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 advocate for each child’s best interest. That’s their sole purpose.
What does a CASA volunteer do?
CASA volunteers:
- 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.
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.
Savannah CASA (part of Brightside Child & Family Advocacy)
761 Wheaton St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Hollyn Green
912-447-8908
Website
Classroom Trainings
Thursdays from 5 – 8 p.m.
August 8 – September 12
Wednesdays from 5 – 8 p.m.
October 16 – November 20
Orientations (online)
Justine Ferreira
404-292-8291
Website
Monday, July 29 at 12 noon
Tuesday, July 30 at 6 p.m.
Online Training
Jami Quinonez-Silverthorn
404-378-0032
Website
Thursdays from August 8 – September 12 (except August 29)
4 – 7 p.m.
80 W. Main St.
Lakeland, GA 31635
Carol Kelly
229-686-6576 x4
Website
Classroom Training
Tuesdays from June 4 – July 30
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Griffin, GA 30223
Madison Shetler
770-668-4177
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from August 22 – October 10
6 – 9 p.m.
Kesha Collier
470-251-2180
Website
Classroom Training
Thursdays from August 19 – October 14
6 – 9 p.m.
Warner Robins, GA 31088
info@casaofhoustoncounty.org
478-845-8416
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
First remote session beings July 8
Tuesdays from July 16 – August 27
6 p.m.
1 Broad St.
Ellijay, GA 30540
Jason Turner
706-276-2272
Website
Information Sessions
2nd Wednesday of each month
10 a.m. – 12 noon
Classroom Training
Tuesdays and Fridays from August 6 – September 6
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Towaliga CASA
101 Commerce Pl., Suite 3
Barnesville, GA 30204
Mary Ann Leverett
478-394-0315
Website
Classroom Trainings
Thursdays from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
July 11 – August 29
September 26 – November 14
Fran Parks
706-864-0300
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Meet and Greet (workbook pick-up and pre-session information): September 3 at 12 noon
Tuesdays and Fridays from September 10 – October 1
9:30 a.m. – 12 noon
32 Waddell St.
Marietta, GA 30090
Mari Garcia
770-528-2285
Website
Classroom Training
Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 11 – August 8
4 – 7:30 p.m.
CASA of Paulding County
165 N. Johnson St.
Dallas, GA
Angela Zenus
770-505-0065
Website
Flex Training (in-person + online)
Fall:
Mondays and Wednesdays from October 7 – 30
6 – 8:30 p.m.
1083 Marietta Hwy.
Canton, GA 30114
Mandy Quigley
770-345-3274
Website
Classroom Training
Tuesdays and Thursdays from August 13 – September 10
6 – 9 p.m.
Major Events
August 24, 2024
The annual Georgia CASA Conference will take place in Atlanta. Click here to visit the event website page for more details and to register.