CASA of Caroline

We all know that June is Men’s Health month and the month when we celebrate Father’s Day. It is also the national Post Traumatic Stress Disorder month. This is the time when our school children end their year and are at home and out in the community! Unfortunately, Summer can also be a time when families are stretched and stressed, as the need for childcare increases and access to school resources lessen.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Caroline, Inc. has its core a mission to support families by advocating for the best interest of all children who have been abused or neglected and are as a result in the Caroline County Court system. We envision a Caroline County in which the best interests of all foster care children are honored, and they have a safe, permanent, loving home as soon as possible. Our volunteers work collaboratively with the Courts, the local Department of Social Services and so many of our community partners to support this “child-centered” approach to supporting our families in Caroline County. We are also engaged in community education and support related to child abuse prevention.

Each new volunteer participates in 33 hours of core training related to supporting families and children who have experienced trauma, understanding the Court process and working collectively with other professionals who serve families. Volunteers also undergo police background clearances and participate in 12 hours of continuing education annually.

I am honored to have joined this the CASA team as the “new” Executive Director as we reach out to recruit more volunteers to support our mission. Although I have led other organizations in the past and done extensive work with children and families in Maryland, every new opportunity to lead is different. According to John Maxwell, every effective leader must learn to do what he calls a “leadershift.” Maxwell asserts that you can be a “successful person on your own,” however not a “successful leader.” He suggests that a successful leader only moves forward by “utilize[ing] the gifts of the entire team.” CASA of Caroline has such gifted, dynamic and collaborative staff, board of directors, volunteer advocates, supporters and network of community partners! I am excited to take the helm of CASA and to participate in all the wonderful work happening on behalf of our children in Caroline County!

Maxwell also states that successful leaders “shift” from “ladder-climbing,” to “ladder-building.” In the short time that I have been at CASA of Caroline, I have observed how the community supports and helps others. I am hopeful that we can lean into that spirit and add to the rungs of other community partners around us, as we each reciprocate.

I want to highlight that at CASA, we are moving into a summer season of recruitment! We desire to add to our team of volunteers. If you are interested in being trained as a child advocate with us, please reach out to info@casaofcaroline.org or phone us at (410) 479-8301 to begin your training with us and to start supporting our children! Go to our website at https://carolinecasa.org to learn more about us!