CASA volunteers represent children

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by Ashleigh Behlmann|ret||ret||tab|

SBJ Contributing Writer|ret||ret||tab|

sbj@sbj.net|ret||ret||tab|

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For children removed from their homes on allegations of abuse or neglect, life is tumultuous. They are uncertain whom to trust out of the ever-changing cast of foster families, educators and social workers. Court Appointed Special Advocates helps these children by representing their best interests.|ret||ret||tab|

As its name implies, these CASA volunteers are appointed by the juvenile court to assist in the most dire child-abuse cases by acting as supplementary caseworkers. The organization's 120 volunteers are serving more than 200 children in Greene County with approximately 600 children on its waiting list. Volunteers must be 21 years old and have a high school diploma.|ret||ret||tab|

CASA provides stability for children by visiting them every other week for about an hour.|ret||ret||tab|

"Social workers change, schools change and so do families and neighborhoods. But wherever that child goes, their CASA goes with them," said Rhoda Clark, executive director of CASA's Springfield Chapter. Through the information volunteers gather at these sessions, they assist the parties involved with these children's cases in making informed decisions. "We provide the child with a voice in court," said Clark.|ret||ret||tab|

CASA is primarily funded through private and corporate donations, and grants, all of which have been down this year. CASA's operating budget for the year is $238,300, but is $14,800 short of its fund-raising goal. "All in all, it's been a pretty tough year," Clark said.|ret||ret||tab|

CASA accomplishes its goal by providing detailed information on the life of the child, information the courts likely would not have had otherwise.|ret||ret||tab|

"The Children's Division (formerly Division of Family Services) is just overloaded," said Juvenile Court Judge Thomas Mountjoy. "They do their best, but their caseloads are tremendous. They spend as much time with every child and family as they can but they can only do so much. A CASA has only one family assigned to them and can give them a lot of detailed attention. Typically, the CASA reports I get have interviews with everyone who is involved in the child's life." |ret||ret||tab|

Attorney Lisa Ghan Blumenstock of Lowther Johnson has worked with CASA on many court cases and was recently appointed to its board of directors. She also finds the detailed information afforded by CASA to be an asset. "Most of the attorneys who do this don't have the time or the resources to make regular in-home visits. CASA gathers information sort of forensically to give to us. They're a piece of the puzzle. They gather information so the judge can make informed decisions about what is in the child's best interests," Blumenstock said. |ret||ret||tab|

Information yielded by CASA volunteers has, according to those involved in the cases, directly altered the outcome of certain cases. |ret||ret||tab|

"I have recommended that the course of cases be changed directly because of the recommendations of a CASA worker," said Blumenstock. |ret||ret||tab|

Said Clark: "One case that happened when I first came here four years ago sticks out in my mind. Two little girls, ages 3 and 5, were due to go back home after having been in foster care for about a year. They had been removed from their mother's care because the mother's boyfriend had sexually abused them. A CASA volunteer had been visiting with the little girls and with the mother, who said she had gotten rid of the boyfriend and was working; doing everything she was supposed to do."|ret||ret||tab|

The volunteer felt something was amiss, according to Clark, but there was nothing she could prove until one day she noticed a blue truck in the driveway. "She asked the mother about it and she said it was her cousin's. The next time the volunteer came back she noticed it parked behind the house, so she took down the license plate numbers and guess who was back in that home?" When pressed, the mother admitted he was still in the house and they were getting married. "There have been a lot of times we have prevented further abuse to children in just that way," Clark said.|ret||ret||tab|

CASA volunteers go through a rigorous interview and an extensive background check, 30 hours of class time and a court observation period. Clark said the organization has little difficulty recruiting volunteers, but it has difficulty retaining them. This is due in part to the fact that this type of work is so emotionally draining and that cases can span many years, Clark said.|ret||ret||tab|

Clark believes that the problem of child abuse and neglect is growing in Greene County, due in part to the prominence of substance abuse in the area. "In 85 percent to 95 percent of our cases there is some sort of substance abuse, often meth," said Clark. |ret||ret||tab|

To help curb this problem Greene County will begin a family dependency treatment court program in June. "It will be for the parents whose children have been removed and placed in foster care because of (the parents') addictions. That role will be a little bit different for CASA because the judge has asked that we have a volunteer for every family involved in drug court; it's a little more intense role," said Clark. A number of community groups would be participating in this program, in order to bring as much information before the judge as possible. |ret||ret||tab|

Despite the immensity of the problem CASA addresses, Clark remains hopeful of a change in the community. "I have to be optimistic that we will continue to improve. We have a lot of successes and that is what you have to dwell on."|ret||ret||tab|

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