NCJFCJ News
The Tennessee CASA Association, with a mission to support, develop, expand, and unite local CASA programs, has been honored with the prestigious Innovator of the Year Award by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The award was presented at the 12th annual Justice Innovation Awards ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee during the NCJFCJ’s 89th Annual Conference. This award highlights Tennessee CASA Association’s commitment to recruiting and training volunteers in more than 30 local programs to advocate for children who have been abused and neglected.
“This award is a fitting tribute to an organization that has become a model for CASA programs nationwide,” said Judge Amanda N. Heath, NCJFCJ president. “Their volunteers give judges the trusted, on-the-ground information they need to make decisions that truly serve a child’s best interests, and this award reflects the depth of that impact.”
The Tennessee network consists of programs serving 63 counties in appointing trained volunteers to communicate with all parties, study all information, and develop a relationship with the children served in order to make a best interest recommendation to the court. In fiscal year 2026, 1,351 volunteers advocated for 6,362 children and served a total of 161,870 hours. The Tennessee CASA Association’s effectiveness is measured by 85% of juvenile court judges reporting that a CASA volunteer’s involvement had a positive impact on permanency.
“The NCJFCJ is proud to honor the Tennessee CASA Association’s dedication to impacting the lives of children and their families,” said Judge Sheila D.J. Calloway, board director, NCJFCJ and Davidson County juvenile court judge. “The organization has a stellar reputation for providing training and technical support to ensure community volunteers advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courts.”
“It is an honor to receive this recognition on behalf of our board of directors and staff who demonstrate nothing but excellence,” said Lynne Farrar, executive director, Tennessee CASA Association. “We pride ourselves in bringing together experts, practitioners, and volunteers to ensure the safety, well-being, and permanency of children.”
The NCJFCJ also honored Judge Selina Mireles, associate judge of the Child Protection Court for Webb, Zapata, Duval and Jim Hogg counties in Texas, with the NCJFCJ Impact of the Year Award for her leading the charge in developing meaningful solutions for youth in the Texas Emergency Network Diversion Court.
