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CASA of Lexington outlines volunteer-driven advocacy, warns funding limits curb capacity
Summary
CASA of Lexington told the council its volunteer program served hundreds of children across seven counties in 2024 but is meeting fewer than 20% of local need; staff and state/federal grants have shrunk, forcing increased fundraising and recruitment to maintain services.
Melinda Jamieson, director of CASA of Lexington, told the Lexington City Council committee that the local Court Appointed Special Advocates program uses screened, trained volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in family court and that the program’s capacity is constrained by funding and staff limits.
CASA of Lexington’s volunteers are matched to children or sibling sets, visit at least monthly and prepare court reports for judges, Jamieson said. “The objective of the CASA volunteer is to find a safe and permanent home for that child,” she said.
The update matters because CASA volunteers are often the only consistent adult connected to children moving between multiple placements, Jamieson said, and the program currently serves a fraction of the need in Fayette County.
Jamieson said CASA of Lexington is part of a…
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