Six new volunteers join CASA Lake County to advocate for the best interest of children in foster care

Six new volunteers completed their training to become Court Appointed Special Advocates and help advocate for the best interest of children in foster care. Volunteers and their families and friends attended the swearing-in ceremony on Sept. 12, hosted by the Lake County Juvenile Court. The new Court Appointed Special Advocates include Fred Johnston of Highland Park, Nick Mast of Libertyville, Molly Blake-Michaels of Deerfield, Timberly Robinson of Beach Park, Julie Simpson of Vernon Hills and Josephine Bentil of Antioch. Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Reginald C. Mathews presided over the induction ceremony.

The new CASAs join a force of nearly 300 volunteer advocates who work with CASA Lake County, a nonprofit based in Vernon Hills. The volunteers support and advocate for children who have endured abuse or neglect in Lake County. CASA’s goal is to give voice to children and their unique needs, so that they can ultimately have a safe and permanent home.

CASAs build caring, long-term relationships with each child in their assigned cases, as well as with caregivers and service providers. CASAs inform the court regarding issues that are impacting a child and recommend actions and interventions. CASAs advocate within the social service and judicial systems to ensure that the best interest of each child is served.

“While CASA Lake County has just welcomed these six volunteers, our waitlist of children waiting for a volunteer is still currently at 24 children. We are actively recruiting more volunteers to join one of our next training classes” said Terri Zenner Greenberg, executive director of CASA Lake County.

CASA volunteers must successfully complete an in-depth, 30-hour training program. This includes specialized training for in-home visitation; increased communication and referrals for family resources; and making recommendations to the court about a child’s best interests related to physical and mental health, education, family placement and more. Training sessions are offered year-round with options for both daytime training conducted in-person and evening training conducted in a hybrid format with some classes virtual and some in-person.

Although being a CASA volunteer can have its challenges, the benefits and the positive impact one can have in this role is profound. CASA volunteers stand up for the children who need them and help contribute to a brighter future. Because of the unique opportunity to positively impact the trajectory of a child’s life, CASA volunteers report it to be a very fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Any adult interested in volunteering with CASA Lake County can visit casalakecounty.com to learn more, or contact Lori Petersen, at lpetersen@casalakecounty.com, for any questions.