Crime Victim Services will be open by appointment only at this time. Please call 419.222.8666 in Allen County and 419-523-1111 in Putnam County. For immediate assistance or support call the 24/7 crisis line at 877.867.7273.

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Guardian Program

CASA

Court Appointed Special Advocate / Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL)

Next CASA New Volunteer Orientation will be December 16th at 7pm via Zoom and/or Facebook LIVE.
If you would like to sign up for one of these Orientations, click here to email.

To read a condensed version of our quarterly CASA Newsletter, click here.

Serving Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio.

Lift Up a Child's Voice. A Child's Life. Donate Now and Download the Free Song, "Who Will Be Their Voice."

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Who Will Be Their Voice.mp3

Who We Are

The mission of Crime Victim Services' Court Appointed Special Advocate / Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Program is to advocate for the best interest of abused, neglected, and dependent children to the courts with continuously trained volunteers who focus on investigation / assessment, relationships, and reports, so each child can have a safe and permanent home.

About Us

CASA® of Allen and Putnam Counties, Ohio was started in 2009 as a program of Crime Victim Services, a non-profit organization advocating for victims of crime. CASA of Allen and Putnam Counties, Ohio is a member of the National CASA Association and Ohio CASA. Currently we have over 80 active volunteers. Our program has served over 700 children since 2009. In Allen County, our CASA Volunteers are appointed to dependency and neglect cases from the Juvenile Court. In Putnam County, our CASA Volunteers are appointed to divorce and custody cases from the Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court.

Volunteering

Every CASA/GAL Volunteer must successfully complete screening requirements including a written application, personal interview, reference and background checks and participate in a 30+ hour pre-service training course. After training is complete, the Volunteer is sworn in as an officer of the court and appointed to a case. CASA Volunteers are asked to commit to a case until it closes. CASA Volunteers complete 12 hours of ongoing in-service training each year while they remain advocates.

The average time commitment to a case assigned in Allen County is 5-10 hours per month and the average case lasts a year and a half. In Putnam County, the average time commitment to a case is 10-20 hours per month and the average case lasts 2-4 months. CASA Volunteers are assisted by staff every step of the way.

Interested Volunteer Information

Please fill out and submit the following form, and someone from the CASA Staff will contact you.

* Indicates required field

Name *

First

Last

Date of Birth *

Social Security Number *

Email *

Home Phone *

Cell Phone *

Home Address *

Line 1

Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Country

Work Address *

Line 1

Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Country

May you be called at work? *

Yes No

If Yes, Work Phone Number *

Formal Education or Training: *

Do you speak a foreign language? *

Yes No

If yes, which language? *

Do you drive? *

Yes No

Do you have regular access to a car? *

Yes No

Previous Experience Working With Children: *

List all current and previous volunteer work. Please include brief description of duties, activities and dates of service. *

As a CASA volunteer you will be required to attend court hearings for the children you represent. Will you be able to arrange your schedule to attend these hearings? *

Yes No

Submit

Thoughts From Our Volunteers

"I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find how much credence judges place on our recommendations. But when I think about why they depend on us, I realize that judges don’t have the time to visit the children’s homes, or to see the interactions of the children with their caregivers, or the conditions of their surroundings. They don’t have the time to visit their teachers, their counselors, their doctors, their baby sitters, their grandparents, their relatives or friends who may be relevant to their lives. In many cases the children are even too young to speak. So who carries out these necessary tasks and who speaks for the children? We volunteers do." - Richard Gibson, CASA Volunteer - Putnam County

"From the first day I heard about CASA, I knew it was for me. My initial motivation for becoming a CASA volunteer was to help children who have been removed from their homes because of legitimate concerns such as neglect, abuse or dependency. I am committed to remain a CASA because I get far more out of being a CASA than I could ever give. I can recommend support networks such as prevention programs, educational programs and mental and behavioral health services that help the care givers to be better and more effective in caring for their children. Not all cases have to end with the permanent removal of the child. I get the opportunity to BE the difference in a child's life." - Barbara Walton, CASA Volunteer - Allen County

How To Reach Us

Lift Up a Child's Voice. A Child's Life. Please Donate.

Crime Victim Services
CASA
234 N. Main St.
Lima, OH 45801
567-940-2272
casa@crimevictimservices.org

CASA Program Director - Tim
CASA Volunteer Coordinator - Kim
CASA Volunteer Coordinator - Heidi
CASA Volunteer Coordinator - Sara
CASA Volunteer Coordinator - Julisa