Their Voices On Behalf Of Children Often Make A Crucial Difference

CASA of the River Region

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are volunteers who support vulnerable children in our community by speaking up for their best interests. CASA of the River Region serves Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties and will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year.

“We are really proud of our work, but we are also experiencing a decline in volunteerism since COVID,” says Will Myers, president and CEO of CASA of the River Region. “We are working to get our numbers up.”

As of now, there are 147 kids waiting to be matched with a volunteer. This is a critical step in the process because only volunteers can serve as CASA representatives, and their voices on behalf of the children often make the crucial difference in those kids’ lives.

“As an organization that only works with volunteers, it’s been a real challenge,” Will says. “The state is suffering from a lack of social workers and other youth-serving staff. Sometimes our CASA volunteers are the only ones checking in on kids experiencing abuse and neglect. I look at this as a call to action.”

Will provides more information about CASA volunteering:

• CASA volunteers are people who get to know children experiencing abuse and neglect, and they walk with them through the journey in court. They check that a child has a safe home environment, that they get to the doctor and dentist as needed, and that their needs are being met. CASA volunteers write these findings in a report that is given to the family court judge.
• In Kentucky, CASA volunteers are part of a team composed of a social worker, county attorney, guardian ad litem attorney, and school representative. A CASA is not a professionally trained youth worker but a supportive and caring volunteer looking out for the child’s best interests.
• CASA volunteers must be at least 21 years old, have a clear background check, and not be involved in family court as a foster parent.
• After completing an application, interview, and background checks, CASA provides a 30-hour training for each volunteer (either in a group or individually). Once ready to serve, the volunteer is sworn in by a judge and must agree to serve for one year. This is because commitment and consistency matter, particularly for these children.
• A CASA supervisor provides ongoing support for the volunteer all the way through the process, including going to court and conducting home visits.

“One unique thing is that we allow the volunteer to pick their case(s) and how much of a time commitment they can make,” Will says. This allows CASA of the River Region to retain more volunteers, and that ultimately benefits the children they serve. “I want people to remember that CASA volunteers don’t need a social work background. They are supportive people who ensure that kids get the attention and care they need. They get to know the children, to be involved in their lives, and to make a huge difference. It really just takes common sense.” To learn more and watch an informative video, go to www.casariverregion.org.

Each of these local agencies go above and beyond to serve the needs of our vulnerable youth, but we all know that it takes a village. Hopefully, this piece will have piqued your curiosity to learn more about the different ways you can help. Each organization’s website will tell you more about the opportunities described here, but they also list other ways that you can support their incredible efforts. As author Paula Coelho says, “A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be curious; to fight tirelessly for something.”

By Megan S. Willman