CASAs and GALs

Court appointed special advocates (CASAs) and guardians ad litem (GALs) are appointed by judges to represent children's best interests in child abuse and neglect cases. CASAs are trained volunteers; GALs may be attorneys or trained volunteers. Also on this page, State and local examples.

Best Practices in Court-CASA/GAL Program Relations (PDF - 382 KB)
Lewis (Ed.)
Judges' Page Newsletter, 2006
Articles address how to strengthen local programs, ethical considerations regarding the court-CASA program relationship, reciprocal accountability, training for CASA volunteers, and the results of a judge and commissioner survey on satisfaction with the work of volunteers.

Children and Youth Involved in the Court Experience (PDF - 966 KB)
Lewis (Ed.)
Judges' Page Newsletter, March 2007
Articles address how judges, CASA volunteers, and other stakeholders can make the court experience successful for children and youth who are the subject of child protection and foster care hearings.

Engaging Nonresident Fathers in Child Welfare Cases: A Guide for Court Appointed Special Advocates (PDF - 574 KB)
Kendall & Pilnik (2010)
Offers Court Appointed Special Advocates practice tips to identify and engage nonresident fathers in child clients' cases while keeping the child's best interests at the forefront.

The Judge's Guide to CASA/GAL Program Development (PDF - 1020 KB)
National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (2004)
Designed to help judges establish or expand programs consistent with national standards and best practices. Includes a directory of National CASA Regional Program Specialists.

The Judicial Role in Creating and Supporting CASA/GAL Programs (PDF - 1560 KB)
Edwards, Gray, & Lewis
Juvenile and Family Justice Today, 14(1), 2005
Describes how judges can create, support, and sustain programs in their own jurisdictions to better serve abused and neglected children.

Many Children, Many Voices: A Manual for Increasing Diversity in CASA Programs
Center for Community Alternatives (2004)
Training manual to help programs improve at all organizational and programmatic levels.

National CASA Association Standards for CASA Programs
National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (2002)
Standards, requirements, and implementation guidelines for local programs.

Someone There for Me
National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (2004)
View Abstract
Written by foster children, stories describe how CASAs, guardians ad litem, and other adults help children overcome difficult circumstances.

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State and local examples

Evaluation of the Guardian Ad Litem System in Nebraska
National Association of Counsel for Children (2009)
Evaluates the Nebraska Guardian Ad Litem system, highlights best practices, and provides recommendations for areas needing improvement. (PDF - 2243 KB)

Peer Assessment and Compliance Review (PACR) Aggregate Report: California Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Programs (PDF - 512 KB)
Berkeley Policy Associates (2002)
Prepared in response to the Judicial Council, which is required to report on the implementation of the grant program and make recommendations on continuation and expansion of funding.

Performance Audit of Guardians Ad Litem for Children in Child Protection Cases: Program Management Controls Needed to Improve Quality of Guardian Services, and Assure Effective Advocacy of Children's Best Interests (PDF - 1006 KB)
Maine Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, Government Oversight Committee (2006)
Summarizes findings from a review of guardians ad litem for children in child protection cases and recommends judiciary actions to address the findings.

A Performance Based Funding Model for Maryland CASA Programs (PDF - 116 KB)
Maryland CASA Directors, Maryland CASA Association, & Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts (2007)
Presents the 10 performance elements on which programs are evaluated along with performance measures and charts illustrating how program grants are calculated.

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