Volunteer Profile: Q&A with Kathy McCarter

For children navigating the child welfare system, the presence of one steady, caring adult can change everything. That’s the role of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA): a trained volunteer who shows up, speaks up, and stands by a child throughout their case. CASA volunteers visit regularly, attend court hearings and review board meetings, and advocate for what’s best for the child — building trusted relationships that sometimes last well beyond the courtroom.

Kathy McCarter has lived in Lawrence since 2001. A retired technical business analyst with a family of six children and eleven grandchildren, she spends much of her time quilting and cheering from the sidelines at grandkids’ baseball games and orchestra concerts. She never expected that one volunteer case would lead to a lifelong bond and even legal guardianship — a special and rare outcome in the experience of being a CASA.

“I thought I’d take on one case and move on,” she says. “But that one case ended up being Tiffany.”

We spoke with Kathy about how she became a CASA, the challenges and joys of supporting a young person through an unpredictable system, and what she’s learned about advocacy, persistence, and love along the way.

Can you tell us how you first got involved with CASA, and how that led to meeting Tiffany? 

KM: I honestly can’t remember how I first heard about CASA, but I thought it was such a cool program. I went through the training while I was still working, and I took on one case, thinking I’d just do that and then move on. But that one case ended up being Tiffany. I met her when she was 14, and now she’s 35. I’ve known her longer than anyone else in her life.

At the time, she was living at Lake Mary for Exceptional Children in Paola. I went with a social worker to meet her because her previous CASA had stepped away. I still remember how nervous we both were that day. That place, Lake Mary, was a whole world I hadn’t seen before — so many kids, so many challenges. But we connected, and Tiffany still likes to talk about things we did during that time.

Tiffany was in state custody, and she has developmental delays and behavioral issues. She’s been through many placements over the years and has been asked to leave most of them because of disruptive behaviors. 

Sometimes she’ll go for long stretches doing really well, and then out of the blue, things shift. That’s part of why she’s at a hospital now. But throughout all of it, we’ve stayed connected. After four years of being her CASA, when she was getting ready to age out of the system, I went to court and became her legal guardian. 

What did you role as Tiffany's CASA look like in practice? 

KM: As Tiffany’s CASA, I visited her once a month, no matter where she was. That sometimes meant driving five and a half hours each way to Dodge City. I’d always tell her, “I’ll find you — wherever you are, I’ll find you. I might be late, but I’ll be there.” We used to laugh about how often I’d get lost on the way to see her. But I always showed up.

Throughout her case, I went to every court date, citizen review board meeting, and team meeting. One of the most important roles I played was simply being the person who had known her the longest. The people on her team changed often — social workers, staff at new placements — and they didn’t always know what to expect. I’d ask for time to sit down with them and share what I knew, not to bias them, but to help them understand her patterns and triggers so they could better support her. 

I’ve tried to support Tiffany in ways that protect her, without being restrictive. She has a lot of charm, and people meet her and think, “Oh, poor Tiff,” and they want to jump in and help. But they don’t always understand what she needs or what could go wrong. I’ve tried to be that buffer. 

She still remembers that I went to her high school graduation, sat in the front row, and it rained. She brings that up sometimes. I think it meant a lot to her that I was there for that moment.

What does your relationship with Tiffany look like today? 

KM: This relationship has gone far beyond what I expected when I signed up to be a CASA. The training said cases might last two years. It’s been over 20. But I felt deeply committed to Tiffany and couldn’t imagine walking away. I still feel that way. 

These days, we talk once a week. Phone calls can be tough for her to manage, so we settled on a routine — she calls me on Sunday afternoons. Now she’s at Parsons State Hospital. My husband and I drive down together at least once a month to visit her. We attend Special Olympics events and even the rodeo they host at the hospital. We try to make it more than just a check-in — something fun to look forward to.

In many ways, this has felt like an extension of parenting, though not quite the same. My own six kids grew up to be independent and self-sufficient, which I’m very grateful for. With Tiffany, it’s different. She likes to think of herself as one of my kids, and honestly, she kind of is. She loves my children and my grandkids. She knows when their birthdays are. She’s even on our family calendar. She’ll remind me, “So-and-so’s birthday is next week,” and she’s always right.

She’s family. That’s just what it is.

What has this experience meant to you personally? 

KM: This experience has meant a lot. I think most of us want to help, to give back in whatever way we can. A friend of mine, a pastor, once said, “Don’t think about how much you’re already doing — think about what else you could do.” That mindset stuck with me.

One thing I’ve learned is that you can’t go into a CASA relationship expecting thank-yous. Many kids simply don’t have that to give, especially because of their past experiences. Tiffany does thank me now, especially with encouragement from staff at the hospital, but I never did it for recognition. It’s not about me; it’s about her. She’s had a really tough life, and she can’t help that.

Why do you think CASA is so important, especially here in Douglas County? 

KM: I’m really proud that here in Douglas County, every child in the system gets the opportunity to have a CASA if one is available. I think that’s something worth supporting. These are kids who didn’t get what they needed the first time around. That’s why they’re in this situation. But they can get that support now. And that’s what CASA provides. These kids need someone in their corner. 

What would you say to someone who's thinking about becoming a CASA but isn't sure they're the right person for the job? 

KM: I remember feeling the same way. I thought, This is a whole world I know nothing about. I don’t know what’s going to be expected of me. I don’t know how to do this. But what I would say to someone who’s thinking about becoming a CASA is: You can do it.

There’s a lot of support. The CASA folks were wonderful. Everyone on Tiffany’s team was supportive. They help you. You don’t have to do it all alone.

I’m not someone who naturally stands up for myself. But when it’s for somebody else, I can advocate. I’ve kind of surprised myself. There were times when I really had to speak up and say, “No — we need to do this,” or “This isn’t right,” and I did.

When it came time for Tiffany to age out of the system, and I was thinking about continuing as her guardian, everyone was so supportive — the judge, the CASA staff, everyone. They said, “Yes, you can do this. We’ll help you.” It’s not necessarily easy, but you don’t do it alone. There are people to call on.

So yes, you can do it. Anybody can.