By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Over the past several months, our readers have learned about the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program. The Honorable Judge Brett Spencer promised to prioritize CASA in Adams County and was true to his word.
In January 2023, Kelsey Redmon became the new CASA Supervisor and Court Investigator for Adams County. Her position as CASA Supervisor quickly turned into Assistant Director of CASA for Adams County.
Redmon graduated from Shawnee State University with a bachelor’s in Social Work and Psychology. She started her career at Brown County Children’s Services and was hired by Adams County Children Services in April of 2020 as an ongoing/adoption worker. At the beginning of 2022, she became the agency’s Foster Care/Adoption Specialist. Redmon is a certified trauma resilience practitioner and an Ohio adoption assessor.
Redmon, who has been in child welfare for nearly a decade, said, “The transition to this job was a breeze due to my knowledge and being able to see both sides.” Veronica Grooms, the supervisor for her court investigator position, communicates that Redmon is doing a great job. Grooms and Redmon see the advantage of having someone in her post who knows both the court and Children’s Services perspective. Grooms would love for Children’s Services caseworkers to have the opportunity to experience more about the courts and what they do.
The CASA program is going well. Redmon thinks that people understand the role of a CASA to be a child advocate rather than a foster parent. She said, “This program will be helpful for Adams County.” There are six CASAs, and Redmon would love to see at least 15 to 20 by year’s end.
In her Court Investigator role, Redmon sets in on hearings, ensures everyone is on the same page, and that assessments are complete. These are cases in which there is no CASA assigned. She is there to help the families as a support service. Grooms explained, “She can make a recommendation to the court because she is a second set of eyes.”
When Redmon came on board, Grooms told her, “I need you to identify gaps between the courts and Children’s Services.” Redmon hopes she can help fill those gaps for the court and Children’s Services and make a difference in children’s lives. One of those gaps is kinship. Finding kinship families is an ongoing struggle for the county. Redmon is utilizing an online program called CLEAR that enables users to quickly locate names and addresses of a child’s kinfolk (family members or close connections). The courts are also purchasing a background check machine to expedite the process for kinship families. This acquisition will save time and money for Children Services’ caseworkers.
Redmon said, “My favorite part of this job is that I still see the kid’s faces light up when I go into a home visit. When you see that smile and the children hug you and are excited to see you, it makes the job worth it.”
Redmon believes going through trauma herself enhanced her ability to guide and refer others to resources. She recognizes the obstacles of the position, mainly too many cases, and a need for more CASAS. Grooms chimes in, “Not enough Kelseys.”
Redmon will spearhead a campaign in local schools to incite interest in teachers becoming CASAs. She notes that it is an especially significant role for retired teachers. She stated, “Being a CASA is a great way for the community to come together and advocate for the children without having to have placement of the child or children. I fully believe that this community can come together and provide the best interests for each one of the children that are in the system.”