Independent Research Demonstrates the Effectiveness of CASA Volunteers for Children*
The Office of the Inspector General Report: In 2006, the US Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit of the National CASA Association, as required by Congress.
Audit Report Results for CASA Advocacy
When a CASA volunteer was involved, both children and their parents were ordered by the courts to receive more services. The audit concluded that this was an indication that
CASA is effective in identifying the needs of children and parents.
Permanent closure is defined as the case being closed for any reason and the child not reentering the child welfare system (CWS). Cases involving a CASA volunteer are more likely to be “permanently closed” (i.e., the children are less likely to reenter the CWS) than cases where a CASA volunteer is not involved. The statistics vary from only 1.4% of children with a CASA volunteer reentering the CWS (CASA Data Request) to 9% of CASA children reentering the CWS (Youngclarke Review). This is in contrast to 16% for children not served by a volunteer
Additional Studies Document Results of CASA Volunteer Advocacy*
Like our volunteer advocates, the National CASA Association and our local programs strive for fact-based decision-making. Below is a summary of conclusive results from the Caliber study and other CASA studies selected by researchers with the University of California, San Francisco Fresno Medical Education program for their high methodological quality.
Notable conclusive results from these studies include the following:
- CASA volunteers spend most of their volunteer time in contact with a child.
- CASA volunteers are highly effective in getting their recommendations accepted in court. In 4 out of 5 cases, all or almost all CASA volunteer recommendations are accepted.
- When a CASA volunteer is assigned, a higher number of services are ordered
- A child with a CASA volunteer is less likely to reenter the child welfare system. The proportion of reentries is consistently reduced by half.
*Source: National CASA Association
