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CASA (COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES)
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Los Angeles, the local branch of the national organization, was established to recruit, train and supervise volunteer advocates — everyday citizens who judges appoint to advocate for the safety and well-being of children who have been removed from their homes due to parental abuse and neglect.
Host ALICIA SEDWICK interviews DILYS TOSTESON GARCIA, Executive Director of CASA Los Angeles; a senior program coordinator; volunteers; and CASA youths who are currently involved in the CASA program.
DILYS TOSTESON GARCIA comes to CASA/LA with experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Most recently, Dilys served as CEO of a leading independent advertising agency targeting U.S. Hispanic consumers, which she led through a major restructuring and transformation. The firm’s blue chip clients included Allstate, Honda and Verizon. Prior to that for over 10 years she ran a communications consulting practice that worked with a variety of high profile brands: Pacific Bell, Disney, the Los Angeles County Emancipation Design Team and Partnership, Casey Family Programs and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Over the past 20 years Dilys has worked on behalf of children at risk in a variety of child welfare settings. She has served on the board of the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents and currently serves as board vice-chair for the non-profit Child Care Resources Center in the San Fernando Valley. Dilys holds a BA from Yale University and an MA from Stanford University.
A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a trained, dedicated and caring community volunteer assigned to lift the voice of a child in foster care. CASAs are sworn in by dependency court judges to advocate for what is in the child’s best interest.
With legal standing to fully investigate a child’s circumstances, CASAs make recommendations to the court regarding how the system and community can best serve and support the child. Volunteers have the ability to broadly influence the life of a foster child by advocating across many important life issues, including permanent placement, health care, education, mental health and enrichment activities.
Go to californiacasa.org to learn how you can become a CASA or to donate online.
