“CASA - On Behalf of a Child….”
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childhood is something we all have. Maybe yours was filled with carefree days of running through the woods behind your parent’s home, fighting with your siblings or visiting your grandparents every Sunday. It is the time during a person’s life that they should be free from worry and feel safe. Unfortunately, for many children, this isn’t the case. Instead of thinking about Halloween costumes, some are worrying about greater things, like where they are going to sleep tonight. Pictured l-r: Maura Kelly, Chris Gardner, and Child abuse and neglect has steadily inJennifer DeBalko. creased in the last 10 years; it is a too common problem prevalent in rural communities. Ac- Representative, often meet challenges while cording to the Annual Child Protective Services working with children in foster care. For example, Report in 2016, Greene County had 31 substan- a 5-year-old boy had a bed-wetting problem and tiated reports of child abuse; there are currently his foster parent was quick to suggest medication 119 children placed with foster families. When to his CYS case worker. “The CASA spoke up for a child is removed from his or her home it is an the child and said ‘He has moved into a big, farm emotional and traumatic experience even if the house, his bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom previous environment was unhealthy. Placed in is downstairs… he doesn’t need medication, he is a strange house with strange people, children are scared and needs a flashlight.” expected to adapt which doesn’t always happen. In another case, a girl was placed in 9 differOften the child is too frightened or too young to ent foster homes in one year and at the last one express their feelings or needs. Making sure they she told her CASA volunteer that she was the only are heard is crucial to their survival. one who had a clue about what has been going on The Pennsylvania Court Appointed Special with her life. Being a CASA volunteer helps inAdvocate Association (CASA), is a program de- sure that these children will get the care they need veloped to be the extra set of eyes and ears for in order to thrive and become healthy, functionchildren living in protective services. CASA ing young adults. It is much too often children volunteers work with children ranging from ages are simply a product of their environment and the 0-21 and provide a service that CYS, CPS, and vicious cycle repeats. foster families cannot - spending individual time This program works and is changing the lives with each child, learning as much as they can to of children in desperate need for it, however it make sure they are healthy, happy and thriving. cannot do so without volunteers. The first 12 volMost parenting books will confirm that chil- unteers in Greene County will make up the Board dren do well with routines. If you have children of Directors and are encouraged find a volunteer and have moved your family to a new home, with in addition to themselves. If you, or someone a new school, then you know how difficult it can you know, would like to be a positive influence be for kids to adjust even when they have their in a child’s life please step forward. You must be family with them in the process. Imagine a child at least 21 years old and pass a background check. leaving everything familiar to live with strangers; Each commitment is between 18-24 months and their family, friends and favorite toys left behind. volunteers should allow 10-15 hours a month Now imagine them doing it multiple times a to visit with their paired child. Volunteers atyear. Each time a child is relocated they lose be- tend visits with the child’s parents but are never tween 20-30 relationships. Reunification with the asked to go into an unsafe or unfit environment. child’s parents is always the first priority but often If CASA volunteers are unable to visit with the isn’t possible; the child must remain in foster care child weekly they can keep in touch by phone, until an adoption opportunity presents. email, Facetime, or even send cards and letters, A CASA volunteer visits with the child in the kids love to get mail! It doesn’t take much to make foster home; they also attend visits bea difference. tween the child and parents or closest CASA of Greene, Training begins this October kin. Their objective is to learn about Inc Training Dates 23rd and anyone interested should the child and make suggestions to the for Founder’s Class contact Chris Gardner at (724) 833court on their behalf. It’s a comfort Oct. 23 • 5:30-8:30 9488, (724)231-9323 or email her at 25 • 5:30-8:30 for the child to know they have some- Oct. Oct. 30 • 5:30-8:30 cgardner@greenepacourts.us. More one, the CASA volunteer, who has Nov. 1 • 5:30-8:30 information is also available on the only their best interests in mind. Jen- Nov. 10 • 9:00-4:00 Pennsylvania CASA website www. nifer DeBalko, PA CASA Executive Nov. 13 • 5:30-8:30 pacasa.org. Nov. 15 • 5:30-8:30 Director, and Maura Kelly, PA CASA
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GreeneScene Magazine •
OCTOBER 2018
