The following CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) investigations demonstrate the cost savings and economic impact of CASA programs in child protection across the nation. They do not include the value a trained community volunteer brings to each child caught up in the difficult institutional court process of Child Protective Services.
What’s it like being a child (the only child) in a courtroom with lawyers, health and social workers, and a judge after you’ve been removed from your home because of terrible things that have happened to you.
Over the year or two you will be in the court system, adults will come and go but CASA’s remain and advocate for you within this busy often overwhelmed institution.
Being a CASA volunteer is not for everyone. There’s the training and the flexibility you need in your life for the visits and courtroom meetings with the judge. Think about it though. Some volunteers stay for five or ten years. Share this with a friend you might know that is looking for a rewarding volunteer experience. It could be a life changing experience for the volunteer and many children caught up in the system through no fault of their own. Also, as you will see in the studies below, it will save your community tax dollars, and public health and safety concerns.
Learn about CASA volunteering here:
CASAMN, CASA National
Share this widely (you may change a life).
Short powerful State studies
in the Read More Below.
- Nebraska CASA Study (2023): Found significant public and societal cost savings per child served by CASA in Nebraska. For each dollar invested, there is an estimated $6 return in public and social benefits. Nebraska CASA infographic and study
- Kansas CASA Program: Earlier research in Kansas showed CASA involvement resulted in fewer placements (3.9 vs 6.6), leading to substantial administrative and taxpayer savings.
- National CASA/GAL Research: The National CASA Association claims tens of millions of dollars in child welfare cost savings yearly across the U.S. Just 12% of children assigned a CASA volunteer remain in long-term foster care, compared to 16% of the general foster care population, contributing to significant reductions in foster care system expenses. National CASA report; National CASA statistics PDF; National CASA research/effectiveness page
- Colorado CASA Case Study (2023): Documents reduced lifetime social costs, increased lifetime earnings, and the substantial value of CASA volunteerism. Business case summary
- Peer-Reviewed Findings: Multiple peer-reviewed studies demonstrate CASA programs are linked with lower odds of children returning to foster care and reduced time spent in foster care, contributing to cost savings for public child welfare systems. Court Appointed Special Advocates and Child Welfare Permanency Outcomes, PMC; Evaluation Study in ScienceDirect
- Minnesota Benefit-Cost Study: The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) benefit-cost analysis found taxpayer benefits of CASA-driven initiatives in Minnesota. Minnesota child welfare benefit-cost report PDF
- Peer-Reviewed Findings: Multiple peer-reviewed studies demonstrate CASA programs are linked with lower odds of children returning to foster care and reduced time spent in foster care, contributing to cost savings for public child welfare systems. Court Appointed Special Advocates and Child Welfare Permanency Outcomes, PMC; Evaluation Study in ScienceDirect.
Key Takeaways
- CASA volunteer programs repeatedly show reductions in foster care durations, number of child placements, and reentry rates, which result in measurable savings for public agencies.
- The value of volunteer advocacy (millions of hours per year) is estimated to be equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer savings if paid professionally.
- States and localities use CASA business case studies, cost-benefit analyses, and audit reports to support continued funding and program expansion.
These studies collectively demonstrate a clear economic and social value for CASA programs within child protection systems. Multiple studies across the United States have examined the cost savings and economic impact of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs:
For more details and summaries, consult these links:
- Nebraska CASA infographic and study
- National CASA cost savings and foster care statistics PDF
- Colorado CASA case study
- Minnesota benefit-cost report PDF
- National CASA GAL research/effectiveness page
These studies collectively demonstrate the measurable financial and social benefit of CASA programs in child protection.
KARA Tracks & reports on the issues of child abuse.
This article submitted by CASA volunteer Mike Tikkanen
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