CASA of Lexington honors Georgetown volunteers with Presidential Volunteer Service Awards

Representatives of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Lexington attended the March 24 Georgetown City Council meeting to recognize local volunteers who earned Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and to brief the council on local CASA activity.

CASA representative Melinda explained the organization trains community volunteers to advocate in family court for abused and neglected children and noted CASA of Lexington serves seven counties, including Scott County. Melinda said the average dependency case lasts about two and a half years and that, in 2024, Scott County had 307 new children enter the family court system with substantiated cases of abuse or neglect; she said the number rose slightly from 284 in 2023.

Local awards and volunteers: Melinda said Scott County had 27 CASA volunteers who advocated for 71 children in 2024 (about 12% of children with substantiated cases). The presentation recognized six volunteers who earned Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (bronze and silver levels) and invited council members to help recruit additional volunteers.

Why it matters: CASA volunteers provide a trained community advocate to represent a child’s best interests in court proceedings. Melinda said CASA differs from state social workers because CASA advocates focus solely on the child’s best interest rather than the agency mandate to seek reunification where safe.

Ending: The council received informational materials and a roster of local volunteer training and recruitment information; staff encouraged council members to refer potential volunteers and community groups to CASA for presentations and recruitment.