CASA swears in record 18 new volunteers to advocate for children

On April 30, 2026, CASA of Bell & Coryell Counties swore in 18 new Court Appointed Special Advocates, the largest advocate class in the organization’s history, strengthening support for children in foster care across Coryell County and Bell County. Dallas Sims oversaw the ceremony, and half of the new cohort came from Vista Community Church, the largest single church representation CASA has had in a training. The organization also credited board member and Vista Community Church pastor Joel Perritte for helping connect its Faith Outreach Team with the congregation.

The Temple-based nonprofit says the class is welcome but the need is still larger than one training can cover. CASA of Bell & Coryell Counties says its mission is to provide a trained volunteer advocate for every child in foster care in Bell and Coryell counties, and it continues to recruit volunteers and donors to get closer to that goal.

That demand is part of what makes the volunteer role so important. CASA’s pre-service training requires 30 hours of initial instruction and 3 hours of CPS court observations before a volunteer is sworn in by Bell County Centex Child Protection Court judges or the Child Protection Court of the Hill Country judge. Each advocate is screened, trained and supervised, then assigned to one child or one sibling group at a time, rather than taking on a broad caseload.

Once appointed, a CASA becomes a steady presence in a system that can move too fast for children to keep up. Volunteers research case records, speak with family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers and social workers, then bring independent recommendations that help judges make better-informed decisions about placement, safety and permanency. For Coryell County families, that can mean one trained adult is watching the details that shape where a child lives, whether that child stays connected to school and how quickly a permanent home comes into view.