The Board of Directors for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Luzerne County announced attorney John Aciukewicz has been hired as its executive director. Aciukewicz is a graduate of Gettysburg College and the Dickinson School of Law. He has been a practicing attorney in Luzerne County since 1984.
Aciukewicz resides in Trucksville with his wife, Beth. They are the parents of three sons: Josh, 29; Zach, 26, and Aaron, 22.
In 2015, 483 children in Luzerne County were removed from their homes as a result of abuse and/or neglect. The CASA concept is based upon the commitment that every child has the right to a safe, permanent home. Volunteers are screened and trained to become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). They are then appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children in court. A CASA is empowered through the court’s order to access all records needed to gain insight into the child’s situation. The volunteer is an officer of the court and speaks exclusively for the child.
The CASA volunteer handles one case at a time, gathering facts, evaluating and gaining insight to make a conclusion on what is in the child’s best interest, providing the judge with an independent report and recommendation.
“We feel fortunate to have Mr. Aciukewicz leading CASA of Luzerne County,” said Christine M. Jensen, chairwoman of the board of directors, in a prepared statement. “Aciukewicz brings a wealth of leadership and experience. He helped to establish CASA in Luzerne County when he identified a need for advocates for children in the dependency system. He has worked tirelessly as a volunteer to make CASA a reality in Luzerne County and we welcome him to this new role as leader of the organization.” We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:
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