Kim Weiser and Bethany Venable outlined the first step for residents considering service to children in care.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas. CASA of Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity Counties is inviting residents to learn how court-appointed volunteer advocates serve children in foster care through a series of CASA 101 information sessions this fall.
Executive Director Kim Weiser and Outreach and Operations Coordinator Bethany Venable discussed the volunteer pathway, board service and the organization’s fall schedule. Their message centered on a practical first step. Interested residents can attend a one-hour session, ask questions and decide whether the training and commitment fit their lives before submitting an application.
"We’re recruiting right now for board members for the organization and for our CASA volunteers," Weiser said. She said CASA 101 is designed for people who want to understand the role before beginning the formal process.
What a CASA Advocate Does
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. The Huntsville-based program says its volunteers are appointed by judges to help guide one child or a sibling group through the child-protection system while the court works toward a safe, permanent home. Advocates gather information from the people involved in a child’s life, including family members, foster parents, teachers, doctors, lawyers and social workers.
The program says advocates serve one case at a time. That focus lets them follow the child’s circumstances over time and provide information and recommendations in court, at school and in agency meetings. CASA’s stated mission is to provide trained, court-appointed volunteer advocacy to every abused and neglected child in the custody of Child Protective Services in Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity counties.
Weiser described the information session as an entry point for someone who is curious about that responsibility. "That’s the first step to anyone who is listening and saying, ‘I think I want to serve,’" she said. The session covers what the time commitment and training look like, she said.
The program’s volunteer information explains that an advocate must be at least 25, pass screening and background-check requirements, complete initial training and make an 18-month minimum commitment to a case. CASA estimates an average commitment of 10 to 15 hours per month. Applicants also complete courtroom observation and receive staff supervision once they are assigned.
The Fall CASA 101 Schedule
CASA’s public volunteer page lists upcoming information sessions on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3, from noon to 1 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 8, from 4 to 5 p.m. The organization asks prospective attendees to RSVP or request updates by emailing information@casaofwalkercounty.org.
The organization says applications are accepted after a person attends an information session. The online application asks prospective advocates for background and reference information, and CASA advises applicants to set aside 20 to 30 minutes to complete it in one sitting. Attendance at CASA 101 lets applicants understand the process before they begin that step.
Residents who want to serve without becoming an advocate have additional options. CASA says community members may help through board membership, training meals, outreach or planning committees, and booths, fairs and other events. Those roles can help support the organization’s work while matching different schedules and skill sets.
Venable’s Outreach Role
Venable recently joined CASA as outreach and operations coordinator. During the program, she described coming to the organization after growing up in Montgomery and returning there with her husband after a period of living in an RV. The new role places her at the point where community members first encounter CASA through events, partnerships and informational conversations.
Weiser said the staff and volunteers had recently attended the Texas CASA conference in San Marcos, where they joined other programs from around the state. She said those gatherings give local programs a chance to exchange ideas about serving children, supporting volunteers, fundraising and community engagement. The local program, Weiser said, regularly brings those ideas back to staff discussions.
CASA of Walker, San Jacinto and Trinity Counties has served the area since it began services in Walker County in 2005. Its public materials say the program later expanded to San Jacinto County in 2009 and Trinity County in 2012. The organization is a member of Texas CASA and National CASA.
For a potential volunteer, the central question is whether the commitment can be sustained through a child’s case. CASA says consistency matters because children in care may have many adults involved in their lives. The organization’s training, screening and staff support are designed to prepare advocates for that responsibility rather than send people into court work without guidance.
The fall sessions give residents several dates to begin that conversation. People who are ready to consider advocacy, board service or another volunteer role can use the official CASA contact information through their website at https://www.casaofwalkercounty.org to choose a session and learn what the organization needs now.