Court Appointed Special Advocates or CASA Volunteers advocate on behalf of children who have entered the juvenile court system due to abuse or neglect. This best-interest advocacy is driven by the guiding principle that children have better outcomes in their family-of-origin, and that reunification, if it can safely occur, should always take precedence.
CASA volunteers provide specific and unique-to-the-child advocacy because they are only appointed 1-2 cases at a time. This ensures every child gets at least one adult dedicated to just their permanency, stability, and safety. Children appointed a CASA volunteer are more likely to reunify with family, are more likely to do better in school, and are more likely to spend less time in foster care.
Court Appointed Special Advocates are ordinary people willing to do extraordinary work for children.
Interested in becoming a CASA and making a difference for children in Adams County? Visit https://www.adamssciotocasa.org or call (937) 618-0189.
Cortney Brumley, CASA Director
Cortney Brumley lives with her husband Joe and their children in rural Adams County, Ohio. Cortney expanded the Scioto County CASA program to Adams County in the fall
of 2022; she joined Scioto CASA as the Executive Director in the fall of 2021. Previous to this position she worked in Franklin County as an EPSEA Liaison and as a Literacy
Coordinator. Cortney is from Athens, Ohio, and has earned two master's degrees from Ohio University in Education: including her principal license and a bachelor's degree
in middle childhood education. Cortney is passionate about advocating for youth in foster care and educational stability and works tirelessly to ensure all children receive
the care they deserve.
“I love the CASA program because all children deserve specifically tailored, best-interest advocacy that is rooted in trauma-informed care and family preservation. CASA is important for children in foster care to receive the advocacy they deserve.” – Cortney
Kelsey Darnell, CASA Assistant Director
Kelsey Darnell serves as the CASA Assistant Director and Adams County Court Investigator, bringing over a decade of experience in child welfare and advocacy. She graduated from Shawnee
State University in 2015 with a degree in Social Work, Psychology, and Sociology. During her time in college, she interned with Brown County Children Services as an investigator/CPS
worker from May 2014 to May 2015.
Immediately following graduation, Kelsey was hired as an Ongoing Worker with Brown County Children Services. In 2017, she earned her Adoption Assessor Certification and began completing adoptions for the agency. She continued her work in child welfare in 2020 with Adams County Children Services as an ongoing and adoption worker. In 2022, she transitioned into the role of Foster Care Adoption Specialist.
In January 2023, Kelsey was appointed as CASA Assistant Director and Adams County Court Investigator, where she continues to advocate for the best interests of children in the court system and search for kinship homes. Kelsey has always been passionate about working with children. From a young age, she recognized the struggles of others and felt a strong calling to help. She believes deeply in the mission of CASA and the impact it has on children and families.
“Becoming involved with CASA has been the biggest blessing for me. It is a program where the focus remains on the child, while also building trust with parents and foster families. When you show that you are there for the child and want what’s best for them, it helps everyone feel more at ease. Many children in agency custody have experienced chaotic lives—having a CASA provides them with consistency and someone they can truly count on.” – Kelsey
Latte the Therapy Dog
Latte was born on Christmas Day. She is a purebred labrador retriever. Her first owner had her extensively trained in shed hunting. Through no fault of his own, her
previous owner could eventually no longer care for her. That is when she found her new home, with a great, new owner – our CASA Assistant Director Kelsey Redmon.
Latte put down the hunting munitions and took up the nanny position for her human brother, sister, and older labrador, Benson. When she’s not making new friends
in the courthouse, and attentively tending to guests, she’s devoted to watching them and getting vast amounts of love from her family.
It is the great hope that with this new, four-legged addition to the courts our guests and especially children can find comfort in otherwise uncertain circumstances. How can you frown with Latte around?
Our Dedicated CASA Volunteers
We are proud to share the continued success of our CASA program, made possible by the compassion and commitment of our incredible volunteers. Currently, we have 13 active CASA volunteers serving children and families in our community, and we are deeply grateful for the time, care, and advocacy they provide.
Our CASA program places a strong emphasis on excellence and accountability. Volunteers complete comprehensive initial training and maintain up-to-date certifications and ongoing education to ensure they are fully equipped to support the best interests of the children they serve.
We are also thrilled to have our CASA program as part of the Adams County, Ohio Courthouse. This partnership strengthens our ability to serve effectively and reinforces our shared mission of advocating for safe, permanent, and nurturing homes for every child.
To our volunteers—thank you for the meaningful difference you make every day.