Court Appointed Special Advocates of New York City

If you never heard of CASA-NYC, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, you may not realize the invaluable role our volunteers play every day in the lives of children and youth in foster care in Brooklyn and across the city. And even if you are familiar with CASA, you may not know that CASA-NYC's roots are in Brooklyn, having been established in Brooklyn family court in 1979 as one of the earliest CASA programs nationwide and the first in New York State. At the time, poverty in New York City was increasing and more and more children were being separated from their families and placed in a foster care system that was overwhelmed and ill-equipped to support the children it was charged to protect. While some things have changed over the years, the needs remain and the impact continues to be felt in the lives of children and young people faced with navigating the challenges of growing up in foster care. 

CASA-NYC’s mission is to ensure that young people involved in the NYC child welfare system have their needs met and rights protected, and that children in foster care move quickly into safe, stable, permanent and nurturing homes—with their family of origin whenever possible. We recruit, screen, train, and supervise community members who serve as volunteer advocates for children and youth in or at high risk of foster care. Family court judges appoint CASA to the cases of children and youth in danger of falling through the cracks of the system. Our advocates facilitate access to vital services like developmental and educational support, medical and mental health treatment, housing income support, and domestic violence and substance abuse services. Advocates accompany families to court hearings and provide judges with a comprehensive, objective report about the case progress and the family’s needs. Older teens and young adults transitioning from foster care also receive support from CASA-NYC at the time in their lives when they are starting to build their futures with little or no guidance from adults in their lives. 

Last year CASA-NYC served 309 children in Brooklyn and 1,106 children citywide, a 14% increase from 2022. Additionally, we trained a record 116 new volunteer advocates citywide. We are well on our way to continuing that trajectory and committed to ensuring that there are never waiting lists for children and youth who can benefit from a CASA in their corner.

Over the years, CASA-NYC has become an integral part of the Brooklyn community by serving the borough’s most vulnerable children and families referred by the Brooklyn family court. CASA-NYC has since expanded to serve all five boroughs, but Brooklyn remains one of our busiest boroughs. Several of our Brooklyn neighborhoods experienced the highest rates of child removal in the city (East New York is number 1), and 28% of our total cases were appointed in Brooklyn in 2023. CASA-NYC's long-standing presence in Brooklyn has allowed us to develop strong relationships with local courts, government agencies, and service providers, facilitating efficient coordination of our critical services to Brooklyn’s youth.

And, while Brooklyn remains a focal point of our operations, CASA-NYC proudly serves all five boroughs of New York City, enabling us to provide seamless service provision for children and families who may move between boroughs or those that require resources or referrals in other boroughs. By extending our advocacy services citywide, we help ensure that no child or family falls through the cracks, regardless of their geographical location. 

As a staple in the Brooklyn court system and community since 1979, we are positioned at the forefront of the battle for children’s rights and well-being, and our services and programming are resolute and respected across the borough. By remaining agile and responsive to the changing landscape of child welfare, we aim to continue providing holistic, critical support to the vulnerable youth and families appointed to our care. 

Learn more about our work by visiting our website and be a part of the CASA-NYC community!