Be the voice for a child in foster care.
Become an Advocate.
Change a child’s story
Help a child in foster care find a permanent, safe & loving home.
Court Appointed Special Advocates are community volunteers who speak up for the best interests of children in foster care. Each CASA is appointed to a child or a group of siblings to be a stable and consistent relationship for them as they go through the foster care system. Volunteer CASAs work for the best interests of kids by advocating for their safety and permanency.
Children Still Waiting for Stability in Yellowstone County
While the number of children in foster care has decreased in recent years, the need for support remains great. Yellowstone County consistently represents about 25% of all children in foster care across Montana, highlighting the ongoing need for dedicated CASA volunteers advocating for each child’s best interests.
450 kids are currently in foster care in Yellowstone County.
Children in foster care have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect
CASA of Yellowstone County serves children 0 -18 years of age in foster care.
On average, children will spend 18-24 months in the local foster care system.
Of the 450 kids in local foster care, 255 of them have a CASA Advocate.
Per capita, Montana has one of the highest numbers of children in foster care.
Kids still need an advocate.
Advocates Make a Difference!
Children in foster care who have a volunteer Advocate experience better outcomes and increased resilience.
Less time in foster care
Less likely to re-enter protective custody
Improved educational outcomes
Receive more services while in foster care
Higher rates of permanency
What Does An Advocate Do?
A Court Appointed Special Advocate is not an ordinary volunteer position. Advocates come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Volunteer Advocates are committed to being the one constant for a child while their case moves through foster care. Other professionals will change frequently in the child’s life, but CASA Advocates provide consistency and stability, which makes all the difference for a child in foster care.
Build a Relationship
with the child
Meet with the Adults
in their life
Document & Report
everything you learn
Attend Court Hearings
Build a Relationship
Court Appointed Special Advocates visit the children on their case regularly at their foster home and school to build a relationship with them. A volunteer CASA commits to be a consistent and trusted adult for the child through the change and turmoil of foster care.
Meet With The Adults
Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates gather information from every adult and professional involved in a child’s life, including foster parents, teachers, social workers, medical professionals, and members of the child’s family.
Document & Report
With the information they gather from everyone involved on a case, volunteer Advocates write reports that are distributed to the judge and other people involved on a case to keep everyone informed on the child’s needs and wishes.
Attend Court Hearings
In addition to writing reports, volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates attend court hearings to be the voice of the child, and to advocate for their needs and best interests.
Build a Relationship
Court Appointed Special Advocates visit the children on their case regularly at their foster home and school to build a relationship with them. A volunteer CASA commits to be a consistent and trusted adult for the child through the change and turmoil of foster care.
Meet With The Adults
Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates gather information from every adult and professional involved in a child’s life, including foster parents, teachers, social workers, medical professionals, and members of the child’s family.
Document & Report
With the information they gather from everyone involved on a case, volunteer Advocates write reports that are distributed to the judge and other people involved on a case to keep everyone informed on the child’s needs and wishes.
Attend Court Hearings
In addition to writing reports, volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates attend court hearings to be the voice of the child, and to advocate for their needs and best interests.
You can make a difference. Become an Advocate.
Thank You To Our Sponsors
CASA Stories
We love sharing these inspiring stories with you. Read about our volunteer experiences and how being a CASA has impacted them.
Jace
Most people would never know it, but this holiday season more than 700 children are in foster care in Yellowstone County. These 700 children won’t be able to spend Christmas at home this year, because their homes aren’t safe – these children are victims of abuse and neglect. One of these children is Jace.
Aishleigh
Unrelated to any abuse or neglect, Aishleigh had lost her leg in an accident as a child, which required ongoing, proactive medical attention. Starting around Aishleigh’s freshman...
Sam, Aria, Kalvin, Zaylee, & Remi
For children in foster care, the holiday season can be a challenging time when they are reminded of their loss and the uncertain trajectory of their futures. These children are not just a number in a statistic, they have names, they have stories and they’re right here in our community – kids like Sam and his siblings.
Zane, Issac, Serina, & Maria
Ken and Tessa became volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates in the spring of 2018. Soon after swearing-in, the married couple decided to take on a group of four siblings and...
Paige and Sara
Sisters Paige and Sara were removed from the care of their mom and dad when they were four years old due to ongoing drug use by both parents. The girls’ dad was the primary...
Kaya and Carter
Siblings Kaya and Carter moved between campgrounds and motels with their parents in a cycle of homelessness for years while their parents struggled with addictions to...
Kayden
As a toddler, Kayden was abandoned and left with strangers who abused him. The state placed Kayden with a foster family who became his legal guardians, but after a decade...
Parker and Eliza
Before his 5th birthday, Parker’s birth father had been incarcerated, and his mom, pregnant with his sister Eliza, was living with a new boyfriend who was physically...
Rita
Rita had not yet reached her teenage years when her father overdosed in front of her. While he survived, child protective services removed Rita from his care and placed her...
