CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and CAC (Child Advocacy Centers) organizations are two examples (in the read more below) of government funding that provide at least a 30 to 1 Return On Investment (ROI). These cost effective providers are being diminished and under threat of being eliminated2.
In this fast moving effort to “cut waste” and “save money” MN and National nonprofits it’s important we know the numbers we are dealing with. In the numbers below,
Minnesota’s CASA volunteer Guardians ad Litem have provided thousands of children many thousands of hours of in high value in person help as they navigated the cold hard reality of foster care and Child Protective Services.
Over the last 40 years, 10,000 CASA Guardians ad Litem provided about 20 hours/month valued at $25/hour = $ 2.4 billion dollars in value to the State and incredible in person services to the children in need of those services. For the State of MN, reducing the numbers of CASA volunteers from 400 to !2 will cost the State quite allot in the years to come.
In the section that follows, it will become clear that at a minimum, 30 dollars in volunteer effort is provided for each Federal, State, or County dollar. Cutting one $45,000 management position eliminates 30 volunteers valued at (5 hours/week * $25) $6000/year *30 = $180,000 in Guardian ad Litem value. This at a time, paid staff turnover is high (50%) and hiring in this tight labor market not able to keep up with the demand. 200 Minnesota children are going through this process without a mandated Guardian ad Litem at this time.
Across the spectrum of nonprofits, for each paid staff member, there are ratios as high as hundreds of volunteers per staff member. There are 939 CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and about 900 Child Advocacy Centers in the U.S. today.
Their dollar value in volunteer time alone (calculated below) is a staggering benefit to the children and Child Protection agencies they work for. The threat to losing them is real and we should know what we are losing if the worst does come to pass.
If you find this information compelling, please share these details with your State Representative and other change makers in your circles. Save a Child, Read more about why this is happening and the counter narrative the numbers below support:
CACs average one staff supervisor for every 30 volunteers. The national number of CAC volunteers is estimated to be about 300 per program and over 900 programs (about 370,000 volunteers total).
It is likely that the CASA conversion ROI numbers are similar to the CAC’s and they are under great stress as are the children they serve.
The threat to CACs (Child Advocacy Centers)
- Federal VOCA funding has been shrinking for years due to reductions in criminal fines and penalties, which finances the Crime Victims Fund.
- Wisconsin’s VOCA funding dropped from $44.5 million annually to $13 million starting October 20241.
- Colorado has experienced a 76% reduction in VOCA funds since 2018, with an additional 27% drop anticipated in 20252.
- Some CACs are at risk of shutting down entirely due to insufficient funding. In Alabama, up to six rural centers face closure if additional resources are not secured3
- In March 2025, Congress eliminated $30 million in community project funding from the fiscal year 2025 budget. This funding was intended to compensate for the decline in VOCA resources and support critical programs across the country3.
- Many child advocacy centers rely heavily on VOCA funds, which accounted for an average of 35% of CAC budgets nationwide last year4.
- The funding cuts have led to staff shortages, reduced services, longer wait times for forensic interviews and counseling, and even the closure of some centers, particularly in rural areas4.
The threat to CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
- The DOJ labeled National CASA as a “high-risk grantee” in 2023 due to concerns over financial mismanagement, including $2.7 million in questioned costs. Although most issues were resolved, this designation remains a threat to future funding1.
- While the funding freeze imposed in 2023 has been lifted, new federal grants are being released on a “partial release basis,” and the DOJ continues to closely monitor National CASA’s financial and programmatic activities1. It
- During the funding freeze, pass-through grants to local CASA programs were delayed, causing operational disruptions for smaller affiliates that rely heavily on these funds1. Continued scrutiny could lead to further delays or reductions in these grants.
- Concerns about financial solvency and management at the national level have led some state CASA organizations to distance themselves from National CASA. For example, eight state leaders announced the formation of a new national entity, citing concerns about sustainability1.
- Managing hundreds of workers in a complex and high stress system is difficult. Consider that Child Protection workers and a broken Child Protection system are often blamed when a child dies. MN Governor Mark Dayton called the death of four-year-old Eric a “colossal” system failure. A task force was formed and positive additions to the system were employed at some cost. In other words, there are costs to an effective system. It’s not all about people’s failure.
- In 2024, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs across the United States served more than 242,000 children who had experienced abuse or neglect and were involved in the child welfare system9410
- It’s hard to understand how less money in these systems could improve them. For instance, the 12 million dollars used to fund the CASA program today works out to $152 per year per volunteer Guardian ad Litem or about $49.50 per child per year that are cared for by 79,000 community volunteer CASA volunteers.
