CASA of Paulding County

Court Appointed Special Advocates

770-505-0065, Fax 770-443-5940

To contact us:

CASA of Paulding

P.O. Box 24

Dallas, GA  30132

Phone: 770-505-0065

Fax: 770-443-5940

E-mail: casapaulding@casapaulding.org

About Us

National CASA and Georgia CASA     In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington, observed a recurring problem of too little information in the courtroom upon which to base a decision about a child’s future. He raised funding to recruit and train community volunteers to obtain information and speak on behalf of children in court. In 1977, a CASA pilot program was formed based on Judge Soukup’s idea. In 1982, the National CASA Association was established to direct CASA’s emerging national presence.

In 1988, Georgia CASA began as a demonstration project of Kids of Georgia Need Volunteers, Inc. In 1989, two pilot CASA programs in Georgia were formed. In 1992, Georgia CASA gained independent, nonprofit status and began transitioning local CASA programs into independence.

Federal law requires that a Guardian ad Litem (GAL- person appointed by the court to advocate for the best interest of a child involved in a juvenile court deprivation proceeding), a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), or both, be appointed in all cases of child abuse or neglect. Georgia law includes “court appointed special advocates” and/or attorneys as Guardians ad Litem for children in juvenile court deprivation (abuse and neglect) proceedings. —From GA CASA website.