Henrico CASA welcomes new volunteers

Henrico County Court Appointed Special Advocates welcomed eight newly activated CASA volunteers during a ceremony March 28. The advocates were sworn in to their new roles by Stuart L. Williams, Jr., chief judge of the Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

The advocates (pictured) are Keith Deering, Chloe Edwards, Marie Gordon, Jennifer Hoad, Barbara Massey, Neil Spoonhower, Dee Dee Springs-McKeithan, and Pamela Thomas. (Not pictured is Mary Ann Beatty, who will be sworn in at a later date.)

Williams explained that each of the five judges in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court hears approximately 13,000 cases a year, which makes it difficult to know the details of each case. CASA reports provide the history and detailed information about the circumstances of the child and family and are essential in assisting the court with making critical decisions in the best interest of the children, he said.

The new volunteers each completed 38 hours of training during the past month, preparing them for their new roles.

Children that come before the court because they have been abused or neglected face unknown futures, and CASA advocates ensure that their voices are heard, by gathering information about each child to supplement what is already provided to the court.

Last year, 120 volunteers advocated for 375 children in the Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The next volunteer training begins Sept. 22. To learn more, contact Jeannine Panzera, program manager, at (804) 501-1673 or pan01@henrico.us, or download an application form at henricocasa.org.