Public Service Profile

“CASA - On Behalf of a Child….”

By Lauren Bertovich.

A 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.

Child abuse and neglect has steadily increased in the last 10 years; it is a too common problem prevalent in rural communities. According to the Annual Child Protective Services Report in 2016, Greene County had 31 substantiated reports of child abuse; there are currently 119 children placed with foster families. When a child is removed from his or her home it is an emotional and traumatic experience even if the previous environment was unhealthy. Placed in a strange house with strange people, children are expected to adapt which doesn’t always happen. Often the child is too frightened or too young to express their feelings or needs. Making sure they are heard is crucial to their survival.

The Pennsylvania Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA), is a program developed to be the extra set of eyes and ears forchildren living in protective services. CASA volunteers work with children ranging from ages 0-21 and provide a service that CYS, CPS, and foster families cannot - spending individual time with each child, learning as much as they can to make sure they are healthy, happy and thriving.

Pictured l-r: Maura Kelly, Chris Gardner, and Jennifer DeBalko.

Most parenting books will confirm that children do well with routines. If you have children and have moved your family to a new home, with a new school, then you know how difficult it can be for kids to adjust even when they have their family with them in the process. Imagine a child leaving everything familiar to live with strangers; their family, friends and favorite toys left behind. Now imagine them doing it multiple times a year. Each time a child is relocated they lose between 20-30 relationships. Reunification with the child’s parents is always the first priority but often isn’t possible; the child must remain in foster care until an adoption opportunity presents.

A CASA volunteer visits with the child in the foster home; they also attend visits betweenthe child and parents or closest kin. Their objective is to learn about the child and make suggestions to the court on their behalf. It’s a comfort for the child to know they have someone, the CASA volunteer, who has only their best interests in mind. Jennifer DeBalko, PA CASA Executive Director, and Maura Kelly, PA CASA Representative, often meet challenges while working with children in foster care. For example, a 5-year-old boy had a bed-wetting problem and his foster parent was quick to suggest medication to his CYS case worker. “The CASA spoke up for the child and said ‘He has moved into a big, farm house, his bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom is downstairs… he doesn’t need medication, he is scared and needs a flashlight.”

In another case, a girl was placed in 9 different foster homes in one year and at the last one she told her CASA volunteer that she was the only one who had a clue about what has been going on with her life. Being a CASA volunteer helps insure that these children will get the care they need in order to thrive and become healthy, functioning young adults. It is much too often children are simply a product of their environment and the vicious cycle repeats.

This program works and is changing the lives of children in desperate need for it, however it cannot do so without volunteers. The first 12 volunteers in Greene County will make up the Board of Directors and are encouraged find a volunteer in addition to themselves. If you, or someone you know, would like to be a positive influence in a child’s life please step forward. You must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check. Each commitment is between 18-24 months and volunteers should allow 10-15 hours a month to visit with their paired child. Volunteers attend visits with the child’s parents but are never asked to go into an unsafe or unfit environment. If CASA volunteers are unable to visit with the child weekly they can keep in touch by phone, email, Facetime, or even send cards and letters, kids love to get mail! It doesn’t take much to make

Training begins this October 23rd and anyone interested should contact Chris Gardner at (724) 833- 9488, (724)231-9323 or email her at cgardner@greenepacourts.us. More information is also available on the Pennsylvania CASA website www. pacasa.org.

CASA of Greene, Inc Training Dates for Founder’s Class

Oct. 23 • 5:30-8:30 Oct. 25 • 5:30-8:30 Oct. 30 • 5:30-8:30 Nov. 1 • 5:30-8:30 Nov. 10 • 9:00-4:00 Nov. 13 • 5:30-8:30 Nov. 15 • 5:30-8:30