FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kaytlin Elswick, Executive Director

Email kelswickcasaofappmtns@gmail.com

(606) 357-2272

 

CASA of the Appalachian Mountains receives national grant to improve support to Eastern Kentucky  children impacted by the child welfare system

Pikeville, KY – March 13, 2026 – CASA of the Appalachian Mountains  has been awarded a $10,000 Capacity Building Grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association. CASA of the Appalachian Mountains recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who are involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect. Volunteer advocates are trained to support children through regular visits, information gathering, court reporting and continuous case monitoring until the child/youth has a permanent home, preferably with their family of origin whenever safely possible.

The National CASA/GAL Capacity Building Grant will enable CASA of the Appalachian Mountains  to focus on recruiting child advocates to ensure that children’s needs are met, and that their voices are heard during court proceedings. 

 “With the support of this grant, CASA of the Appalachian Mountains will be able to serve more of our most vulnerable children by increasing the amount of volunteer advocates to meet our area's increasing caseload,” said Kaytlin Elswick, Executive Director of CASA of the Appalachian Mountains .

There are 939 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided under the  OJJDP FY24 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Training, Technical Assistance, and Subgrants Program (CFDA #16.756) to manage a national grant awards program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) primarily for the purpose of increasing the number Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers to advocate for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect and are the subject of civil court child abuse and neglect proceedings. National CASA/GAL administers the grants program under a cooperative agreement with OJJDP which is authorized pursuant to the Victims of Child Abuse Act, 34 USC §20323.

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About CASA of the Appalachian Mountains 

https://casaofappalachianmtns.org/

The mission of CASA of the Appalachian Mountains is to promote and advocate for children who have experienced dependency, neglect, and abuse. To provide trained community volunteers to represent the safety and best interest of such children in the court system, with the goal of guiding them to safe, permanent, and loving homes. CASA of the Appalachian Mountains recruits, screens, trains, supervises, and supports community volunteers who are appointed by the Judge in their Jurisdiction as Court Appointed Special Advocates. Our volunteers represent the interests of abused, neglected, and/or dependent children in Perry, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Floyd, Pike, and Magoffin Counties. By the end of 2027, CASA of the Appalachian Mountains will have proudly expanded services to children in Harlan, Johnson, and Martin counties, and we will continue training community advocate volunteers to ensure children’s needs are met.  

About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association 

The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association, together with its 941 state and local program members, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who is involved in judicial proceedings related to abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children/youth and to strengthen and support families. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.

From photos to news to everything in between, here’s what we’ve been doing to advocate on behalf of youth in our community. CASA is proud to make a difference in the lives of children who need a safe place to live. Check out some of our pictures from past events.

Recent CASA News 

• Welcome Kaytlin Elswick, our new Executive Director! 

Upcoming events

• Pre-Service Training We are now offering training online! Contact us today to get started! 
• April is Child Abuse Prevention Month Be sure to check out our CASA table at your local county's Prevention event!
• Hope in the Hills Gala Be on the look out for news about our annual Gala this Fall!  

Grants & Awards

• Christmas for Charity - We are thrilled to announce we received a $10,000 grant from Christmas for Charity in Hazard, KY. We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who supported Christmas for Charity, and we look forward to providing services for children. 
• National CASA/GAL Association - CASA of the Appalachian Mountains was awarded a $10,000 Capacity Building Grant that will allow CASA CAM to recruit, screen, and train Volunteer Advocates to represent the child's best interest.