About Us
The Knox County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program has been a fixture in Knox County since the early 90’s. The late Honorable Edward Theobald, former prosecutor and long serving Juvenile Court Judge in Knox Superior Court I. Started the program in Knox County. In December of 2018 a new chapter in CASA was opened when it became a court-based program under the leadership of the Honorable Judge Gara Lee. It is the program’s primary purpose to provide trained community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children involved in the court system primarily as the result of alleged abuse or neglect. We give children an advocate to help them through this traumatic and confusing time.
What is CASA?
CASA programs are the only volunteer organization directly connected to the court; volunteers are appointed and sworn in by a judge to speak for a child who would otherwise not be heard. As adults come and go in the lives of abused and neglected children, these children desperately need one adult to stay with them for the length of their court case–someone who develops knowledge of the child’s particular needs and may prevent a child from falling through the cracks of the system. This is what a CASA volunteer does.
A CASA volunteer spends time with the child on a monthly basis getting to know the child while also gathering information from the child’s family, teachers, doctors, caregivers, and others involved in the child’s life. We provide a 30-hour training, focused on developing a strong platform of knowledge, skills, and understanding to help you be a successful child advocate. Join our fight to make sure children don’t get lost in the child welfare system. Be a champion for them, someone who makes sure their needs are taken care of. You can find out more information here!