Six community members were sworn in as CASA/GAL volunteers on Nov. 3.  

Each will work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate/ Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children in the Flathead County foster care system. District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht presided over the ceremony and administered the oath.  

Advocates include Kolbie Parnell, Shantel Lang, Valerie Kneeland, Nathan Douglass and Tara Arndt. 

Each new advocate received a certificate for the 56 hours of training they completed. The training covers topics such as the CASA/GAL role, child development, substance abuse disorders, domestic violence, assessing family strengths, the court process, laws relating to abuse/neglect, cultural diversity, interviewing, and how to write reports to the court. 

In 2024, 169 children with 52 advocates in Flathead County were served by CASA for Kids. CASA’s goal is to assign an advocate for every abused/neglected child who enters the foster care system within 30 days.  

Applications are being accepted for the next training cycle, which starts in spring 2026. Get more information at flatheadcasa.org or by calling 406-755-7208.