CASA of the Appalachian Mountains

The mission of CASA of the Appalachian Mountains is to promote and advocate for children who have experienced dependency, neglect, and abuse. To provide trained community volunteers to represent the safety and best interest of such children in the court system, with the goal of guiding them to safe, permanent, and loving homes. CASA of the Appalachian Mountains recruits, screens, trains, supervises, and supports community volunteers who are appointed by the Judge in their Jurisdiction as Court Appointed Special Advocates. Our volunteers represent the interests of abused, neglected, and/or dependent children in Perry, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Floyd, Pike, and Magoffin Counties.

CASA of the Appalachian Mountains (CAM) was established in the Summer of 2020. With the assistance of the Kentucky CASA Network (KCN) we were able to establish an advisory committee who had a passion for helping children affected by abuse, neglect, and dependency in the heart of Appalachia. The committee was dedicated to developing a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program that would serve Perry, Knott, Leslie, and Letcher Counties. By April of 2021, Perry County District Judge Cody Goehring, appointed the first Board of Directors for CASA of the Appalachian Mountains.

Since the Summer of 2020, CAM has welcomed it first Executive Director and Volunteer Coordinators. The program has also expanded to three more counties in the heart of Appalachia, Pike, Floyd, and Magoffin. CAM continues to serve as an independent voice throughout the juvenile court proceedings until a safe and permanent home is found for each child.