- Federal budgetary pressures are risks to National CASA’s funding levels. While Congress has historically allocated $12 million annually for CASA under the Victims of Child Abuse Act, this amount has rarely increased despite growing needs3.
Below is a calculation of costs and Return On Investment for government dollars provided to CASA organizations (Court Appointed Special Advocates). This calculation also can be applied to other effective child-friendly nonprofits like Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) that serve at risk children and run on the efforts of community volunteers.
Additional Cost of Managing GAL (Guardian ad Litem) staff vs
managing GAL CASA volunteers:
Per 364 children: Two-$45,000, GAL staff management persons (in Hennepin County presently) managing 7 Staff GALs (who manage 13 cases each – 2 children per case) = 364 children = $90,000.00
$90,000 in cost of management for every 364 children in the system.
To get to the same number of children with volunteer management:
Four-$45,000, paid CASA management staff persons managing 30 volunteer GALs (each taking 1.5 cases representing 2 children per case) = (540 children) = $180,000 in cost of management for every 360 children in the system.
These figures have been slightly rounded down from their actual values to simplify calculations and improve clarity.
At a minimum, there are two significant areas of savings volunteers
bring to the economics of Child Protection:
- FOSTER CARE SAVINGS: Children with CASA volunteers spend an average of 7.5 months less in foster care compared to those without CASA advocacy12. With the federal government spending approximately $3,250 per month per child in foster care, this reduction translates to a savings of $24,375 per child annually1 and $5,850,000,000.00 total value annually.
- WAGE SAVINGS: 79,000 CASA volunteers valued at $25/per hour average 20 hours/month = 500/month *30 months = $15,000 * 79,000 CASAs =$1,185,000.000.00 in wages alone.
- Direct dollar conversion ($1,185,000.000 in saved wage value)Plus, Indirect dollar conversion, Children with CASA volunteers spend 7.5 fewer months in foster care compared to those without CASA $5,850,000,000 = $1,455,000,000 + 5.850,000,000 = $7,305,000,000.00 saved in total dollars in just wages and foster care savings in government spending annually at this time.
Add to this, that for decades, 40–44% of children in foster care do not have a CASA or GAL assigned to them due to shortages in volunteers and resources. Keeping in mind that the savings in foster care for another 140,000 children could more than pay for the cost of adding these programs and volunteers.
In 2024, CPS received and looked into the safety of more than 7.5 million children1
CASA volunteers advocate for 227,000 children in 2024, but with over 390,000 children entering foster care each year, a significant portion (163,000) of children remain unserved711. This gap highlights the urgent need for more volunteers.
The savings produced by 163,000 system children having a CASA would be the of $3,250/month per child times 7.5 fewer months in care = $24,375 per child annually1 or an additional total savings of $3,412,500.00.
$1,455,000,000 in saved wages
+ 5.850,000,000 in saved foster care
+ $3,900,000,000.00 in additional foster care
= $11,205,000,000.00
A small part of this sum would cover the outreach needed to find volunteers to ensure every child has access to the advocacy and support of a CASA Guardian ad Litem.
The economics of community volunteers in this time of shrinking labor force and budget cuts is clear. The above calculation could also be applied to the 390,000 Child Advocacy Center volunteers as well.
Rather than growing caseloads for current paid staff that are already under great stress and exhibiting high turnover, finding willing community volunteers to fill this void and serve these children well is a clear path to solving this current problem. Hennepin County CASA volunteer retention ran between 4.9 and 8.9 years for a long time. Today, the program has been reduced to under 20 volunteers from about 400 several years ago.
Turnover of paid staff has reached 50% in the program today causing about 200 children unable to have a Guardian ad Litem help them through this frightening time in their life.
Judges’ Perspectives on CASA Volunteers vs. Paid Staff
- Judges appreciate that CASA volunteers typically handle only one or two cases at a time, allowing them to provide more focused, individualized attention to each child, compared to paid staff who often manage high caseloads78.
- CASA volunteers are seen as a consistent, reliable adult presence for the child, building relationships that paid staff—who may change frequently or have limited time—often cannot8.
- Many judges report that they read CASA reports first and give significant weight to their recommendations, sometimes even more than those of CPS workers, especially when there are discrepancies between the two17.
- CASA volunteers are valued for their independent perspective, as their only allegiance is to the child’s best interests, whereas paid staff must balance agency policies, caseloads, and other constraints7.
