In 1977, Seattle Superior Court Judge David Soukup was having a difficult time making crucial-life changing decisions that impacted children’s lives without enough information about the unique circumstances of each abused or neglected child that he saw in his courtroom. Given the incomplete case facts he heard from the bench, he decided to deputize a friend to do a thorough investigation of a child’s situation and get to know the child themself.

It was a novel idea, and it worked. After spreading the word, 50 citizens answered the call to become the first Court Appointed Special Advocates. Since the establishment of the first CASA program, the idea spread nationally and CASA Volunteer Advocates have advocated for millions of children.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress encouraged CASA programs' expansion with the passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act. Today, a network of 939 state and local CASA programs operates in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

A group of Baltimore County citizens desiring to serve abused and neglected children coordinated efforts to start a local CASA program and incorporated the new nonprofit in 2000. Headed by the founding executive director, Susan Daddio, and the first board of directors, CASA of Baltimore County expanded rapidly.

Today, a staff of 13 employees supports approximately 165 volunteer advocates each year. We serve roughly one-third of the 600 abused and neglected children who are in foster care in Baltimore County.