A day in the life of a court appointed special advocate

Now that you know what the CASA program does, let’s take a look at what a Court Appointed Special Advocate does on a daily basis. 

Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, is a volunteer organization that helps advocate for foster youth in the welfare system. While the human service agency that has removed the child from their guardians care is focused on resolving the issue and protecting them, CASA volunteers are dedicated to advocating for the best interest of the child. Often in the foster care system, youth are moved to different schools, different counties, different homes, and can easily become a number on the court’s docket. A CASA’s job is to make sure the youth has a voice in the court, and has one consistent adult that always shows up for them. According to a new report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, led by Harvard’s Jack Shonkoff, underscores the importance that a single strong adult relationship has the key ingredient in resilience amongst youth.

Since becoming a CASA in 2017, Hannah Stombler-Levine has watched the youth she was assigned to support grow up in the foster care system. This particular youth has lived in over 30 different homes, attended dozens of schools, and has moved all over the state. Along with the constant motion of being a foster youth, their providers also constantly change. They receive new social workers, new therapists, new attorneys, and quickly become another case on someone's desk. Additionally, as these youth are moved from placement to placement, they are often moved further and further from their family members. This is a very common problem for youth born in larger cities where the cost of living limits available placements. It is not uncommon for years to go by without youth having a visit with their siblings. 

Becoming a CASA can be equal parts daunting and rewarding, according to Hannah herself:  “When I first became a CASA, I struggled to know if I was doing the right thing or helping the youth I supported. Years later, the youth told me that I was the only phone number she had memorized. I say this not to give myself praise, but to show that simply showing up, answering when they call, and being consistent is what makes this program so impactful.”

Through the years, Hannah’s day to day has looked very different depending on where the youth has been in their life. Currently, the youth she supports is of transitional age and is no longer a minor. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things that are needed from their CASA. Here’s an inside look at one of Hannah’s average days as a court appointed special advocate, in her own words:

730am: I wake up and check my phone in bed. I have received a few texts during the night from my youth. They have asked me if I can help them get money for transportation because they are having a hard time getting to their job.

745-9am: I answer emails and work on projects for my full-time job as a digital designer and content creator.

9am: I hop on a zoom call with the social worker and my case supervisor to discuss safety concerns on the case I am assigned to. I try to connect with the social worker at least once a week so we are on the same page.

930am: I Facetime with my youth for about 30 minutes to help her fill out a job application and answer some questions she has about taxes. There is a really cool new program in my local CASA that is helping youth file their taxes and get maximum refunds (read more about it here), so I make sure to give her all the information. I add a note in my calendar to remind her about this because I know she will forget.

10am-2pm: Work on additional work for my full time job.

2pm: I have a court report due that outlines changes that have happened in the youths' life over the last 6 months. These court reports help create a full picture of the youth and their interests, so that they are not just a number on the docket. I report on their education, their goals, their family relationships, their employment, and their wishes for the future. In this particular court report, I am excited to share all of the accomplishments they’ve had over the last 6 months, including graduating from high school and staying in the same placement the entire 6 month reporting period.

230pm-6pm: Work on additional work for my full time job.

630pm: Make myself dinner and text my youth to check in about how her day has been. When she was younger, we came up with a check in style that would allow me to see how she is doing without her having to have a full conversation. I ask her ‘How are you doing 1-10’ and she responds with a number that correlates to her mood. This check in has really helped our relationship and given her a way to share how she is doing without starting a conversation unless she wanted to.

7-8pm: While I eat my dinner, I scroll the internet looking for grants and funding I can help her apply for to help her with money. Being in foster care she does receive a small allowance, but it can be difficult for youth who are considered legal adults to support themselves without a good paying job or further education. I send her a few grants and tell her she can check in with me this week if she has any questions filling them out.

8-10pm: I go to the gym and get ready for bed.

10-11pm: I finish my court report and send it off to my case supervisor. Among the goals I have for the next 6 months is to continue helping her with independent living skills and the difficult adjustments with becoming an adult.

As you can see, being a CASA is a true commitment towards helping an individual thrive in a system that is not always set up for young people to succeed (even with their best efforts to do so). Hannah Stombler-Levine is just one of many CASAs who take their work very seriously and work tirelessly to advocate for their assigned youth, but each CASA can make a significant difference in the lives of the children and young adults that they support. 

To get involved, head tothe National CASA website