About

Mission

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Heartland recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused, neglected and dependent children under the protection of the Hardin County Family Court system.

Vision

Every child in need has a compassionate, caring and qualified volunteer advocate, and ultimately a safe, permanent, loving home where they can thrive.

Values

In working to achieve our vision, we act on the following core values:

● Excellence in our endeavors.

● Inclusiveness, diversity and respect for all cultures and ethnicities: for children, families, volunteers, staff, board, and supporters.

● Empowering the community through strong screening, training, supervision and support of our volunteers and staff, and advocacy for our children.

● Honorable and respectful involvement in the child welfare system, with the courts, children and families and our community.

● Strong, caring, and compassionate advocacy as the eyes, ears, and voice for the child.

● Faithful stewardship with thoughtful and intentional use of program resources to maximize our positive impact on the children and families within our community.

CASA Volunteers

Our volunteers, known as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), are assigned specific cases by the Hardin County Family Court judges. CASA is often appointed to the most severe or worrisome cases of abuse and/or neglect.

CASA volunteers ensure that the children they serve receive proper advocacy, guidance, and support while navigating the complexities of the legal and social service systems. CASA volunteers advocate for their children on many levels to ensure they receive therapeutic, educational, and personal attention needed to recover from the trauma they have endured. A CASA volunteer is often the eyes, ears and voice for a child while within the system. By meeting these needs, children increase their chances to grow into healthy, thriving adults.

A CASA volunteer is often the one constant adult in a child’s life throughout the entire Family Court process. By focusing solely on that child’s best interest, the CASA ensures that their specific and individual needs are met, while the ultimate goal is to make certain a child is placed in a safe, permanent and loving home.

Volunteer Training Process

Each CASA volunteer undergoes a thorough training process, which includes:

Application

Completing an application packet and an initial interview with a CASA of the Heartland staff member.

Training Course

Completing the Volunteer Training Course, administered by CASA of the Heartland. The five-session course provides the required 30 hours of training and is offered six times throughout the year.

Final Interview

Engaging in a final interview with a CASA of the Heartland staff member, board member, and current volunteer

Get Sworn In

Being sworn in by a Family Court Judge.

Observation

Completing courtroom observation.

How Can You Help?

Our goal is to recruit, train and support enough volunteers to provide a CASA for every child that needs a CASA. This cannot happen without a healthy level of support from our community by way of fundraising and receiving financial donations.

Per National CASA standards, all chapters must employ one full-time staff member for every 45 children we serve. The financial support of our community partners helps support our cause and enables us to employ our paid staff, who are available 24 hours a day to support our CASA volunteers as needed.

CASA of the Heartland staff members are continuously active in community networking, building relationships, and growing our organization. By increasing our capacity, we can recruit more volunteers and serve a greater number of children. We always welcome the opportunity to speak about CASA of the Heartland with community groups and organizations. If your organization is interested in learning more, please contact us to schedule a presentation.

CASA of the Heartland is a member of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (NCASA) Association and the Kentucky CASA Network. We are also a United Way of Central Kentucky funded partner.