Hopkinsville and Christian County welcomed CASA—Court Appointed Special Advocates—into the community with a reception and swearing in ceremony Tuesday afternoon.
The CASA program is designed to help children in Christian County who are victims of dependency, abuse or neglect. An advocate is appointed by a judge to offer support to a child that is involved in the court system until they find a permanent home.
Family Court Judge Jason Fleming swore in new Executive Director Virginia Erxleben, saying the program will be a great asset to family court and to families in Christian County.
Former County Attorney Mike Foster played a large role in bringing the service here, including finding funding and setting the legal requirements. He says during his long career he saw many children that needed kindness and care and CASA will give them that.
New Executive Director Erxleben thanked many people for their efforts, including the CASA board for their dedication to kids in the community.
The advocates are there to make recommendations to the court about what services and care would be best for the child and there are currently 374 cases of dependency, child abuse and neglect in Christian County. The intent is to eventually bring on an additional 10 volunteers to serve.