Court appointed special advocates for kids returns to Morgan County

Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Eastern Panhandle (CASA-EP) is getting reinvigorated in Morgan County. The group supports and advocates for abused and neglected kids in Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.

After a full training program, CASA-EP volunteers are appointed by a judge to work with a child and family to make sure the child is not caught in a legal and social services system that ignores his or her best interests.
Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. For many abused children, the CASA-EP volunteer is the one constant adult presence in their lives.

Child neglect and abuse knows no boundaries—it occurs in all economic, racial, educational and religious groups. It is a very serious problem in Morgan County. There are many cases that will be going through the court system this year.

Last year 39 children entered into the system in this county. Each one of them needs a CASA-EP volunteer to help at this difficult time in their lives.

CASA-EP is currently recruiting volunteers for the Group Training Class which will begin February 20 from 1 to 5 p.m. and run consecutively for eight weeks each Wednesday following. Volunteers must be 21 years of age, be able to pass a local, criminal and APS/CPS background check, be computer literate and, of course, care deeply about children.

For more information or application, please visit their website or e-mail: Shawn Valentine, senior volunteer coordinator, at shawn@mycasaep.org or Delbert Pope, volunteer coordinator at del@mycasaep .org.