The Court Appointed Special Advocates with the auspicious CASA of Jefferson County were voted Madison’s Best Community and Family Resource for 2024 by their community. The program is assigned every child that enters the system with the local Department of Child Services for Child In Need of Services (CHINS) cases, but they are not the emergency personnel, they are the constant caring adults who volunteer to keep showing up for these children from the onset to the completion of their cases.

CASA volunteers are trained to act as first-hand experts on the individual needs of abused and neglected children in the system due to abuse or neglect, giving them the best possible chance at a hopeful future. As an appointed officer of the court, a CASA volunteer assumes the following core responsibilities:

Serve as a fact-finder for the judge by thoroughly researching the background of the assigned case.

Speak on behalf of the child in the courtroom, representing his or her best interests.

Act as a “watchdog” for the child for the duration of the case, ensuring it is brought to a swift and appropriate conclusion.

All CASA volunteers undergo a thorough training and development program that consists of at least 30 hours of pre-service training, followed by 12 hours of yearly in-service training. They learn about courtroom procedure from the principals in the system – judges, lawyers, social workers, court personnel, and others.

CASA volunteers also learn effective advocacy techniques for children, and are educated about specific topics ranging from seminars on child sexual abuse to discussions on early childhood development and adolescent behavior. After completion of the initial training, volunteers are sworn in as Officers of the Court. This gives them the legal authority to conduct research on the child’s situation and submit reports to the court.

There are 954 CASA programs in our Nation, and nearly every county in Indiana has one. Jefferson County’s CASA program was recently awarded with the most contact with providers and other stakeholders for the state of Indiana. This means, our advocates are clearly going above and beyond to collect information, build rapport with their CASA kids, and submitting the most accurate information to the court on the child’s behalf.

“What some may not realize is our advocates are the only constant adult in the lives of these children. Sometimes placements disrupt for various reasons. With the lack of foster homes in our state, children can be placed hours away from Jefferson County. This means a new community, new school, new foster family and siblings, hopefully new friends, and the worst of all, all new adults transporting them to visit their parents, providing them with therapy, and other services necessary. Hope for these children are the CASA volunteers who follows them wherever they may go, becoming the most familiar face throughout their case.”

Jefferson County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates

Harriet Ann Hoffman, Marla Arnold, Owen McCall, Laura Lawson, Sara Scroggins, Daniel Hellmann, Jillian Gregory, Becky Stewart, Joy Hamilton, Julia Clayton, Mary Jo Hoffman, Jacque McDaniel, Brittany Demaree, Kathy Cooper, John Davis, Sally Nay, Leah Mays, Katie Powers, Pat Russell, Bob Waller, Taryn Holland, Sara Stetson, Ruth Turner, Aubre Carter, Karlee Sedam, Crystal Danford, Susan Thevenow, Beth McRoberts, Stephanie Miller, and Kate Shaffery.

“This means a lot because not only do we as CASA’s recognize that our community needs to advocate for children who can’t advocate for themselves, but the whole city of Madison does too. We’re spreading like wildfire!” Karlee Sedam, CASA Volunteer.

“It is my honor to be a CASA. I am reminded of that every time I visit my children. I am their voice and I have a role in making their world a better place in which to thrive.” Marla Arnold, CASA Volunteer.

“Being a CASA means being a voice for those more vulnerable than I, being a hero for someone who is hurting, who is struggling or even suffering in ways we cannot imagine. I think Maya Angelou said it best; "A Hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” And in being a CASA, that’s all I can try to do. I’m incredibly grateful and thankful and blessed to be a part of this community of loving and kind-hearted people.” Katie Powers, CASA Volunteer.

Jefferson County, thank you. Thank you for giving our CASA volunteers the much deserved recognition for the work they are doing. This isn’t always an easy role, and your encouragement and support is vital to them. They are our community’s best assests today, and for the future to come.