Our Mission

To provide trained volunteer advocates to represent and promote the best interests of abused and neglected children brought before the Juvenile Court System.

Court Appointed Special Advocates® (CASA) are community volunteers, just like you, who stand up and speak out to help abused and neglected children.

Our CASA program belongs to a network of 950 community-based programs nationwide that recruit, train, and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities.

Helpful Resources

Our programs are designed to further our mission and provide much needed services for our constituents.
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Events

Fundraisers and events help us raise awareness and generate crucial resources to serve our community. Join us at our next event and see how you can get involved.
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Become an Advocate

Improve your community by joining our cause. You'd be surprised at what a huge difference a little bit of your time can make.
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Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter. 1-877-237-0004
Failure to report abuse is a violation of the law and a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a sentence of up to three months imprisonment, a fine or both. Those who report and “act in good faith” are immune from any civil or criminal charges, which may result. The reporter has the right to remain confidential and anonymous.

Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403(i) (1) requires all persons to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Failure to report abuse is a violation of the law and a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a sentence of up to three months imprisonment, a fine or both. Those who report and “act in good faith” are immune from any civil or criminal charges, which may result. The reporter has the right to remain confidential and anonymous.

The Impact of Our Volunteers

Impact on Case Outcomes: Children with a CASA volunteer are statistically more likely to achieve positive outcomes. For instance, they spend an average of 7.5 months less time in foster care than those without an advocate. This reduced time in the system is crucial for a child's development and stability.

Reduced Placements and System Re-entry: CASA's advocacy leads to greater stability for children. Studies have shown that children with a CASA volunteer experience significantly fewer out-of-home placements. Additionally, more than 90% of children with a CASA volunteer do not re-enter the child welfare system after their case is closed, a major improvement over the general foster care population.

Judicial Trust and Influence: The work of CASA volunteers is highly valued by the courts. Over 93% of judges report a positive or very positive experience with CASA programs, and in more than four out of five cases, all or almost all of a CASA volunteer's recommendations are accepted by the court. This demonstrates the trust and credibility that CASA's objective, detailed reports provide to judges.

Foster care in Tennessee costs $8,800* per month. Having a CASA volunteer can shorten a child's time in foster care by at least a month. CASA volunteers served 5,216 children and saved Tennessee taxpayers approximately $45.9 million in FY 24.