In 1993, the Garland County court system reported more than 300 dependency/neglect cases on the dockets. Each passing year brought an increased number of these cases into the court system. In January 1995, under the leadership of Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Cook, the Garland County CASA program was established with the mission to advocate for children in Garland County. In 2015, our program expanded into Hot Spring and Grant counties, becoming Tri-Lakes CASA.

Tri-Lakes CASA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and are governed by a board of directors. We serve Garland, Hot Spring and Grant counties.

CASA of Clark and Pike Counties

CASA of Clark and Pike Counties began in November 1999 as CASA of Clark County, Inc., when Judge Robert McCallum and local community leaders recognized the need for trained volunteers to advocate for children in the court system. In 2015, the program expanded to serve Pike County as well, becoming CASA of Clark and Pike Counties, continuing its mission to support and speak up for the best interests of children in foster care.

In October 2025, Tri-Lakes CASA and CASA of Clark and Pike Counties will combine efforts to create a strong and meaningful partnership. Together, we share a mission to advocate for the best interests of children in foster care and are committed to ensuring that every child in our region has a dedicated CASA volunteer. By combining our efforts, we strengthen our ability to serve more children and families across county lines with compassion, consistency, and care.

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.

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.