Next event - June 15, 2012 - Rock the CASA - Click here for more information
Welcome to CASA for Children of Bergen County!
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers are everyday people who are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children living in the foster care system. A CASA volunteer advocates for one child's case until he/she is placed into a safe, permanent and loving home.
Every year in New Jersey, approximately 9,000 abused and neglected children are removed from their homes and placed in the foster care system (including foster homes, residential treatment facilities, shelter, and hospitals). Bergen County is home to over 300 of these children. The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program ensures that these children -- victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological torment, or abandonment -- have a voice in the court proceedings that determine their fates. There are over 900 CASA programs throughout the United States. CASA for Children of Bergen County is affiliated with both National CASA and CASA of NJ.
Mission Statement
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children of Bergen County is an independent, nonprofit organization of professionals and trained volunteers who have been appointed by the NJ Family Court to advocate for children removed from their homes due to abuse and/or neglect. CASA works to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to these children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes.
Snapshot of CASA for Children of Bergen County
- 8 years old – opened in August 2003
- 3 full time employees; 1 part time employee;
- 23 volunteer trainings held
- 205 volunteers trained
- 313 children advocated for to-date
- 28,000 hours donated by CASA volunteers
UPCOMING TRAINING: Spring 2012 training is full. Our next training will be held in September/October 2012. Please call or email the office to be added to the list to receive information about upcoming Information Sessions and training
- Monday May 7, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
- Monday May 14, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
- Monday May 21, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
- Tuesday May 29, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
- Monday June 4, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
- Monday June 11, 2012 - 9:30am - 1:00pm
Any potential volunteer should be able to attend all six training sessions.
All information sessions and training are held at One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ 07601; room TBD. Directions can be found here. For more information, please contact Jennifer Murrin at 201-336-7520 or jennifer@bergencasa.org.
In the state of NJ, every citizen, regardless of occupation, is a mandatory reporter of child abuse and/or neglect. If you suspect someone is being abused or neglected, please call the state child welfare hotline at 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873)