PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Commissioners took the next step to making CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect — a county department with county funding.
The Marshall County CASA program began in 2001 and has been operated as a not-for-profit organization that is governed by a board of directors. The program has broad-based community financial support, which comes from: State CASA, matching grants from Marshall County, grants, local service organizations, and individual donors. The donation of office space was the original contribution of the Marshall County government to the program.
Monday, the Commissioners voted unanimously to begin the process of making the program an official part of county government with commensurate financial support and benefits for the Executive Director, Chastity Keller, who is the only paid position of the program.
The request to create the new county department will go on to the Marshall County Council for their input.
