In early 2015, a few members of the Dickson County Foster Care Review Board met with Juvenile Court Judge, Michael Meise, and his staff to discuss their concerns regarding the needs of abused and neglected children and the possibility of creating a CASA program in Dickson County. 

 

​Judge Meise has been an educator with the Dickson County Board of Education and worked part-time as a Public Defender for the 23rd Judicial District. After giving it a lot of thought and consideration over a few months, Judge Meise realized the need for CASA in Dickson County. He met again with those Foster Care Review Board members and with staff from the TN CASA Association to determine how to move forward. 

 

In July 2015, with the help of the TN CASA Association, Meagan Frazier Grosvenor, Emma Hall, Neal Trice, and other interested members of the community held a meeting to discuss the need for CASA in Dickson County. Another meeting was held a month later to continue to gather community input. A planning committee was established and assessed the need for CASA in Dickson County. 

 

In September 2015, CASA of the Highland Rim began an official non-profit registered with the State of Tennessee and received its 501(c)3 designation from the IRS. A 15-member Board of Directors was created, which established by-laws and its mission, goals, and objectives to serve abused and neglected children in state custody in Dickson County. 

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By the beginning of March 2016, CASA of the Highland Rim hired its first part-time employee. Dickson County now has two full-time employees dedicated to case work and a full-time Executive Director who serves all of the counties that make up CASA of the Highland Rim.