Garrard and Lincoln counties have one of the fastest-growing CASA programs in Kentucky

Family Court Judge Jeff Moss swears in the three newest CASA volunteers serving abused and neglected children in Garrard and Lincoln counties.

Three more Garrard County residents were sworn in as CASA volunteers July 11, solidifying the Garrard and Lincoln program as the fastest growing program of its size in the state of Kentucky.

Trava Murphy, Joe Tuttle and Beth Wilson were sworn in by Family Court Judge Jeff Moss and will soon be assigned to cases of abused or neglected children who need someone to speak up for their best interests.

Judge Moss said he would love to assign the new volunteers to cases in his courtroom as quickly as possible. Unlike attorneys and social workers, CASA volunteers are not professionals working in the legal system; they are community members who provide an “outside perspective” and a focus on a child’s needs — something Moss said he values greatly.

“It’s a fresh set of eyes to look at the situation,” he said.

Research has shown children who receive a CASA volunteer do better in school, move around less while their cases are open, and are far less likely to re-enter the foster care system after their cases close.

The Garrard and Lincoln CASA program is part of the regional CASA of Lexington nonprofit organization; Garrard was added to the service area in 2021 and Lincoln was added in 2022. One child in Garrard and Lincoln received CASA services in 2021; 28 children received services in 2022. So far this year, 22 children have received services and there are 17 volunteers serving in the two counties.

That growth outpaces every other small CASA program in the state, said Executive Director Melynda Jamison.

CASA Executive Director Melynda Jamison speaks during the swearing in ceremony.

"We cannot say thank you enough because we could not do the work we do without volunteers,” Jamison told the new volunteers at their swearing-in ceremony.

While the growth of the local program has been remarkable, it’s still the case that fewer than one in five children in the local family court systems receive a CASA volunteer.

“We have a huge need,” Jamison said.

Each of the new volunteers completed a 30-hour training class led by the Volunteer Manager for Garrard and Lincoln counties, Jennifer Lamb. They will invest an average of 5-10 hours a month going forward working on their cases. That work involves visiting the child with whom they are matched monthly, talking to adults in the child’s life, reviewing records and writing reports for judges like Moss.

“It is a significant commitment to be a CASA volunteer,” Jamison said. “But the investment of your time is returned many times over in how the course of a child’s life can be completely changed.”

During their first year, the three new volunteers may help change the stories of between 6 and 9 Garrard and Lincoln children.

CASA of Lexington is offering another training for new volunteers at its Lexington office just off Nicholasville Road beginning on Sept. 7. Classes are held on evenings and weekends and a full schedule is available at www.casaoflexington.org/training. The CASA program is also always taking applications and is scheduling additional trainings this fall in Jessamine and Garrard counties. You can apply to be a CASA volunteer at www.casaoflexington.org/apply.

“The growth of this program is truly amazing. Garrard and Lincoln are showing Kentucky how it’s done,” Jamison said. “We need to keep it up and keep adding more CASA volunteers so that every abused or neglected child has someone looking out for them.”