Carroll County | Four Volunteers Sworn in as CASAs
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Westminster, MD – Voices for Children of Carroll County, a program dedicated to providing professionally trained volunteer advocates to ensure abused and neglected children involved in dependency court proceedings find safe, permanent homes has sworn in four (4) new Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to serve in Carroll County.
Having completed 35 hours of pre-service training, and 3+ hours of courtroom observation, the following individuals were publicly sworn-in and are now officially able to advocate for one of Carroll County’s fifty-four (54) abused and neglected children in foster care:
Tedd & Sandy Tracey (husband and wife) of SykesvilleChristel Nichols of SykesvillePamela Ray of Eldersburg
“Our program prepares volunteers to serve in both Carroll and Frederick Counties,” said Jennifer Fuss, Program Manager of Voices for Children of Carroll County. “These volunteers were presented with waiting cases right after they were sworn in, and we are confident that they will serve as excellent advocates and provide the court with information and recommendations that will help to secure safe permanent homes,” she added.Voices for Children of Carroll County is a program under the Mental Health Association of Frederick County, a not-for-profit agency. The program was founded in 2000 by the Circuit Court and a group of concerned citizens and professionals who believed that abused and neglected children in Carroll County needed a CASA program to help them reach safe permanent homes. It is one of 900+ CASA programs throughout the nation that works on behalf of abused and neglected children placed in foster care.Having first considered volunteering with a hospice and/or hospital, Sandy Tracy chose to become a CASA simply because she enjoys being around children. “With no children of my own, I thought it would be nice to work with those in need at the beginning of their lives rather than at the end,” she said. “I think it will be really rewarding to help make a difference in a young person’s life and be someone who they can really rely on!” she added.There will always be a need for CASA volunteers. The organization seeks men and women from all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational and ethnic backgrounds. There is no special experience or background required only a relentless compassion and desire to help our community’s children. To learn more about the program, contact Jennifer Fuss, Program Manager, jfuss@fcmha.org or (301) 663-0011, ext. 118.About Voices for Children of Carroll CountyVoices for Children of Carroll County is one of 15 local CASA programs throughout the state, which recruit, train and supervise volunteers appointed by the court to serve as advocates for children under court protection due to abuse and neglect. Currently, CASA serves children in 21 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions.