• CASA Development Coordinator
    Denise Hallett
  • CASA/GAL Volunteer Coordinator
    Michelle Spee

Program Overview

The CASA/GAL Program can be found on the 4th floor of the Stark County Office Building. The CASA/GAL Program Director is Tiffany Brown. The CASA/GAL Volunteer Coordinator is Michelle Spees.  The CASA Development Coordinator is Denise Hallett.  As staff, they provide support and training for the volunteers of these programs, as well as provide community awareness and recruitment options.

CASA/GAL Program

A Court Appointed Special Advocate / Guardian ad Litem, (CASA/GAL) is a trained community volunteer appointed by Stark County Family Court to represent the best interests of a child during a Court proceeding that involves Child Protective Services. The purpose of the CASA/GAL volunteer program is to provide the Judges of these Courts with a thoughtful recommendation on what should be planned for the child, based on the Guardian's independent investigation of the facts. The program's goal is twofold: to provide better representation for the children of Stark County through volunteer participation and to involve more community members and make them aware of the problems facing abused, neglected and dependent children.

Ohio Law

The law requires that a Guardian ad Litem be appointed for a child when Child Protective Services, files a complaint alleging abuse, neglect or when a motion for permanent custody is requested. Guardians also may be appointed in dependency cases. A CASA/GAL fills this important role in many of these cases.

Role and Responsibilities

A CASA/GAL is an investigator whose job is to seek out all the facts pertinent to the case. Prior to the hearing the Guardian conducts interviews with the parties involved in the case: the child, the caseworker, the parents, the foster parents, possible adoptive parents, school officials, clergy, and gathers other information such as facts from medical and court records. The CASA/GAL is an advocate who will make an independent evaluation after investigation as to what is truly in the child's best interests both in terms of the present situation and also in terms of long term planning. The Guardian will present this recommendation to the Court at a hearing. The responsibilities of the CASA/GAL litem are: (A) Investigate the life of the child by interviewing the child, the family, caseworker, and other involved parties and seek out all information relevant to the case. (B) Gather all the facts together, evaluate them, and prepare an objective thoughtful recommendation. (C) Present this report in oral and written form to the Court at a hearing and advocate for the child's best interests.

Volunteers

A trained volunteer, genuinely interested in the welfare of the child, can give the time to do a thorough investigation of all circumstances in the child's life necessary to arrive at a plan for the child. With this interest and commitment, a volunteer CASA/GAL can give each child the quality attention they deserve as well as providing a valuable service to the community. The CASA/GAL program staff assign cases, monitors the volunteers' activities, conducts training and provides assistance when needed. The training sessions instruct the volunteers on the role of the CASA/GAL; legal and courtroom procedures; interviewing techniques; and social aspects of working with abused, neglected and dependent children.

How You can help

The Court hears about 1,000 cases of dependency, neglect and abuse each year. Therefore, the Court is always looking for volunteers who are mature adult residents; are twenty-one (21) years of age or older; and can pass a criminal background screening. For more information, contact the CASA/GAL Program by calling 330-451-7786.

Requirements

The volunteers are required to complete an application, a screening interview, agree to volunteer for a minimum of one year; attend a series of training workshops; attend further in-service workshops; and to utilize the manual written for the Program. Applicants will be screened and selected on the basis of availability, dedication, reliability, and willingness to learn.

History

In 1982, the CASA/GAL Program began as a result of a need to better represent the rights and interests of abused, neglected and dependent children in Stark County. The Junior League of Canton, Ohio, Inc. in cooperation with Stark County Family Court, established the Volunteer Guardian Ad litem Program. The CASA/GAL Program is funded by general revenue dollars allocated to the Family Court by the Stark County Commissioners.