunteer opportunities, visit casaofventuracounty.org or call (805) 389-3120.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ventura County is seeking volunteers to advocate for foster children in the county.

CASA recruits and trains volunteers, who interact with the children appointed to them and act as their representative in court.

There are over 700 children in Ventura County’s foster-care system. When a child enters the system, their life is suddenly in the hands of a judge, social workers, attorneys, foster parents and therapists. Many of the children must change placements multiple times and are removed from everything they know.

Without a volunteer advocate, foster youths are at high risk for dropping out of school, becoming unemployed, incarcerated, homeless and pregnant, CASA officials say.

According to research by National CASA, children who have someone to advocate for them receive more services, experience shorter times in foster care, are half as likely to reenter foster care and are substantially less likely to spend time in longterm foster care.

CASA has operated in Ventura County since 1985 and became an independent nonprofit in 2011.

Each volunteer advocate is screened and receives 40 hours of training before becoming eligible to become a sworn officer of the court and assigned to a child.

The volunteer typically spends two to four hours a week with the child so they can learn how to represent the child’s best interests when dealing with the agencies and professionals involved in the child’s care and education.

CASA of Ventura County serves foster children and youths from newborn to age 21.

It costs about $2,400 a year to support a youth-and-volunteer advocate relationship, so donations to CASA of Ventura County go toward investing in children and the community.

For more information on how to become a CASA volunteer, make a donation or learn about other volunteer opportunities, visit casaofventuracounty.org, email info@casaofventuracounty.org or call (805) 389-3120.