COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
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Mission Statement
CASA of Santa Cruz County advocates for children, providing court appointed volunteers so each child in the foster care and juvenile court system feels cared for and connected with the people, families and resources they need to heal and flourish into adulthood.
About This Cause
Guided by those we serve, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Cruz County recruits, screens, trains, thoughtfully matches, and supervises court appointed volunteers who mentor and advocate for the most vulnerable children and youth in our community, those in the foster care and Juvenile Court Systems. These children are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors, develop substance abuse problems, have lower graduation rates, be diagnosed with chronic diseases, and even find themselves homeless once they leave the system. We affirm that it is in the best interest of all children to reunify or remain with their family of origin whenever safe and that removing children from their families causes trauma. By supporting the family to heal and grow, it benefits the children in the long run. CASA of Santa Cruz County seeks to help heal past traumas, mitigating potential consequences of experiencing trauma, and support our community’s most vulnerable children on their path towards healthy, happy lives. Volunteers (Advocates) are vetted and screened extensively before entering our thirty-five-hour training program. Once assigned, they meet with their child several hours per week, mentoring and implementing an individualized advocacy plan to maintain and promote housing stability, social emotional regulation, educational status, and resiliency. Advocates assist their child in schooling, resulting in better behavior, higher test scores, higher participation in extracurricular activities, and higher rates of graduation. Those Advocates matched to an older youth, help locate housing and employment, help them find success in post-secondary educational institutions, and develop independent living skills, financial literacy, and workforce readiness. Advocates assist these youths acquire employment by aiding in writing resumes and applications, taking the youth to job interviews, and becoming references when the youth has little other work experience. As members of the only non-profit organization empowered to do so, Advocates write and present court reports to the Judge during case proceedings. With this invaluable insight, children are one third as likely to experience multiple placements and are more likely to achieve permanency, either through reunification or adoption. Furthermore, once they are out of the system they are half as likely to return. Studies show that children and youth with Advocates are more likely to receive social services, including educational, mental, and physical health care that they may not normally receive. They are more likely to maintain long-term connections to siblings, relatives, and others within their circle of support. Lastly, once paired, children report feeling a significant increase in hope, wellbeing, and a sense stability, laying a foundation for success into adulthood.