CASA Program to Start in Cecil County to Serve Abused, Neglected Children

Elkton, Md. (Nov. 3, 2014) – A committee of judges, child welfare professionals, court personnel and attorneys will hold a town hall meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 13, 2014 in the Cecil County Administration Building to educate the public about plans to start a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program to assist children who have suffered abuse and neglect.“Cecil County is one of the only four counties in the state that does not have a CASA program,” said Ed Kilcullen, State Director of Maryland CASA Association, the non-profit organization that supports the development and growth of local CASA programs. “Our goal is for every child to have an advocate to speak up for them.”The need for a CASA program, which trains and supervises volunteers who are appointed by the court to serve as advocates for children under court protection, is evident.  In the last year, there were 1,776 reportsof suspected child abuse and neglect in Cecil County, an average of 148 reports per month, according to the Maryland Department of Human Resources.Approximately 164 children live in out-of-home placements in Cecil County, having been removed from their homes as a result of abuse and neglect.Read More Here