State Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) this week recognized the 35th anniversary of Indiana’s Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program with a formal resolution at the Statehouse.

The GAL/CASA program plays a vital role in the state’s child welfare system by assigning trained volunteers to advocate for children involved in Children in Need of Services (CHINS) cases. Volunteers meet with the child, review court documents, speak with professionals involved in the case, and visit both parents and placements. They then prepare a report and make independent recommendations to the court aimed at protecting the child’s best interests.

In 2024, 2,812 volunteers across Indiana dedicated more than 285,000 hours to serve 19,602 children in the court system.

The resolution was supported on a bipartisan basis, with Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray joining Garcia Wilburn in acknowledging the program’s long-standing impact.