BORDERLAND
Wood County court program recertified
5/15/2014BOWLING GREEN — A program that trains community volunteers to serve as advocates for abused, neglected, and dependent children in Wood County Juvenile Court has been recertified by a national organization.
The Wood County Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad litem Program, which was started in 1988, gained certification by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association. Last year, the program had 42 volunteers who were appointed to assist 144 children.
Volunteers gather information about the child’s needs, attend court hearings on their behalf, and write reports with recommendations for the court regarding the child’s best interests.
“The national certification of Wood County’s CASA/GAL Program is a testament to the commitment of the volunteers and supporters of [the] program,” Juvenile Court Judge Dave Woessner said in a news release.