CASA Chapter Seeks Additional Volunteers

CASA by the Lakes Director Lindsey Harlan says the organization is "actively seeking" volunteers at this time, so that children who have been abandoned, neglected, or abused can have an adult voice in court.

CASA stands for Court-Appointed-Special-Advocates. The program includes training which requires participants to become familiar with courtroom procedures, and circumstances of assigned cases, so that evaluations and recommendations that in are in the best interest of the child can be made in court until a permanent plan for the child is created. The lakes chapter represented 97 children in 2012. That number seems large, but Harlan says that's about one-fifth of the children who could have benefited from the services that CASA offers.

Those who may want to consider becoming a volunteer must be at least 21 years of age, and pass a background check. Thirty hours of training will begin after that. Classes can be scheduled based on the needs of the volunteer,  or individuals can take advantage of pre-scheduled classes, which begin in July.

More information can be obtained by emailing casapr@murray-ky.net or by calling 270-761-0164.