Grand Junction, Colorado. Right now, 64 children in Mesa County have no one to speak for them in court. They are the victims of abuse or neglect, and every single day they remain on the CASA waitlist is another day they walk into hearings alone. The local Court Appointed Special Advocate program is sounding the alarm: without more volunteers, dozens of kids will keep waiting.
Why One Voice Can Change Everything
A CASA volunteer is the only person in the courtroom whose entire job is to represent the child’s best interest. Not the parents, not the attorneys, not the caseworkers. Just the child.
“These kids have often been let down by every adult in their life,” says Dr. Peggy Wrich, a family physician and one of Mesa County’s 54 active CASA volunteers. “We show up every time. We become the one consistent adult they can count on.”
Volunteers visit the child regularly, review records, talk to teachers, doctors, foster parents, and therapists, then write reports and speak directly to the judge. Research shows children with a CASA are more likely to find permanent homes and far less likely to re-enter foster care.
The Waitlist Keeps Growing
As of this week, 64 Mesa County children are waiting for an advocate. That number has hovered above 60 for months, even as the current volunteers carry heavy caseloads.
Each new volunteer typically takes one case at a time. That means the program needs at least 64 more people to step up to clear the list.
The need is so urgent that program leaders say even people who can only commit for a year or two make a huge difference.
You Don’t Need Superpowers, Just Heart
Many people assume they aren’t qualified. The truth is almost anyone over 21 with a clean background check can do this work.
Students at Colorado Mesa University serve as CASAs. Retirees do. Nurses, mechanics, teachers, stay-at-home parents, anyone who cares.
Training is 30 hours spread over several weeks, plus a few hours of court observation. Once sworn in, volunteers get ongoing support from staff and mentors.
“You don’t have to be a lawyer or a social worker,” Dr. Wrich says. “You just have to care enough to show up and learn.”
How One Volunteer Sees It
Dr. Wrich is currently advocating for a medically fragile infant. She checks on the baby multiple times a month, meets with doctors, and makes sure the court understands exactly what this child needs to thrive.
“I’ve watched this little one grow stronger because people finally listened,” she says. “That’s what keeps me going. Knowing I made a difference for even one child.”
Every volunteer has a story like that. And every child on the waitlist is waiting for theirs.
The kids on the list right now range from babies to teenagers. Some have never had a birthday party. Some have never had an adult tuck them in at night. All of them deserve someone fighting only for them.
Mesa County CASA is asking our community to look at that number, 64, and decide it can’t stay that way.
Pick up the phone. Fill out the application. Show up for training.
Because 64 children in our backyard are waiting for an adult to prove they matter.
If you’ve ever wanted to make a real difference in a child’s life, this is it.
Call Mesa County CASA today at 970-242-4191 or go to their website to start the process. The next training class begins soon, and those 64 kids can’t wait another month.
What do you think western Colorado? Will you be the voice one of these children is waiting for? Drop your thoughts below, and if you’re ready to step up, tag #BeTheirVoice when you share this story.
