The DeKalb County Court Appointed Special Advocate program urges adults to make a difference in the life of a child in foster care. According to a press release, CASA volunteers don’t have to be lawyers or a social workers. They are everyday people, trained by the DeKalb County CASA Program and then appointed by the Chief Judge of DeKalb County Juvenile Court to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children.
For many children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their life. DeKalb County CASA volunteers work with the Juvenile Court and Division of Family and Children Services to ensure that all the necessary information is collected and presented to the court allowing the judge to make the best decision possible regarding permanent placement of the child.
The DeKalb County CASA Program is designed to give abused and neglected children in foster care a powerful voice. DeKalb County CASA recognizes the need for individualized advocacy throughout the court process and utilizes dedicated, concerned, well-trained citizen volunteers to protect the child’s best interests.
The public is invited to attend a volunteer informational session hosted by DeKalb County CASA at the Gregory A. Adams Juvenile Justice Center, 4309 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Sessions will be held 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11; 6:15 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18 and 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19.
The session will provide an overview of the program for those interested in becoming a CASA volunteer. Volunteers must attend one information session and complete a screening interview with staff before beginning training. The next Flex Training Session will begin in October. Flex training is a blended training consisting of five in-person sessions and five on line sessions. Details regarding meeting dates and times will be provided upon acceptance into the program.
Information: Justine Ferreira, Recruitment and Retention Coordinator at 404-378-0038 or Justine.Ferreira@dekalbcasa.org
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