CASA of Passaic and Union Counties
Our work to recruit, train, and supervise CASAs is the core of our organization, has established Child Focus as a respected voice in our community, and it will continue to be at the heart of our work for years to come. After opening Passaic County CASA in July 2007, our agency expanded also to serve the court vicinage of Union County in September 2023. The program is now known as CASA of Passaic and Union Counties.
In many cases of abuse and neglect, a child's home is not a safe place for them to grow and develop – leading to their placement in foster care and broader engagement in the family court system. And, even though the question at hand is how to provide for and protect the best interests of the child, they often lack a voice in the process.
That’s why courts appoint CASA volunteers to identify and prioritize each child’s best interests – individuals who are tasked with getting to know the child and meeting family members, teachers, doctors, and therapists to make independent, evidence-based recommendations to a Family Court judge. The impact of CASAs extends far beyond the courtroom, with research showing that children with a CASA are four times as likely to graduate from high school, more likely to earn a living wage, and better prepared to break the generational cycle of abuse and neglect.
Over 75% of children in Union County do not currently have the benefit of a CASA volunteer. It is our goal to change that under the Child Focus umbrella organization.
Our community of 175 active CASA volunteers dedicates over 10,000 hours of work each year to support children in our care, with significant success:
Within 14 days of placement, volunteers make their first visit to the child and remain a consistent presence in their lives until a permanent resolution is achieved.
100% of children who have entered foster care in Passaic County since Fall 2019 have benefited from a CASA advocate.
Our recommendations to Family Court Judges see a 95% acceptance rate.
