CASA receives grant to aid recruitment

FINDLAY — CASA/GAL of Hancock County has been awarded a $42,885 needs-based grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association. CASA/GAL of Hancock County is a court-based program of the Hancock County Juvenile Court, under the judicial leadership of Hancock County Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Kristen Johnson. CASA/GAL of Hancock County recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who are involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect. Volunteer advocates are trained to support children through regular visits, information gathering, court reporting and continuous case monitoring until the child/youth has a permanent home, preferably with their family of origin whenever safely possible. This grant will enable CASA/GAL of Hancock County to improve outcomes for vulnerable children by ensuring CASA volunteers receive the guidance, training and ongoing support needed to effectively advocate for children's safety, permanency and well-being. "The need for strong child advocacy in our community continues to grow," said Ashley Bell, executive director of CASA/GAL of Hancock County. "This funding will help us strengthen our program capacity so that more children in Hancock County have a dedicated advocate ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are prioritized." Bell added that these funds will be used to pay for the salary of a volunteer coordinator. This, in turn, will allow CASA/GAL of Hancock County to recruit more volunteers, and to be able to provide volunteers with training, guidance and support, she said. There are 939 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided under the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention FY24 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Training, Technical Assistance and Subgrants Program to manage a national grant awards program on behalf of the OJJDP. Funding is primarily granted for the purpose of increasing the number of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers to advocate for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and who are the subject of civil court child abuse and neglect proceedings. The National CASA/GAL Association administers the grants program under a cooperative agreement with OJJDP which is authorized pursuant to the Victims of Child Abuse Act.