In honor of National Reunification Month, June, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is celebrating its volunteers, who seek to identify family strengths to reunite separated families. The 143 active volunteers with CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties work with other professionals to identify and recommend services and support aimed at reuniting families whenever possible. A guiding principle for the National CASA/GAL member network of 941 state organizations and local programs is the importance of family preservation and reunification.

CASA volunteers are often assigned to difficult and complex cases that extensively involve child welfare. Since the inception of the local program, 274 of CASA case closures were the result of reunification with parents or primary caretakers. Furthermore, of the 304 adoptions CASA volunteers advocated for, 42% of those adoptions were with family members. Placing children with relatives helps to maintain family connections and cultural traditions that can minimize the trauma of family separation and relieve the anxieties that come with traditional foster placements.

Those who would like to learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer may attend an information session at CASA's Lancaster office, 120 N. Shippen St., Lancaster, on Thursday, June 27, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., or a virtual information session on Wednesday, July 10, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. To learn more and register for either session, visit http://www.casalancleb.org or call 717-286-1430.