A six-year-old boy walks past his bus stop, crosses a treacherous intersection and ends up at a strip mall. Someone calls the police. The little boy directs the policeman to his grandmother's house. The woman who answers the door admits that he lives there, along with his younger sister. They are her daughter's children, who has "dumped them on her" and gone back to her boyfriend in another state. The grandmother is ill, stressed-out and clearly at the end of her rope.
"Just take them!" she cries.
A social worker from Child Protective Services arrives, and the frightened children are transported to an "emergency foster home". Soon there is a court hearing. They are officially declared "neglected" and moved to a "regular" foster home. The mother claims it was all a big misunderstanding and she wants her kids back. The judge tells her she must demonstrate that she is a fit parent first. That entails following the court-ordered changes she must make in her life. He requests a "CASA" volunteer to monitor the case.
Why was that last step necessary? After all, CPS was already heavily involved. And of course, the mother had her own attorney to argue that she was indeed complying with the court order. (Or show valid reasons why she hasn't.) And what the heck is a "CASA" anyway?
"CASA" is an acronym for "Court Appointed Special Advocate". A CASA's sole purpose is to advocate for the children and no one else. Put another way, CASA's are "the eyes and ears of the judge".
The CASA program was founded in 1977 by Superior Court Judge David Soukup of King County, Washington. It has since grown and spread to some 45 states. Judge Soukup was troubled that he wasn't getting enough information before ruling on his emotionally-charged cases. As he stated to the LA Times:
"There was nobody in the courtroom telling what were the real facts. I was consumed by the fact that I didn't have enough information about each child, and I just didn't know if I had done the very best job I could."
I was the CASA assigned to the case above. (Details have been altered for confidentiality reasons.) My duties were to gather as much information as possible from everyone connected to these children. That included their parents and other relatives, teachers, doctors, social workers, the foster parents, and of course, the children themselves. I closely monitored the mother's progress (or lack of thereof). I wrote comprehensive court reports with conclusions and recommendations. My findings were presented to the judge, who carefully read them before each hearing. Sometimes I was required to testify.
The CASA's role is not to interfere with the social worker's job, although sometimes it is necessary to respectfully disagree. Rather it is to present pertinent facts that he or she simply does not have the time to delve into. Unlike social workers - who often have hundreds of cases to keep track of - CASA volunteers only focus on one or two families at a time. They can really investigate the circumstances that led to the charges of abuse or neglect. They make recommendations as to what social services are needed to reunite the families. Or, in extreme cases, they can advise termination of parental rights.
This is not your ordinary volunteer job. CASA's must pass a thorough background check, and go through an intensive training course. And this kind of work not for everyone - I won't deny that sometimes it can be stressful and frustrating. But it's also one of the most rewarding volunteer jobs there is. I met so many wonderful people and made lasting friendships - including my amazing CASA kids!
If you would like to make a difference in a child's life, please consider being a CASA volunteer. Check out their website at: www.nationalcasa.org. It will direct you to a program in your area.
But if you can't actually volunteer your time, perhaps you can make a financial donation to this worthy cause. I guarantee you it is money well spent.
