Marin Advocates for Children

Marin Advocates for Children’s mission is two-fold: preventing abuse and advocating for the best interests of children. MAC has two programs: Marin Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Marin Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC). With our two programs, MAC not only advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children, but also works to prevent child abuse through community education and provides a "safety net" for children and families by reducing the isolation that is so often the cause of abuse and neglect.

In the late 1800s, the first legislation authorizing the court to enter a family's life and assume responsibility for the care and control of children was created for situations in which parents were abusive or neglectful, or children were delinquent or ungovernable. The basis for this intervention, and of all the laws that have followed, is that when a parent fails, the state has the legal power to substitute for that parent and act on behalf of the child. The laws governing the court's intervention have evolved over time, but through all of these proceedings, there is a presumption that the court will act in "a child's best interest."

Yet, how does a judge, with little access to a child and limited exposure to circumstances surrounding that child’s life, make a decision that truly reflects the best interest of that child?

Unwilling to make decisions about abused and neglected children's lives without sufficient information, a Seattle judge conceived the idea of using trained community volunteers to speak for the best interests of these children in court. So successful was this Seattle program that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates. In 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act.

Today, there are more than 900 CASA programs, with 70,000 women and men serving as CASA volunteers in all 50 states, including 33 California counties. In 2002, CASAs helped more than 172,000 children whose lives are affected by court decisions. All programs are part of the National CASA Association.

In 1983, the Marin CASA Program emerged from a community collaboration of representatives from clergy, law, education, Department of Social Services, Junior League of San Francisco, National Council of Jewish Women, legislators, Foster Parent Association, and other interested community members.

In 1997, the CASA board, staff and volunteers grew concerned that the county lacked an active Child Abuse Prevention Council to educate the community about child abuse. Without a comprehensive community education program, we could not ensure our "safety net" for children would be used. The CASA Board began a two-part planning process that resulted in an updated strategic plan and a consolidation of the activities of the former Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) as a second program activity along with CASA. The Board of Directors adopted Marin Advocates for Children as the new name for its expanded mission.

	Marin Advocates for Children Cyndy Doherty Executive Director Cyndy brings over 20 years of experience with the Marin CASA Program and Marin Advocates for Children. She began as a CASA volunteer in 1987, becoming a CASA supervisor in 1989. Until her appointment as Executive Director in 2008, Cyndy was the CAPC Program Director since its inception in 1988 and MAC Program Director since 2007. Cyndy enjoys bringing diverse groups and opinions to consensus on issues which ultimately affect the best interests of children.
	“As a judge, I had to make tough decisions. I had to decide whether to take a child from the only home he’s ever known, or leave him someplace where he might possibly be abused. I needed someone who could tell me what was best for that child—from the child’s viewpoint. That’s what CASA does.”
	– David Soukup CASA Founder