Child Advocates Of Contra Costa County

Court Appointed Special Advocates Program, Inc., doing business as Court Appointed Special Advocates Program Inc. (CASA), is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. Registered as a woman-owned business and tax-exempt entity, CASA has been active in federal grant programs since at least 2016. The organization primarily provides services through federal grants that support volunteer recruitment, training, and deployment to assist foster youth. CASA's work focuses on improving outcomes for these vulnerable children through mentoring, counseling, and advocacy services aimed at enhancing academic engagement, socio-emotional skills, and high school graduation rates.

CASA has received several significant federal grant awards to support its mission. The Corporation for National and Community Service has awarded CASA multiple grants under the AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), including a recent $111,023 award for 2024-25 and a previous $280,288 grant. These RSVP grants fund the recruitment and deployment of senior volunteers aged 55 and over to mentor and counsel foster youth. Additionally, CASA received a $600,000 Project Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide teletherapy mental health services to foster and former foster youth in California. The organization has also been the recipient of several sub-grants from the Office of Emergency Services, focused on increasing volunteer recruitment, training, and supervision for child advocacy. These sub-grants support CASA's core mission of advocating for children who have been abused or neglected and are in foster care. Through these various federal grants, CASA demonstrates a consistent commitment to improving the lives of foster youth through volunteer-driven advocacy and support services.