- Judges recognize that while CPS workers are essential for case management and service provision, CASA volunteers fill a critical advocacy gap by focusing solely on the child’s needs and wishes378.
- CASA volunteers are often able to spend more direct time with children, visit placements, and monitor progress, which judges find invaluable for making informed decisions78.
- Judges acknowledge that CPS staff are often overworked and overwhelmed, which can limit their ability to provide the level of attention each case deserves. CASA volunteers help mitigate this by offering additional oversight and advocacy8.
- Studies and judge testimonials indicate that courts accept CASA recommendations in the majority of cases, and judges believe that children achieve better outcomes when a CASA is involved7.
- Judges also note that CASA volunteers are often assigned to the most complex and demanding cases, where their focused advocacy can make a significant difference47.
In Judges’ Own Words:
“The biggest benefit I see of having a CASA volunteer on the case is to the child… for that kid to have somebody who is consistent, who knows them, who’s going to come see them more than a 15-minute home visit once every 60 days, who they can rely on and trust.”
— Judge Traci Brislin, Fayette County Family Court8
“The court will make better decisions because of the reports from the CASA volunteer which focus on the best interests of the child. The view of the hundreds of judges who have CASA programs is that children achieve better outcomes when a CASA volunteer is there to speak on their behalf.”
— National CASA Judges’ Guide7
While Minnesota’s dual system (CASA/Staff GALs) is the exception to the CASA volunteer rule, the training is the same, the cost for management of volunteers is higher but that number is tiny compared to the dollar value volunteers bring into CPS.
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) recommends caseloads of 12–15 children per caseworker for foster care and family services5. CASA GALs take an average of 1.5 cases per volunteer.
Most counties in the U.S. do not meet the recommended caseload standard of 12–15 children per caseworker. Many counties have caseloads that are double or even triple the recommended level, with only a small proportion meeting or coming close to the standard156. This is a persistent challenge in the child welfare system and is linked to high worker turnover and poorer outcomes for children and families. The results of overwhelmed CPS systems too often end in death or near death for the children involved.
With current and projected budget cuts, caseloads will grow. Without support for more volunteers, results will worsen, employee turnover will increase, and children will suffer.
This economic argument is based on better outcomes for the neediest children in our communities, rather than efficiency and ease for the institution involved. It is important that CASA volunteers take fewer cases than paid staff and have more time to spend meeting with the families and children they serve to produce better outcomes for the child involved. Add to this this that the economics of volunteers favor the cost of volunteers by at least 30 to one it’s clear that these programs deserve the full-throated support of the public and legislators that serve them.
For decades, many children have been forced to wait weeks or even months before being assigned a CASA or GAL, depending on the availability of volunteers and the complexity of their cases. In Texas, CASA programs serve anywhere from 9% to 99% of children in foster care, depending on the region and resources available1. The foster care costs outweigh the costs of building programs to serve the children that need them. Minnesota has 200 children waiting at this time. this number has been the rule rather than the exception at least since 1996.
If you run these calculations, you will find that for the CASA programs 12-million-dollar budget today, that the actual ROI is about 90 to one and not the 30 to 1 per dollar ROI of measurable government tax dollar savings every year. All this comes from the work of community volunteers, and it does not include any value for the lives saved and children that and prosper because a volunteer spent weeks and months walking a terrified child through a painful institutional process to find resources and hope for the child to thrive.
The heart of this fiscal argument is that a passionate well-trained community volunteer force brings more to the children and families than paid staff and it saves substantial funding.
The “saving money” battle cry as volunteer organizations are being threatened by a negative political narrative does not save children or money. In fact a quick read of recent studies in the medical field indicate that untreated high ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experience) people are costing our nation over 14 Trillion dollars each year. This doesn’t include the huge loss in life years those people suffer from. These numbers are cumulative, meaning that the numbers from the ACEs studies are just about the costs of high ACEs people to healthcare. Future studies will likely show similar numbers coming from education, Policing, Courts and Justice.
In short: Cutting volunteer-driven child protection programs doesn’t save money or children. Each cut dollar eliminates another 30 to 90 dollars in community volunteer value and shifts the burden of child protection to already strained public systems and multiplies the human suffering and financial costs for generations to come.
Until more lawmakers and changemakers know this ground truth, the coming counterproductive cuts to valuable programs will likely continue to the distress of the most unhappy children in our communities.
This post provided by former CASA volunteer Guardian ad Litem MikeTikkanen
KIDS AT RISK ACTION / KARA / INVISIBLE CHILDREN
