Contributor: Hannah Olsen
Coquille (KMTR) - Six new faces were sworn in to join the team of Court Appointed Special Advocates in Coos County Friday morning. Each new CASA has their own reasons for wanting to get involved, but the common thread is a heart for kids who don't have a voice of their own. Melissa Hollingsworth was sworn in Friday; she said, "I heard about it and I know there's a big need in Coos County. So I thought, being an empty-nester now—my kids have gone off to college—and I just wanted to help out."
CASA volunteers advocate for children who are in the court system because they've been abused or neglected. Currently, Coos County CASAs serve about 200 kids. CASA director Twila Veysey said, “The judge needs to hear what's best for the child, and hear from the child. And the CASA is that child's voice."
CASA volunteers go through extensive background checks and training before they can officially enter the program. The folks who were sworn in today have already put in about 30 hours to prepare. Once they get started, they'll spend around ten hours each week working on their cases. "It's just like a job almost," Veysey said
The new CASAs have all learned about family law, court records, and child development. Now, they're ready to open their own investigations and help Coos County kids.
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