CASA is expanding its services across the Commonwealth

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – CASA of the Heartland is expanding to Hart County.

The nonprofit’s goal is to expand into every county in Kentucky, and to accomplish this, they have worked with judges and CASA of Southern Kentucky.

CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers, are “appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interests,” according to CASA’s website. The website further explains those volunteers help give a voice for children who have survived abuse or neglect, with many being in foster care.

Melinda Hill, executive director of CASA of South Central Kentucky, tells us, “Kentucky CASA Network. The state organization wants to expand into all 100 counties of the Commonwealth. South-central Kentucky is very blessed to have served eight of those counties. But recently we just gave Hart County to the CASA of the Heartland.“

Michelle Kail, the executive director of CASA of the Heartland, shares, “We’re really excited to be able to grow our services and prioritize the needs of children in our region. To get to know the children that they’re working with, and the children that they serve, our kiddos who are in the court system because of abuse, neglect and dependency.”

Connecting children in need to the resources that they need could change their lives.

Kail says, “Children who are navigating situations like that that have a CASA, are, are much less likely to reenter the court system due to dependency, neglect and abuse.”

This is just the beginning for CASA of the Heartland, but the outcome for the many children in court will be better because more kids will have an advocate.

Hill says, “And the whole focus of this is the ability to serve more children. Give those children a voice in our court system.”

If you’re looking for a way to support CASA, they are always in need of volunteers. For more information, visit CASA of the Heartland’s website or CASA of South Central Kentucky’s website.