Jacquelyn Berry

CASA of Franklin County, Ohio

In 1977, a Seattle Juvenile Court Judge found himself faced with making life changing placement decisions about children he knew very little about. He never felt confident he had their entire story, and was deeply concerned about what might happen if he made the "wrong" decision. Out of this concern grew the idea for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). CASA of Franklin County was founded in 1991 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer based program and has steadily grown. CASA provides the link between concerned community volunteers and the abused and neglected children in need of a powerful voice to speak up for their best interest. These volunteers are appointed by the court to help ensure that the children receive appropriate services and treatment by independently monitoring a child's situation, identifying community resources and participating in the court process. CASA of Franklin County's vision is to ensure that every abused and neglected child has a voice in court in order to make a positive impact on the child and community. CASA of Franklin County advocates for abused and neglected children by providing them with a voice in the juvenile court system. CASA recruits, screens, trains and supports community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children.