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CASA-CAN, formally known as Court-Appointed Special Advocates/Children's Advocate Network, welcomed some new volunteers in Great Falls on Friday.

The volunteer advocates recently completed the 30-hour national CASA training curriculum, and are appointed by 8th Judicial District Court judges to watch over children going through the legal and social service systems.

The 10 newly-minted advocates were administered an oath by Judge Thomas McKittrick.

The volunteers serve as the eyes and ears for the court and ensure that judges have all needed information to determine what is best for the children involved.

Retired school teacher Donna Jacobson is one of the 10 new Guardians Ad Litem; she said, "It takes a lot of trust to be built before kids will open up to you. Hopefully through a program like this, the Guardian meets with children and can build enough trust so that kids will be honest about what's happening to them."

Since 2006, every new case has been successfully assigned to a guardian, but over the past year, the number of those new cases has skyrocketed.

Lisa Goff, director of the program, explained, "In 2010 we had a 65% increase in the number of new kids enter the system. So we definitely need people to advocate for those kids."

Last year the program monitored 268 children, and the cases keep coming in.

Goff said, "What we are thinking is, the recession is starting to trickle down, and families are starting to feel the pinch."

Jacobson noted, "With less money we have more poverty and with more poverty we have more parents trying to figure out how to make more ends meet."

Normally the advocates take just one case at a time, but recently, some are having to take double the amount.

But the case load isn't the only difficult part of the program for the volunteers; Jacobson said, "I think it's one of the hardest things to realize that kids are not being treated properly, that there is abuse and neglect going on in their lives."

Jacobson hopes her efforts will help put a dent in the increasing problem, and make a difference for children.

The next Pre-Service session for new volunteers begins April 4, 2011.

To learn more about CASA-CAN, call 406.454.6738 or visit the agency's website.

Steps to becoming a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) guardian ad litem:

.Complete a written application
.Provide four personal and/or professional references
.Complete a criminal records background check
.Participate in a personal interview
.Complete 30 hours of required training
.Participate in a mock trial and swearing in before the 8th Judicial District Court
.Agree to participate in 12 hours annual ongoing training