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

Volunteer With CASA of  Paulding

Volunteer

CASA volunteers need to fill out and return an application (call 770-505-0065 or e-mail casapaulding@casapaulding.org for a volunteer application), be 21 years old, high school graduate or have a GED, complete 40 hours of CASA training, criminal background checks, screening, fingerprinting, and are supervised by CASA staff.  The returned volunteer application will register the volunteer for the next CASA training.

Training is normally held at the CASA office on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 PM for five weeks in the spring and fall.  There is thirty hours of class training and 10 hours of interning, (5 hours must be of court observation).  After the CASA completes the training and screening, they are sworn-in as an Officer of the Court for Paulding Juvenile Court.  An accelerated training is sometimes held in summer in the evening or day if there are over five trainees. Office volunteers and interns are also needed, please contact CASA at at 770-505-0065 for more information.

CASA Volunteers Duties        CASAs advocate for the best interest of a child by gathering information, reviewing the DFCS file, visiting the child, talking to the parents and other people that can shed light on the child’s situation, attend court hearings with a report of recommendations for the child’s best interest.

CASAs are assigned only one or two cases at the time so they can focus on each child’s best interest.  A court order gives the authority to the CASA to review DFCS files and interview parties to the case.  The CASA continues to advocate and monitoring the case until the child has a safe, loving and permanent home.

Much of the CASA volunteer’s time is flexible such as making phone calls and visiting the child can be in the evening or weekends.  There is normally one or two hearings in Juvenile Court at the start of the case and a review at least every six months.  Paulding Juvenile Court is normally on Tuesdays or Thursdays with cases set in the morning (8:30AM) or afternoon (1:30PM).  The majority of the CASA’s time is spent at the start of a new case and then less time is spent with monitoring the case and visiting the child each month.  Many CASA volunteers work full or part-time.

The CASA volunteer is requested to stay on the case until the child has a safe, loving, and permanent home. No child should grow up in foster care.