On April 4th at the Brown County Courthouse, The Honorable Judge Mike Smith officially swore in a new CASA volunteer, Therisa Merritt. CASA, also known as Court Appointed Special Advocates, works with children and families involved in the foster care system in Brown, Comanche and Mills Counties.
This new CASA volunteer will be assigned to a child or sibling group who they will commit to advocating for until the closure of their case. As a part of their advocacy, they will get to know important adults in the life of the child they represent, such as parents, foster parents, teachers, doctors, therapists and more.
“It is a long-term commitment and requires a lot of heart, but there just isn’t another volunteer experience that matches what you’ll get with CASA,” said, Executive Director Michelle Wells of CASA in the Heart of Texas. “Our volunteers are dedicated to doing their very best on behalf of the children and families they serve.”
CASA volunteers go through 30 hours of in-depth, pre-service training before they are assigned to a case. They advocate for the child they represent in every facet of their life and make recommendations to the court about their best interest. Volunteers advocate for reunification as their primary goal whenever it is safe and possible to do so. When reunification is not an option, they may advocate for the child to live with another relative or family friend. They can also advocate for the child to be placed in an adoptive home. In all cases, CASA volunteers are steadfast, consistent presences for the children they serve, making sure they are safe and have the resources and connections they need to grow and thrive. They work with families to build life-long support systems for both the child and parents that will continue after the case is closed.
“We’re so excited to have Therisa Merritt join our CASA team of volunteer Advocates,” said Wells. “I know she will do amazing work that will positively impact the children and families in the foster care system right here in our community.”
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer at CASA in the Heart of Texas, you can attend their next informational session on April 27th 5:00-6:00 at Intermission Bookshop or visit their website at www.casabrownwood.org for more information.