Woodford County recognizes CASA volunteers and hears $20,000 funding request

Woodford County Fiscal Court on a recent meeting recognized Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers and received a request for $20,000 in county funding for the program.

"CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. It's a nationwide nonprofit…we serve seven counties," said a CASA representative, who briefed the court on the local program and budget request. She said CASA had 23 active volunteers in Woodford County in 2025 and that those volunteers advocated for 52 children in the juvenile court system.

The CASA speaker noted Woodford County's rate of substantiated petitions for abuse and neglect was 9.2 per 1,000 children last year compared with higher rates in neighboring counties, and described the program's reliance on volunteers and a state-required volunteer manager, Heather Porter. "Our volunteer manager…is your very own Heather Porter," the presenter said.

The court accepted CASA's materials and the judge noted the budget request was received prior to the first budget and finance meeting and was recommended by that committee. "It will definitely be presented in my budget to the fiscal court," the judge said, indicating the $20,000 request would appear as part of the upcoming budget process.

The court and attendees also recognized two volunteers who earned Serve Kentucky awards for contributing more than 100 hours in 2025, and acknowledged local board member Anita Britain and long-serving volunteers including Sally Snider and Aaron Hall.

The judge and magistrates thanked CASA and its volunteers for their work and invited members of the court to observe court proceedings or meet volunteers if they wished. No formal appropriation was made at the meeting; the funding request will be considered through the county's budget process.