The Lucas County CASA Podcast

We discuss how CASA volunteers show up for the children we serve with attorney Julie Jacek. Julie is a founding partner at Jacek Bookmiller Legal, LLC, where she focuses her practice on family and child-related legal matters. With years of experience advocating for children and families, Julie brings both professional expertise and a deep personal commitment to ensuring every child’s voice is hear...

In this episode, we explore an important and sometimes misunderstood topic: Planned Permanent Living Arrangements, or PPLAs. What happens when a child in foster care isn’t likely to be adopted or reunited with their parents? And what role do CASA volunteers play in making sure these children still have the stability, guidance, and opportunities they need for the future? To help us answer these que...

In this episode, we’re diving into how CASA volunteers can help children with special needs succeed in school. Our guest is attorney Brianna Stephan, an expert in education law and a passionate advocate for children with disabilities. We’ll talk about Individualized Education Plans, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. We’ll also explore why t...

We know that children in foster care often face unique health challenges, from physical health needs to mental health support, and even access to basic care. CASA volunteers are not doctors, but they are powerful advocates who help ensure that children get the resources, attention, and support they need for a healthier future.

In our prior episode, we spoke with CASA Staff Attorney Mary Meadows about the findings of the Ohio CASA Evaluation. For this episode, we’ll focus on one of the most important and often misunderstood factors we cover in our training: the impact of poverty on children and families. To help us unpack this topic, we're joined by CASA Director Chris Caryer.

We're joined by our dedicated CASA Staff Attorney, Mary Meadows, for a discussion about the powerful impact CASA volunteers have in children's lives, an impact that was confirmed in the Ohio CASA Evaluation Report. The statewide study was conducted in 2023 and found that children with a CASA volunteer are almost four times more likely to be reunified with their families, ten times more likely to f...

In our final podcast (for now) episode, Host Andrea de la Roca welcomes Tionna Jackson from the Department of Family Services to talk about outcomes for CASA kids, and we hear from two remarkable women: Lori Hook and Kaitlynn Burroughs — who talk about their experiences in fostering and adoption.

Part two of our discussion with CASA veterans as they share highlights from their journey over the years. Joining host Andrea de la Roca are Dr. Vincent Riccardi; Kathleen Harris; Kristi Rose, and Maria Gonzalez.

We hear stories from CASA veterans as they share highlights from their journey over the years. Joining host Andrea de la Roca are Dr. Vincent Riccardi; Kathleen Harris; Kristi Rose, and Maria Gonzalez.

In this episode, we hear from two volunteers who are CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates): Beatriz Garcia and Marija Spasovska, who tell us stories and share what got them into the CASA program (and what keeps them going).

In this episode, CASA Director Chris Caryer and host Andrea de la Roca face off with a series of questions, which trace the process of becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Welcome to the Lucas County CASA podcast! In this inaugural episode, we learn about the basics of Court-Appointed Special Advocates (or simply, CASA) We break it down for you, with special guests Haley Nelson (Ohio CASA); Juvenile Court and Administrative Judge Linda Knepp, and local CASA director Chris Caryer. Hosted by CASA's community Engagement coordinator Andrea de la Roca This podcast is sup...