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CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. A judge in Seattle, Washington started the first CASA program in 1977. This judge felt that he was not getting the essential information from case workers and Guardians ad Litem (attorneys for the child) that he needed in order to make critical, life-altering decisions about abused and neglected children’s lives. In a system where Guardians ad Litem and caseworkers are overwhelmed with cases and children, the judge instituted a program (CASA) that called for community volunteers to advocate for and represent the children involved in Dependency and Neglect (abuse and neglect) court cases. The Judge hoped that the objectivity and perseverance of CASA volunteers would ensure that abused and neglected children’s best interests would be met and that these children would be kept from further harm.
CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties began in February 2000. In June 2001, Broomfield Health and Human Services and the Broomfield 17th Judicial District courts approached this CASA agency to evaluate the possible expansion of the CASA program to cover the abused and neglected children of Broomfield County. In February 2002, the CASA Board of Directors voted unanimously to expand services into Broomfield County. Since its inception, CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties has recruited and trained 305 volunteers and provided advocacy services for over 900 children. CASA of Adams and Broomfield is affiliated with National CASA, a network of almost 1000 affiliates, as well as one of 14 statewide CASA organizations affiliated with Colorado CASA, the statewide coordinating body that provides technical and agency support.
CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties serves the 17th Judicial District, which encompasses all of Adams and Broomfield Counties. We serve children from 12 different municipalities. In 2007, CASA Volunteers served nearly 300 children.
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