The State of Indiana has more than 4,000 Children In Need of Services (CHINS) around the state, Marshall County is not seeing anyone children on a waiting list. In fact, on Monday CASA Director Haley Kittrell said, “Our caseload went the opposite direction.” She continued, “The first half of this year was extremely low.”
Currently CASA of Marshall County has 40 active volunteers and over half don’t have a current case to work. Kittrell said she will offer no training for new volunteers this year because the county doesn’t have the need. She credited part of the lower numbers of children needing service to less meth cases and the county having Marc Morrison as a Guardian Ad Litem. Kittrell did say she is seeing an increase involving heroin and prescription drugs.
The last few years CASA of Marshall County has bused part of their budget for an internet base tracing system for case reports for their kids. Prior to, everything was done with paper files which made reporting difficult and time-consuming. Monday Kittrell told the commissioner that the state CASA program has signed with Optima, a tracking software company. Every county will use the new program and the statewide program will be paid for by the state, taking the burden off the local programs.
In closing county CASA Director Haley Kittrell said, “To show appreciation for our volunteers, we have an annual dinner for volunteers. The event will be tonight and the dinner is completely funded through donations to the program.
