Court Appointed Special Advocates—or CASA—services will continue in Christian County to some degree, as the Kentucky CASA Network steps in after the local CASA program was dissolved recently.
According to a news release, the Kentucky CASA Network says they learned of the Christian County CASA Board voting to dissolve its program effective immediately on July 15 and were disappointed to hear of that decision. KCN announced that CASA services will remain present in Christian County through a collaborative effort with the Family Court Judges and a neighboring program, CASA by the Lakes.
This is to ensure that appropriately trained and supervised CASA volunteers can continue to provide advocacy for children involved in the court system.
The release further states that during the most recent Quality Assurance Review of CASA Program of Christian County, they reportedly identified a myriad of areas of noncompliance with both KRS and National CASA/GAL Association Standards. The KCN looking to have staff provide a ‘pathway’ to address what they call issues in the program, but the Christian County CASA has since voted to dissolve the board and end the program, saying they ‘could not embrace having people who are not members of our community come in from other Kentucky counties and decide how the families and children here in Christian County should receive services’.
Between 2018-2023, there were 1,326 new child abuse, neglect, and dependency cases filed in Christian County, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.
You can view the full Christian County CASA statement here and you can read the full press release from the Kentucky CASA Network here.