The Toombs Judicial Circuit will be receiving $35,000 a year to implement and operate a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program in Lincoln, Wilkes, Taliaferro, McDuffie, Warren, and Glascock counties.

A CASA is a trained community volunteer, who is appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of an abused, neglected, or abandoned child in juvenile court proceedings.

The CASA volunteer gathers information about the child’s situation, attends court proceedings, and makes a recommendation to the judge so that the judge has the information necessary to make a decision about the child’s future. Basically, the volunteer advocates for the safety, permanency, and well being of the child.

“The CASA worker is the child’s voice in court,” said Colleen LeRoy, program director for the circuit. “The volunteer lets the court know what the child wants.”

She went on to say that the program is currently taking applications for CASA advocates.

“A CASA volunteer can ultimately help give a child a brighter future, ending the cycle of abuse and neglect,” explained LeRoy. “Among other benefits, volunteers have an opportunity to learn about the juvenile court system and become actively involved in the community.”

The CASA volunteer must:

.. Have a deep concern for the well being of children.

.. Be at least 21 years of age.

.. Pass criminal background checks.

.. Have good verbal and written communication skills.

.. Have the ability to be objective and non-judgmental.

.. Be available to attend all court hearings.

.. Make a commitment to the CASA program for at least one year or until the case is resolved.

The responsibilities of a CASA volunteer include:

.. Visiting the child and keeping him informed of all aspects of the court proceedings.

.. Gathering independent information about the child to make recommendations to the judge in the child’s best interest.

.. Seeking solutions with other participants in the child’s case.

.. Interviewing the parents, guardians, or caretakers; social workers; and other service providers involved in the case.

.. Preparing written reports for court hearings and attending and participating in the hearings and other related meetings.

.. Identifying potential resources within the family and the community to meet the child’s needs.

.. Monitoring the provisions of service plans and court orders.

.. Ensuring the child’s wishes are known to the judge.

.. Consulting with the local CASA program staff for support and guidance.

To obtain more information about becoming a CASA volunteer, contact Colleen LeRoy at 706-359-5544 or visit the program’s website: www.gacasa.org.

Each year, thousands of children are thrust into court through no fault of their own. Some are victims of violence, psychological torment, or sexual abuse. Others have been neglected or abandoned by their own parents. Whatever the circumstances, most are frightened and confused.

Often these children also become victims of a massive child welfare system – a complex legal network of lawyers, social workers, and judges, who are too frequently overworked to give urgent attention to each child.

In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington, observed a recurring problem of too little information in the courtroom upon which to base life-changing decisions about the safety, permanency, and well being of children. As a result, he raised funding to recruit and train community volunteers to obtain information and speak of behalf of children in court.

In 1977, a CASA pilot program was implemented based on Judge Soukup’s idea. In 1982, the National CASA Association was established to direct CASA’s emerging national presence.

In 1988, Georgia CASA was founded under the auspices of Kids of Georgia Need Volunteers, Inc. In 1989, two pilot CASA programs were established in Georgia. In 1992, Georgia CASA gained independent, nonprofit status and began transitioning local CASA programs into autonomous initiatives.

The need for a program like CASA is highlighted by the following statistics for the state of Georgia:

.. Every day, 90 children are the victims of confirmed abuse or neglect.

.. Two hundred and forty incidents of child abuse and neglect are reported daily.

.. Sixty children died from abuse and neglect in 2007.

.. On any given day, about 8,700 children are in the foster care system.

As for the statistics on Georgia CASA, close to 8,700 children were served by over 2,000 CASA volunteers during FY 2009.

Sadly, of the approximately 19,400 children who came through the foster care system during FY 2008, only 7,521 had a CASA volunteer.