CASA for Kids, Inc. had its beginnings as an umbrella program of the CASA of Northeast Tennessee program based out of Johnson City. In 1991, concerned citizens in Kingsport incorporated their own program, CASA of Sullivan County, Inc. Upon receiving their first expansion grant from National CASA Association, CASA of Sullivan County, Inc. extended its service to include the greater Bristol community of Sullivan County. Then in 2001, service was again expanded to its neighbor, Hawkins County. Following this expansion, to be inclusive, the chartered name was formally changed to CASA for Kids, Inc.. In 2006, CASA for Kids, Inc. implemented a satellite office in Bristol. In 2010, CASA for Kids, Inc. implemented its second satellite office in Rogersville serving Hawkins County. The first CASA program was established in Seattle, Washington in 1977. The National CASA Association which was formed in 1984 with having over 950 CASA programs nationwide today, has officially certified CASA for Kids, Inc.
CASA for Kids, Inc. assigns professionally trained Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA Volunteers) to cases of abused/neglected children referred by the following juvenile courts:
• Hawkins County, serving the Hawkins county area, Judge Daniel Boyd presiding
• Sullivan County, Division II, serving the greater Kingsport area, Judge Mark Toohey presiding
• Sullivan County, Division II, serving the greater Kingsport area, Judge Ray Conkin presiding
• Sullivan County, Division II, serving the greater Kingsport area, Magistrate Jeff Luethke presiding
• Sullivan County, Division I, serving the greater Bristol area, Judge Klyne Lauderback presiding
• Sullivan County, Division I, serving the greater Bristol area, interim Judge David Tipton presiding
• City of Bristol, TN Juvenile Court, Judge Randy Kennedy presiding
During fiscal year 2012/2013, with 8 staff, 18 board directors and 100+ active CASA volunteers, CASA for Kids, Inc. served 590 alleged abused/neglected children coming to the attention of the 4 juvenile courts in Sullivan & Hawkins Counties, helping them to more quickly end up in safe permanent homes.
