1977 – The CASA model is created
The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) model began in 1977 when a Seattle juvenile court judge concerned about making drastic decisions with insufficient information conceived the idea of citizen volunteers speaking up for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. From that first program has grown a network of nearly 1,000 CASA and guardian ad litem programs that are recruiting, training and supporting volunteers in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
1982 – Boston CASA is formed
Boston CASA was started in 1982 under the jurisdiction of the Court by Judge Francis G. Poitrast, Chief Justice of the Juvenile Court Department of the Commonwealth and Presiding Judge of the Boston Division, out of concern with the need for permanency for court-involved children.
Since that time, volunteers from the community have given their time to serve as CASAS for abused and neglected children. The basic goal of the CASA is to ensure that child victims of abuse and neglect are not overlooked in an overcrowded court system. CASAs are appointed by the judge to represent the child’s best interests and advocate for needed services.
Our CASAs connect with the stakeholders in the child’s life and present relevant facts at court hearings to help ensure the child or youth received all appropriate services and the best outcome in court. Boston CASA uses a 1:1 model. After over 30-hours training, volunteers take on a single case, working with one child or one sibling group. The CASA will stay with that case until it is closed in court.
2012 – Boston CASA becomes an independent non-profit
Boston CASA became a nonprofit in 2012 under Charles Lerner’s leadership to grow the program through fundraising to supplement the state’s investment. That first year, Boston CASA trained and supported 60 CASA paired with foster children and youth. In Fiscal Year 2025, Boston CASA 132 children with new cases before the court benefitted from the support of a CASA, and a total of 326 foster children and youth with new and existing cases had a CASA advocating on their behalf.
2023 – The Youth Advisory Board Starts
Transitional Age Youth Advocacy (TAY) are foster children ages 14 to 22 who are challenged in making the transition to adult independence without the foundational support a parent provides. The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) was started in 2023 to improve the future for TAY both collectively and individually. Each year, five TAY are accepted to join the YAB for a ten-month program. During that commitment, they attend monthly in person workshops and a monthly Zoom meeting. One of the purposes of YAB is to provide feedback to Boston CASA on the specific hurdles they face in becoming independent and how their Special Advocates can assist them. Their experiences have influenced CASA training sessions. The YAB program’s curriculum provides them in critical life skills including personal finance, resume writing, and how to interview for a job. They also learn public speaking and advocacy to prepare them as voices for other foster children and to reform in the system. Each year, the YAB members complete a capstone project that they present in a public forum to fellow TAY, CASAs, and other stakeholders in the community.
