The excitement of the first group of volunteers sworn in Tuesday to represent Livingston County kids involved in the court system through abuse and neglect cases was palpable — and contagious.
The volunteers are part of the CASA program, which is now part of the services of LACASA, the organization in Livingston County that works with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. These volunteers, who just completed an intense, 30-hour training program to become Court-Appointed Special Advocates, will now represent the best interests of abused and neglected kids in the legal system.
It’s a big, important commitment, as acknowledged by Judge Carol Hackett Garagiola.
“You are remarkable people,” the judge said to the volunteers before swearing them in. “There’s no money, it takes a lot of time, and it can be heartbreaking.”
It’s also a huge personal commitment.
Volunteers work with clients throughout the life of their court involvement, which can be several years. Before meeting their first client, volunteers complete 30 hours of training, and commit to an additional 12 hours of training each year.
The volunteers — now appointed officers of the court — will work with attorneys and foster care workers, research the best care, identify key problems, attend hearings, provide insight to the judge and advocate for decisions that are in the best interest of the child. For many of these kids, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.
Before being sworn in, the volunteers were asked to say a few words about themselves and why they volunteered for the program, which requires intensive training and a multi-year commitment to help a child through the court system.
Those sworn in include a retired pediatric nurse, a self-employed engineer, an ex-teacher, students pursuing college and advanced degrees and people who are or have been involved as LACASA volunteers. Some of them have impressive and extensive resumes of community service. Each expressed a deep commitment to making a difference in the lives of kids.
What could be more important?
Consider that in Livingston County, the number of confirmed cases of child abuse doubled between 2000 and 2008, and half of the kids involved live in foster homes or with relatives because it’s not safe in their homes.
It’s heartbreaking. It’s also frightening.
That’s what makes the CASA program so vital to helping these kids and in breaking the seemingly perpetually looping cycle of domestic violence, abuse and neglect.
For these kids, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant in their lives, the person they can depend on to make sure they don’t get lost in the system, to ensure that scary and difficult-to-understand legal proceedings are less so, to just be there to hold their hand.
“You are a gift to these children,” Hackett Garagiola said.
The program is also a big deal for Livingston County. LACASA secured the funding grant in a nation-wide, competitive process from the National CASA to develop, implement and direct a Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program for Livingston County. These highly trained advocates will represent children involved in the court system through abuse and neglect cases. The program is also a perfect fit for LACASA, which works closely with the court system with the victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
Most importantly, the CASA program has a proven track record.
Studies show that CASA volunteers help both parents and children receive more court-ordered services. When CASA volunteers are involved, more cases are permanently and positively resolved and there is a lowered rate of children reentering the welfare system.
It’s also a huge blow to breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect in the home.
So, as a long-time LACASA board member, I am proud as proud can be. These volunteers are about to embark on one of the most important missions around: helping a kid.
I can’t help but think of the popular saying, that 100 years from now, it won’t matter how big our house was or how much money we had; what matters to the future is that we make a difference in the life of a child now.
Make a difference these volunteers will.
The uplifting ceremony Tuesday is the beginning of something big.
Photos by Will Stuart.
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For more information on LACASA, call (517) 548-1350, or click here.
