About us
Building trust and offering
hope to vulnerable children
Who we are & what we do
We advocate for children under the protection of the circuit court because of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or their parents’ inability to safely care for them. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are officers of the court and, as such, are ordered to make assessments and recommendations to the judge regarding the best interest of the child to whom they are appointed.
CASA’s attempt to identify the specific needs of each child for the court, advocate for service provision to meet those needs, and assist in seeking a permanent resolution for each child’s life as quickly and safely as possible. Through their consistent presence and willingness to speak up for children’s needs, CASAs offer hope to children. Court Appointed Special Advocates are adult volunteers from the community who are screened, trained, and supervised by professional staff members.
Our mission
CASA of the Mid-Shore advocates for children under court protection due to serious risk factors, such as abuse, neglect, abandonment, or chronic truancy, to ensure their right to thrive in a safe, permanent home.
Our VISION
Our Core Values
Compassion:
We approach people and challenges with empathy, honesty, kindness, and openness. We care and want the best for all people.
HOPE:
We are optimistic, knowing good outcomes can grow from difficult situations. We believe one person has the power to make a positive difference in the life of another.
ADVOCACY:
We are proactive, strategic, and courageous. We thoughtfully persevere, using creativity and diplomacy.
integrity:
We strive for excellence, both individually and collectively. We steward others’ faith in us, and we are trustworthy and accountable. We strive for equity.
Respect:
We listen. We empower others by valuing their opinions. We treat everyone with esteem.
Inclusion:
We acknowledge the importance of teamwork and collaboration. We value diversity and the unique qualities of individuals, recognizing we are stronger together than alone.
Adaptability:
We commit to being flexible under ever-changing circumstances while remaining focused on our mission.
Our history
The nation’s first Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program was created in Seattle, Washington in 1977 by Judge David Soukup, who wanted to make sure he and other judges and magistrates were making the best possible decisions about the lives of abused and neglected children needing court protection. He began recruiting and training adult citizens to serve as advocates for children who came before the court as a result of maltreatment by their parents or guardians. His idea worked, and CASA programs were born all across the country.
We started in 1990 and were known as CASA of Talbot County. We expanded in late 2009 to serve Dorchester County children, again expanding in 2014 to serve children in Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties. Known now as CASA of the Mid-Shore, our mission is to serve as many children as possible in Talbot, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties who need a CASA volunteer.
Due to the high level of risk to young children who are chronically truant, at the request of the Dorchester Truancy Reduction Court, we initiated a pilot project in which CASA volunteers are appointed to work with some of these vulnerable children.
Our staff
Meet our wonderful team!
Robin
Davenport
Executive Director
Susan
Schumacher
Assistant Director/Case Supervisor
Colleen
Ryan
Program Assistant
Anna
Krupka
Case Supervisor
Belinda
Frankel
Case Supervisor
JANE
CRAWFORD
Volunteer Coordinator
Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Paula
Statkiewicz
President
Robert
Cowin
1st Vice President
Christie
Grabis
2nd Vice President
Linda
Chandlee
Secretary
Mary
Griffin
Treasurer
directors
Childlene
Brooks
Michael
Clark
Joan
Crowley
Zuleika
Ghodsi
Anthony
Smith
Sidney
Davenport-Trond
The Honorable
Brett Wilson
" To give a child a casa is to give them a voice. to give them a voice is to give them hope, and to give them hope is to give them the world."
