Starke County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program added four new volunteers Tuesday. Jonathon Hardesty, Erica Hemphill, Jim Kephart, and Joann Mizanskey were sworn in during a virtual ceremony. As CASAs, they’ll help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system.
Continue readingStarke County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program added two more volunteers Thursday. Rosemary Rose and Shannon Ryan were sworn in after their final training class Thursday, according to Starke County CASA Program Director Connie Deal. She says the ceremony was held virtually for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue readingWhen it comes to making sure abused and neglected kids get the support they need, Starke County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program plays a big role. Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall says the program currently has about 40 trained volunteers.
Continue readingProtecting abused and neglected kids is a big priority for courts across Indiana, according to Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall. “There are so many ways that we support children, and we need to and we have to,” he says. “It’s so important because they’re helpless.”
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Across the country, thousands of kids in foster care are waiting for forever families. Each year, courts celebrate National Adoption Day to raise awareness.
Last week, Starke Circuit Court opened four of its adoption hearings to the public. Judge Kim Hall says it’s the only time of the year the Indiana Supreme Court allows video and photography in the courtroom.
Continue readingPulaski County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program will be able to get the funding it needs for another year. CASAs are trained volunteers who help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system.
Continue readingPulaski County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates are hoping to get grant funding to increase awareness of the program. CASAs are trained volunteers who help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system.
Continue readingThe Pulaski County Commissioners have signed off on funding arrangements for the county’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program. During last week’s meeting, it was explained that the county council has allocated $40,000 to the CASA program, and the state would provide more than $8,400 in grant funding.
The Pulaski County Commissioners will meet tonight in the County Highway Garage. They had planned to move back to the courthouse, but an unexpected delay in the elevator project has led to a change in location.
There is still time to register for the spring session of Starke County CASA training for anyone interested in being the voice for a local child in need.
A “CASA” or a Court Appointed Special Advocate works with local children who have had abuse or neglect reported to the authorities. Starke County CASA Director Rhonda Adcock has been a CASA volunteer for 10 years and has served as Starke County’s director for 8 years.
Adcock reported that since becoming the director, she’s seen the number of cases in the county triple. While they have seen in increase in the amount of volunteers over the last few years, Adcock said this next class will be very important in helping eliminate the CASA waiting list in Starke County. Continue reading
Pulaski County residents have the chance to learn how they can help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system. Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn told the county council and commissioners Monday that an open house is planned, to celebrate the county’s newly-independent Court Appointed Special Advocates program. Continue reading
An uptick in court cases involving children has led to some changes for Pulaski County’s Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program. CASAs are trained volunteers who help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system.
Volunteers are needed in Starke County to shepherd abused and neglected children through the court system. Court Appointed Special Advocates, CASAs for short, represent the best interests of children in state custody during all of their court proceedings. Their recommendations carry a lot of weight when it comes to determining a permanent placement for youngsters. Continue reading
Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) will gather at the Indiana State House on Monday to show support for the program and raise awareness of the needs of abused and neglected children. Continue reading
Applications are now being accepted for training this fall for volunteers wanting to be part of the Starke County Court Appointed Special Advocate program, or CASA.
CASA volunteers work to help abused and neglected children find safe, permanent homes after they are taken from their primary homes and placed into temporary foster care. Every advocate is trained to be a voice for children’s best interest.
There are more and more children that need your help in Starke County.
If you are interested in being a volunteer, the beginning of the fall training class has been scheduled for Aug. 27. Call (574) 772-7200 for more information or email starkecountycasa@yahoo.com. The deadline to apply for this training is Aug. 6.
Four new Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, members were sworn into service by Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall in a special ceremony Tuesday.
Katlyn Foust, Patricia Camp, Rebecca Berg, John Wampler each completed 30 hours of classroom training plus an hour of observing cases. They all passed four separate background checks, including a federal fingerprint search.
Eight new Court Appointed Special Advocate members were recently sworn into service.
