CASA

Some of you have asked, so I thought I would would write about the CASA foundation. I didn't know about it until about 4 years ago, which is surprising because I had gone through my entire education, getting a bachelor's degree in social work, and I had never heard about it. So, I figure that a lot of people haven't, which is sad. So.... here you go.

I have been waiting and waiting to be able to be involved with CASA ever since I found out about it, but law school was not the time. So, as soon as we moved out here, I found the office and got started. I'm in training right now, and should be sworn in on the 18th. It's been really interesting so far. A lot of it is a refresher from school, but this time around I'm learning a lot more about the legal system, and how they are involved.

So basically, as soon as a child enters the system, the court appoints a CASA to that child. The CASA's responsibility is to represent the child's best interests. They work together with DSF, the attorney's and the judge, to either get the child back in his home ASAP or into a more permanent situation, preferably adoption. Case workers have huge case loads, and kids tend to get lost in the system, being passed from foster family to foster family for years. With CASA, the volunteer only has one responsibility... that child. They advocate to get him/her what they need as soon as they can.

The CASA website has a lot of great information and stories about kids that have had CASA's and their experience. My only regret is that I will only be here for a year, so hopefully they can give me a case that has an easy solution. This will be different from what I've ever done, because I'm not a counselor, a mentor or a friend, really. We develop relationships with the children, but a big part of our responsibility is to go around meeting and interviewing foster parents, biological parents, attorneys, DSF, school teachers, etc., to get an accurate picture. My trainer has told me some interesting stories. She has done foster care and CASA out here for years. In part I get excited, but I also get nervous. Things are a little different down here. There is a lot more poverty with a culture I am not very familiar with. But, I'll learn. I have loved being a mother and it breaks my heart that there are children out there that don't get that love... the love that only a parent can give. That there is any child that is hungry or scared or beaten down is awful, but there are hundreds of thousands.

With a family, it's hard to feel like I can do very much to help, but this is a start. Something that only takes a few hours a week and can make a big difference. And CASA is a wonderful organization to work with.

So, there is my soap box. If you have any questions, let me know. :) And if you have a desire to learn more, just contact the CASA office in your city, and guaranteed they will be very happy to talk to you.