Chattahoochee CASA

Our Program

Program Purpose

Chattahoochee CASA strives to improve the lives of abused and neglected children and their families by ensuring that the court has adequate information to make sensitive decisions and court orders promoting the health, safety, and well-being of each child.

Our Goals

The CASA program has two primary goals:

1. To advocate for the health, education, and medical needs of children in foster care and help them achieve permanency
2. To recruit, train, and swear-in a sufficient number of quality volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in juvenile court proceedings

What We Do

CASA is a volunteer-driven advocacy program for children and youth from birth to 18 years old involved in the foster care system who appear before the Juvenile Court in dependency hearings. Our organization advocates for the following services deemed essential to the well-being of a child:

• Medical and preventative services
• Counseling and mental health services
• Educational services

When provided, these services help children and youth recover from the trauma of abuse or neglect and help begin the healing process while in foster care. This early intervention allows children to ultimately succeed in school and life. CASA serves as a resource to help families locate community agencies that can assist in providing a safe and stable environment with the future goal of re-unification if possible.

Tell Me More About CASA

Become a CASA Volunteer

What is a CASA?

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is defined as a community volunteer who:

• has been screened and trained regarding child abuse and neglect, child development, and juvenile proceedings
• has met all the requirements of an affiliate CASA program
• is being actively supervised by an affiliate CASA
• has been sworn in by a judge of the juvenile court /circuit in which they serve

What is CASA and how you can make a difference

Become a CASA Volunteer

Contact Keagan Clark at kclark@twincedars.org for more information about becoming a CASA.

CASA Volunteer Application

Upcoming Training Dates

2025 CASA TRAINING DATES

Orientation August 21, 2025

Week one:  August 28, 2025

Week two:   September 4, 2025

Week three:  September 11, 2025

Week four:   September 18, 2025

Week five:   September 25, 2025

Accreditation

We are a member in good standing with the National CASA/GAL Association in the Georgia CASA Association. We are a proud community partner of United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. As a program of Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc., Chattahoochee CASA is accredited by the Council of Accreditation (COA).

Accomplishments

FY 2025 Annual Report

FY 2024 Annual Report

FY 2023 Annual Report

FY 2022 Annual Report

2013 Award recipient of the Courier-Eco Latino community service award

2012 Award recipient of the Greater Columbus Chapter of AARP “Unsung Heroes” community award

Volunteer Spotlight

Jessica Bankston was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate on 5.18.21, and accepted her first case of four siblings on 6.7.21. Due to untreated mental illness, their mother was not able to provide adequate housing or care to the children and was routinely committed involuntarily, both civilly and criminally, throughout the life of the case. Jessica immediately began building relationships with the children and their placement through regular face-to-face visits and telephone calls. Several of the children needed extensive services to include therapeutic, behavioral, and academic services. Jessica advocated for each child’s unique needs. If there was a need, Jessica saw that, through collaborative partnerships with various community partners including the Department of Family and Children Services, therapists, hospitals, and school personnel, the children’s best interests were not lost. Jessica demonstrated that no task or conversation was too difficult when it came to the needs of her CASA kiddos, and most importantly, she never let a “no” stop her from advocating for them. On 3.13.25, after 2,076 days in foster care, two of the siblings found their forever home! As for the remaining two siblings, Jessica continues to identify and advocate for additional services that will ensure stability in the placement and support the potential adoptive placement. Jessica has been steadfast in her efforts as she continues to advocate in their best interest for permanency.

While continuing to advocate for the sibling group of four, Jessica accepted a second case on 3.29.22. Due to substance misuse while pregnant and a failed in-home safety plan, the parents were not able to provide safe and adequate housing for their child. Upon entering care as a newborn, services were limited to general assessments to ensure that age-appropriate milestones were being met. At the time of removal, relative resources had not been identified, and a foster home was made available. After 270 days (9 months and 5 days) in a foster placement, a kinship placement was identified. Jessica built relationships with the child, the placements, and the daycare teachers. While Jessica had some communication at the onset of the case with the parents, that communication and their involvement in their court-ordered case plan dwindled. Jessica’s relentless advocacy and established partnerships helped navigate this case towards permanency. Through Jessica’s fierce advocacy efforts, her CASA child found her forever home through adoption on 6.28.24, after being in the Department’s custody for 927 days.

Jessica is dependable and shows up every chance she gets. She has been active in the children’s lives, following them across multiple placements, and ensuring that all necessary, as well as required, services are in place. She has volunteered over 936 hours and driven over 4,500 miles to visit each child. She is present for every court hearing and readily available to testify on behalf of the children and their needs/wishes. She provides a thorough record of the children’s ongoing needs to all involved parties and works to ensure their best interests are addressed! It is Jessica’s attention to detail, collaboration, and her commitment to her CASA kiddos that make her such a huge asset to not only Chattahoochee CASA but to the children she serves. Jessica is a CASA because “children are our most precious resource, and it should not hurt to be a child. I make the difference!”

Gallery

Our History

Chattahoochee CASA

Re-organized under Twin Cedars Youth & Family Services, Inc. in 2008, Chattahoochee CASA has been serving children since June 2009.

National CASA/GAL

Please visit http://www.casaforchildren.org to learn more about the history of the National CASA/GAL organization.

Georgia CASA

Please visit https://www.gacasa.org/to learn more about the history of the Georgia CASA organization.

Referrals & Donations

Contact Info