Our Mission
Tri-Lakes CASA champions the voice of every child who has experienced abuse or neglect by empowering trained volunteers to advocate for their safety, stability, and a brighter future.
Our Vision
Tri-Lakes CASA envisions a future where every child who has experienced abuse or neglect is empowered by a dedicated advocate and has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, permanent, and loving home.
Program History
Tri-Lakes CASA
In 1993, the Garland County court system reported more than 300 dependency-neglect cases on its dockets, with the number continuing to increase each year. Recognizing the need for dedicated advocates for children involved in the court system, Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Cook helped establish Garland County CASA in January 1995.
A similar need was identified in Clark County, where Judge Robert McCallum and local community leaders established CASA of Clark County, Inc. in November 1999. That program expanded into Pike County in 2015, becoming CASA of Clark and Pike Counties.
Garland County CASA also grew to meet the needs of children in surrounding communities, expanding into Hot Spring and Grant counties in 2015 and becoming Tri-Lakes CASA.
In October 2025, the two programs united under Tri-Lakes CASA, bringing together decades of experience, community partnerships, and a shared commitment to children. Today, Tri-Lakes CASA serves Garland, Hot Spring, Grant, Clark, and Pike counties as one regional organization.
Tri-Lakes CASA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Our mission is to recruit, train, and support dedicated volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. By working across county lines as one program, we are strengthening our ability to serve more children and families with compassion, consistency, and care.
Our goal is to ensure that every child in foster care throughout our five-county region has a trained CASA volunteer to provide a voice, offer stability, and advocate for a safe and permanent home.
Arkansas State CASA Association
Tri-Lakes CASA is completely independent of the Arkansas State CASA Association; however we are grateful for the guidance and support we receive from them. Arkansas State CASA is a court-based organization located in Little Rock that is committed to helping create and support CASA programs throughout our state. Their mission is to foster a network of interactive, yet independent, programs that are well-managed and accountable to children’s needs.
There are currently 23 CASA programs around the state.
To learn more about Arkansas State CASA, please click here.
National CASA Association
In 1977, a Seattle Superior Court Judge named David Soukup was concerned about trying to make decisions on behalf of abused and neglected children without enough information. He conceived the idea of appointing community volunteers to speak up for the best interests of these children in court. He made a request for volunteers; 50 citizens responded, and that was the start of the CASA movement.
Today, there are more than 85,000 advocates serving in nearly 950 state and local programs nationwide. CASA programs across the country are known by several different names, including Guardian ad Litem, Child Advocates, and Voices for Children. Since the inception of CASA advocacy, volunteers have helped well over 1,000,000 children find safe, permanent homes in which they can thrive.
To learn more about National CASA Association, please click here.
