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 this brief video about becoming a CASA volunteer
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 156 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.
Towaliga CASA
101 Commerce Pl., Suite 3
Barnesville, GA 30204
Georgia Hooks
678-572-7256
Facebook
Online Training (via Zoom)
Mondays from April 5 – May 24
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Murray/Whitfield CASA
1529 Waring Rd.
Dalton, GA 30720
Tracy Harmon
706-428-7931
Facebook
Training
Mondays, beginning March 1st, for 10 weeks
5:30 – 9:00 p.m.
1015 Exum Rd.
Nashville, GA 31639
Elaine Grice
229-686-6576 x4
Training
Tuesdays, March 2 – April 20
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
706-327-9612 ext. 1506
Website
Online Training
Thursdays, March 25 – April 29
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Cartersville, GA 30120
Scott Sherwin
770-386-1060 ext. 241
Website
Flex Training (Combo of Online & In-Person)
Thursdays, March 4 – April 22
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
info@savannahcasa.org
912-447-8908
Website
Online Training
Thursdays, April 15 – May 27
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
justine.ferreira@dekalbcasa.org
404-292-8291 (messages checked multiple times per day)
Website
Orientations (Online)
Wednesday, May 5th from 11 a.m. – 12 noon
Thursday, May 6th from 6 – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 22nd from 6 – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 23rd from 11 a.m. – 12 noon
Dianna Dillard, Training Coordinator
404-859-7174
Website
Flex Training (Virtual)
Saturdays from March 20 – April 24 (except April 4)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Tuesdays from April 13 – May 11
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Saturdays from May 15 – June 19 (except May 29)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Rieka Audain
Website
478-845-8270
Training (virtual)
Mondays and Thursdays from April 1 – May 3
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Central Georgia CASA
3888 Northside Dr., Suite B
Macon, GA 31210
Megan Anderson
Website
770-355-3712
Flex Training (virtual or in-person – TBD)
Thursdays beginning March 25
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Independent, online work done prior to first class
113 E. 2nd St.
Tifton, GA 31794
Darcie Norton
229-386-9765
Website
Flex Training (Combo of Online & In-Person)
Tuesdays from March 2nd – April 20th
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Major Events
May 2021
May 1 – 2, 2021
Join the Georgia CASA team, along with staff, board members, volunteers, and supporters across the state, as part of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children’s nationwide Walk. Run. Thrive. event to raise awareness for the important work of CASA programs and CASA volunteers. Click here to visit the event web page for more details and to register.
May 2021
May 18, 2021
Join us virtually for An Evening of Appreciation on Tuesday, May 18 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. in appreciation of our supporters. We’ll share about how CASA advocacy has shaped the lives of children, families, and volunteers impacted by today’s realities. Learn more about how CASA is adapting and changing in light of societal and system changes. This brief program is sure to keep you engaged and encouraged about the work of CASA in Georgia. Can’t join us live? A recorded link to the event will be available afterwards. More information will be available on the event web page in the near future.
August 2021
August 7, 2021
Save the date for the Georgia CASA Conference! Make your plans now to join us for a hybrid conference experience that offers options for both in-person (Atlanta Marriott Marquis) and virtual participation. Check back here in the near future for the link to the event website.