CASA are well intentioned people who rarely have the life experience to judge families in trauma. They are generally wealthy retirees who have never experienced poverty. They receive minimal training. Studies show that cases with CASAs (as opposed to professional GALs) have lower rates of reunification, especially with families of color. Once a CASA told me he opposed reunification because the mother's "neighborhood was inappropriate."

It's not long enough. Parents cannot adequately correct the conditions within 12 months. Kids are returned to parents teetering on the brink of stability and the cycle repeats. One cannot overcome an addiction or a lifetime of trauma in one year.

Maybe? But what's the carrot or stick? You can mandate all you want in a B case (b for Before Court) but if things are really that bad, they're already too far gone. People will NEVER sign up to be involved with DCYF, for better or worse.

Have caseload standards. Have reasonable pay. Have empathetic supervisors. Have outside hires in administration. Have clinicians in the office. Have mandated time off after traumas.