Janetzko joins CASA; advocates needed

Prior to joining the team at Columbia Gorge CASA, Janetzko served as the executive director for CASA of Bradley and Polk counties in Cleveland, Tenn. Before his work with CASA, Janetzko served in a variety of roles in the human service field.

Janetzko said that his number one priority as the director is to work to ensure that every child experiencing foster care has an advocate to lift up their voice in court.

“I am excited to share that CASA’s community of volunteers have already advocated for over 70 children this fiscal year,” he said. “Though I am a proud of what has already been accomplished, there are still children in need of a voice. In our community there are approximately 20 more children that need someone to advocate for their best interest.”

Columbia Gorge CASA is a nonprofit that works with trained, community volunteers to advocate for children experiencing foster care. Every volunteer completes a thorough background check and an extensive training process approved by the National CASA/GAL Association. Upon successful completion of the training process, the new volunteers are sworn in by a judge and able to advocate for a child in the foster care system.

CASA’s next training sessions for new volunteer advocates will start in early April. No prior experience is required to join these sessions. The training sessions provide volunteers with all the tools they need to be an advocate for a child.

Those interested in joining CASA’s team of advocates should call CASA’s office at 541-386-3468 or email CASA’s training coordinator, Mike Mayfield, at mmayfield@gorgecasa.org for more information.

CASA is partially funded through grant contracts with United Way of the Columbia Gorge and the State of Oregon.