Court‑appointed volunteer program in Cochise County recruits and marks reunification successes

Abby Dodge, CASA and ADR division director for the Cochise County Superior Court, described the court‑appointed special advocate (CASA) program and a recent private reunification event for families who completed dependency‑court services.

CASA volunteers are assigned to children removed from home because of abuse or neglect, Dodge said. “They’re essentially the eyes and ears of our judges,” she said on KWCD, explaining that volunteers get to know the child, their family, school and services and then report to the court about the child’s status and needs.

Dodge described the program’s screening and training requirements. “We require our volunteers to undergo a polygraph examination,” she said, in addition to fingerprint checks with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the FBI, a personal interview and reference checks. The CASA program also provides ongoing training and support and asks volunteers to write court reports that become part of the formal record.

The court held its second annual reunification day, Dodge said, a private event that celebrates families who have reunified after working through the child‑welfare system. “We had two families that came to join us and play games with their kids … We had pizza. We had cupcakes. It was a good time,” she said, and added that reunification is the court’s primary goal in dependency cases.

To apply, Dodge said prospective volunteers can visit www.casaofcochisecounty.org and use the “Apply Now” link; the program can also accept nonvolunteer support such as speaking invitations and donations to the Cochise County Council for CASA, a 501(c)(3) that helps cover children’s needs while in care. The program phone number is (520) 432‑7521.