History of CASA
Learn about the rich history of CASA and Youth Heartline's unwavering commitment to advocating for children in foster care.
History of CASA
In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington, saw a recurring problem in his courtroom: "In criminal and civil cases, even though there were always many different points of view, you walked out of the courthouse at the end of the day and you said, 'I've done my best; I can live with this decision,' he explains. But when you're involved with a child and you're trying to decide what to do to facilitate that child's growth into a mature and happy adult, you don't feel like you have sufficient information to allow you to make the right decision. You wonder, 'Do I really know everything I should? Have I really been told all of the different things? Is this really right?"
To ensure he was getting all the facts and the long-term welfare of each child was being represented, Judge Soukup came up with an idea that would change America's judicial procedure and the lives of over a million children. He obtained funding to recruit and train community volunteers to step into courtrooms on behalf of the children: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers. Implemented in Seattle in 1977, the program provided 110 trained CASA volunteers for 498 children in that first year. National recognition and grants resulted in the replication of the Seattle CASA program in courts across the country.
In July of 1990, the U.S. Congress authorized the expansion of CASA with the passage of the "Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990" (P.L. 101-647), so that a "court-appointed special advocate shall be available to every victim of child abuse or neglect in the United States that needs such an advocate." The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect included utilization of CASA and GAL volunteers among critical first steps recommended to bring the "national emergency" of child abuse and neglect in America today under control.
Today the National CASA Association represents nearly 1,000 CASA and guardian ad litem programs in 49 states and the District of Columbia -- recruiting, screening, training and supporting 98,000 volunteers to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom and other settings.
Hisotry of Youth Heartline CASA
Established in 1991 as the first and only CASA program for the 8th Judicial District, we became Youth Heartline in the early 2000s and opened our Raton office in 2007. What began as a single CASA program has since grown into a broader mission: providing safety and stability for families, children, and individuals throughout northeast New Mexico.
In 2026, Youth Heartline expanded to take over the CASA program for the 4th Judicial District. We are committed to improving long-term outcomes and access to services by reducing risk factors and barriers for underserved children and families across Colfax, Taos, Union, Guadalupe, Mora, and San Miguel Counties.
In 2025, we served 114 children through the work of 15 CASA volunteers and 3 staff members across the 8th Judicial District.