Court Appointed Special Advocates
Guardian ad Litem Volunteers
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, to make sure they don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in inappropriate group or foster homes. Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. For many abused children, their CASA/GAL volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives. See About CASA/GAL Programs.
Courthouse facility dogs first started out working in the criminal justice system, but when family court judges and CASA/GAL volunteers spotted the dogs walking through the courthouse they realized they could fill a desperate need to help children through child abuse and neglect proceedings and help fractured families through this painful process.
Courthouse facility dogs help calm children at all stages of legal processes.
These placements began in 2010 when members of the New Mexico Children’s Justice Act advisory group invited Celeste, Molly, and Ellen to give a presentation at the Children’s Law Institute conference in Albuquerque. Since the Children’s Justice Act (CJA) provides grants to States to improve the investigation, prosecution, and judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation, in a manner that limits additional trauma to the child victim, the group hoped to interest CASA organizations and district attorneys in acquiring a facility dog to provide comfort for children in need of these services.
Carrie-Leigh Cloutier, Chaves County (New Mexico) CASA Executive Director, is happy to chat with interested CASA organizations about how her program has developed from the utilization of one to four dogs who provide assistance in a variety of programs offered by her organization.
For a comprehensive list of locations where CASA/GAL dogs are working, please see our page on courthouse facility dogs in the US.