Skip to content

CASA swears in 10 New Court Appointed Special Advocates



Family Court Judge Catherine Rice Holderfield swore in ten new Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers Monday morning in her courtroom on the 3rd floor of the Warren County Justice Center.

CASA of South Central Kentucky is a non-profit agency that advocates for the best interests of abused, neglected, and dependent children who have been introduced into the Family Court systems around the region. CASA recruits and trains concerned citizens to volunteer and independently work in the court system to serve as the child’s advocate and court representative.

Established in 1999, CASA of South Central Kentucky served 236 abused, neglected, and dependent children around the region in 2018-19. Typically, the children have been removed from their parents and placed in foster care due to no fault of their own. The ten new volunteers, who recently completed 30 hours of training on such topics as family law, child trauma, culture, and communicating with children and families, will join the CASA team of 71 advocates who volunteer their time to work with the children who find themselves in need of a voice in the courtroom.

“These volunteers bring a variety of backgrounds and a diverse perspective to the cases they will be taking on,” states Executive Director Jana Sublett. “We are excited to be adding10 new volunteers who represent 4 of the 10 counties in the South Central KY region to our roster, however, the need for advocates is still great. We were only able to serve 18% of the children with neglect, abuse, and dependency cases in our region in 2018-19.” Along with Warren County, the South Central Kentucky program receives referrals from Family Court systems in Barren, Metcalfe, and Hart counties.

The number of children in need continues to rise each year. The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Court (AOC) reported 1,284 cases of neglect, abuse, and dependency in the CASA service region in 2018-19. For community involved citizens who wish to be the voice for a child within the court, you can find out more about the program’s mission on their website – www.casaofsck.org. Applications for the next training beginning in February 8, 2020 can be found on the site at www.casaofsck.org/volunteer, or for more information, contact Advocate Development Specialist, Steve Jones – 270.782.5353.

More Stories

  • Latest Issue 3 23

    Read More
  • Editor's Letter

    March signifies a season of change for many. Sometimes in Kentucky we see an actual season change and sometimes we wait, and wait, and wait for the warm weather. But regardless, the anticipation of newness is there. I for one, am ready for a season of change. This year started out difficult for me with the loss of my father – he was an amazing man and cared so much for everyone around him and his community. Read More
  • Leah A. Morrison Named Partner at English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP

    Leah A. Morrison has been named partner at English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP effective January 1, 2023. 

    Leah is an attorney who assists individuals and families in all matters related to estate planning and probate, including drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney and living will directives, and assisting clients through probate administration. She also offers legal services related to Medicaid planning, tax law, and assisting business owners with asset protection.

    Read More
  • AMA BG’s Magen Siegrist named Top 10 finalist for national Ric Sweeney Volunteer of the Year Award

    The American Marketing Association (AMA) recently announced the top 10 finalists for its Ric Sweeney Volunteer of the Year Award. Included in the finalists from all over the country is our local chapter’s VP of Marketing, Magen Siegrist. Farmers Bank and Trust’s Marketing & Communications Officer, Siegrist has sincere passion for her career and community.  Read More