Get Involved
Help improve the lives of children in foster care in your community by getting involved with CASA.
Become a CASA Volunteer
CASA volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life who do exceptional work. They are trained to advocate for the well-being of Georgia’s children experiencing foster care and are appointed by the court to amplify a child’s voice. That’s their sole purpose.
What does a CASA volunteer do?
CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the court. They:
- Establish a stable, one-on-one relationship with a child in foster care and get to know the child’s unique history
- Gather information from anyone who can shed light on the child’s situation – teachers, foster parents, family members, physicians, etc.
- Help the child plan and develop age appropriate goals
- Ensure the child has access to needed medical, education, career, and housing services
Attend court proceedings (usually every six months) and make an informed, independent recommendation to the judge to improve the child’s experience while in foster care and his/her overall well-being
- Bring a sense of urgency to the child’s needs and promote safety
- Advocate for timeliness and permanency for children involved in juvenile court proceedings
Remain involved until the case is permanently resolved to keep the focus on the child
Learn more about a CASA volunteer’s role and purpose
Check out some frequently asked questions
“Children are in need of dreams; children entering juvenile court have no dreams or hope for the future. CASA gives them that hope and helps them to understand that what has happened to them is not their fault; they are not defective or substandard. CASA volunteers are there to help a child rise above it all.”
Five Steps to Make a Difference
The actions of a single person — a CASA volunteer — can mean everything to a child in foster care. A child with a CASA is more likely to receive needed services and be placed in a safe, permanent home when reunification isn’t likely. CASA volunteers make a difference every day. You can, too. Become a volunteer.
FAQ’s
No. CASA volunteers are everyday citizens from all walks of life who care about children and their welfare. Your common sense, life experience, and desire to help is all you need to begin. You will be receiving special training and supervision to ensure you have a complete understanding of your role before you are assigned a case.
Once children and youth are taken into DFCS (Department of Family and Children Services) custody, their cases are overseen by judges in the juvenile courts who appoint CASA volunteers to focus on the child and provide recommendations to improve a child’s experience while in foster care, as well as the child’s overall well-being.
Social workers are employed by the state and often assigned many cases at a time. The social worker is responsible for helping an entire family, which includes setting up individual services for family members. A CASA volunteer is the advocate for the child, is not paid, works with only a few cases at a time, and does not set up services. The CASA volunteer does not replace the social worker on a case; he or she is an independent officer of the court and works within the child welfare system to improve children’s experiences while in foster care.
CASA volunteers are only appointed to children who have come to the attention of the juvenile court system due to abuse or neglect. Like a mentoring program, the CASA volunteer does develop a relationship with the child through frequent contact; however, the primary role of the CASA volunteer is to gather information about the child, write reports to the court, and attend court hearings. The CASA program is not a mentoring program.
Our volunteers answer your questions
To get a real-world view of volunteering with CASA, check out our Ask A CASA videos. Our volunteers respond to frequently asked questions in their own words, based on their personal experiences as CASA volunteers.
Still have questions?
Find a Program
Georgia CASA currently supports 46 affiliate programs serving 151 counties. To find a program near you, use our Program Directory to search by county or name of the program.
Develop an Affiliate Program
If your county is not being served, learn how you can support developing a CASA program to help the abused and neglected children in your community.
Program Training
A schedule of upcoming Volunteer Training sessions appears below for affiliate CASA programs that have requested to be listed. If you don’t see a particular program listed, please contact the program directly.
Gregory A. Adams Juvenile Justice Center
4309 Memorial Dr.
Decatur, GA 30032
Justine Ferreira or Tara Daniels
justine.ferreira@dekalbcasa.org or tara@dekalbcasa.org
404-292-8291 or 404-378-0038
Website
Orientations
Mon., Nov. 18 at 11:00 a.m.
Tue., Nov. 19 at 6:15 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 10 at 11:00 a.m.
Thu., Dec. 12 at 6:15 p.m.
Flex Trainings
Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on October 10, 17, 24, November 7 and 14
Training Location TBD
Becca Orosz
becca.orosz@cgcasa.org
478-238-6318 ext. 4
Website
Trainings
September 3 – November 5 (exact dates TBA)
Gilmer County Courthouse
1 Broad St., Suite 201
Ellijay, GA 30540
Melanie Davis
706-276-2272
Website
Flex Training (combo of traditional & online training)
September 27 – November 8
Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Dalton, GA 30720
Tracy Harmon
706-428-7931
Facebook page
Traditional/Classroom Training
Mondays from September 9 – November 11
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Carroll County CASA
110 Dixie St., Suite 100
Carrollton, GA 30117
Stephanie Cater
scater@carrollcasa.org
770-838-1964
Website
Traditional/Classroom Training
Mondays and Thursdays from September 30 – October 24
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Coastal Plain CASA
113 E. 2nd St.
Tifton, GA 31794
Darcie Norton
229-386-9765
Website
Flex Training
Mondays from September 23 – October 28
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
1400 MLK Dr.
Eastman, GA 31023
Jennifer Staples or Lainie Jenkins
229-315-2566
Website
Traditional/Classroom Training
Mondays from September 3 – October 21 (class on Tue., Sept. 3 instead of Labor Day)
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
511 E. 3rd Ave.
Cordele, GA
Karan Albritton
229-931-4488
Website
Orientation
October 22
5:30 p.m.
Fulton County CASA
Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center
395 Pryor St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30312
Elizabeth Witherspoon
elizabeth.witherspoon@fultoncountycasa.org
404-613-4720
Website
Flex Trainings
October 15 – November 19 (Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
January 4 – February 22 (Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
February 11 – March 17 (Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
March 12 – April 16 (Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
163 MLK Jr. Dr.
Winder, GA 30680
Michelle Black
mblack@piedmontcasa.org
470-429-5055
Website
Volunteer Orientation & Training
Winter 2020: Thursdays, January 23 – February 27, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Spring 2020: Thursdays, May 7 – June 18, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Children First
693 N. Pope St.
Athens, GA 30601
Emily Dant
info@athensoconeecasa.org
706-613-1922 ext. 4
Website
Trainings (Combo of Traditional & Flex)
Thursdays from September 12 – October 24
10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. OR 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
32 Waddell St.
Marietta, GA
Elissa Peters
elissa.peters@cobbcounty.org
770-528-2216
Traditional/Classroom Training
October 23 – November 20
Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m .- 12:30 p.m.
Cumming, GA 30040
Heidi Grimmett
770-876-9016
Website
Traditional/Classroom Training
September 19 – November 14 (except October 31)
Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Restoration Rome Office
1400 Crane St.
Rome, GA 30161
Amy Markwald
706-235-2322
Website
Traditional/Classroom Training
September 10 – October 29
Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Major Events
February 2020
February 13, 2020
Our annual CASA Day at the Capitol event will take place.
March 2020
March 24, 2020
Our annual signature Luncheon & Fashion Show fundraiser event, CASA on the Catwalk, will take place. The Preview Party to the event will take place on February 25. Click here to go the event web page.