In 1977, faced with a pressing need for more information about the children appearing in his court, Juvenile Court Judge David Soukup established Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Seattle, Washington. Our program, initiated in 1981 under the leadership of Judge Richard Patsey as Court Appointed Special Representatives (CASR) of Contra Costa County, was among the first four CASA organizations. In 2001, CASR was renamed Court Appointed Special Advocates of Contra Costa County. Today, there are nearly 950 CASA programs across the country.
We are an independent, 501(c)(3) community-benefit organization, operating under the authority and guidelines set by the Judicial Council, as detailed in the California State Welfare and Institutions Code and the California Rules of Court. We are a member of both the National and California CASA Associations.
According to a significant study by the Brookings Institution (2012), three factors predict that a person will avoid poverty and attain middle-class status:
If you drop out of school, become a teenage parent, and cannot work a full-time job, there is a 76% chance you will live in poverty. Conversely, if you graduate from high school, avoid becoming a teen parent, and secure a full-time job, there is only a 2% chance you will live in poverty.
Given that 52% of foster youth never graduate from high school or earn a GED, and 27% of foster youth in Contra Costa County have at least one child by age 19, it seems unlikely that most of these youths will be able to find full-time employment due to a lack of education and the cost of childcare. Consequently, at least 50% of our foster youth are likely to end up living in poverty.
CASA's current programs tackle the main causes of poverty. 100% of CASA youth graduate from high school or earn a GED. CASA volunteers closely monitor the reading progress of younger children and ensure Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are in place for all our children. Our reproductive health program provides education and access to reproductive healthcare, while our mental health program offers teletherapy for foster youth who do not qualify for services under Medi-Cal.
CASA offers a distinctive combination of evidence-based services and advocacy for foster youth. This population is at risk for homelessness, incarceration, and poverty, but we can disrupt this trajectory with programs that effectively address their needs and prepare them to become successful adults. In recent years, CASA has significantly increased the number of foster youth served by our programs, providing the support these youth need to succeed.