Brownwood News – Three new advocates were administered their oaths by Judge Steve Ellis on Monday, November 25, 2019. CASA in the Heart of Texas is excited for them as they reach this milestone and prepare to be assigned cases, actual children to advocate for.
Judge Steve Ellis with newly sworn advocates Christine Cooper, James (Jimmy) Richardson, and Jane Toppert November 25, 2019.
Part of best interest advocacy involves advocates spending a significant amount of time with their assigned children in order to build a relationship with them so that they can assess their needs and take steps to get those needs met. In addition to the time advocates spend with the children themselves, they will spend time with their parents, family members, school personnel, their foster parents or relative/kinship placements, medical and mental health providers, Child Protective Services (CPS) workers, attorneys, and possibly others. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) gather information from all sources and present important information to the court, along with their recommendations, to help the court make the best-informed decisions in the interest of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse/neglect and are under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Having a CASA volunteer is helpful because that volunteer can commit the sustained attention and focus to a case that most others cannot. CASA volunteers often catch things sooner than others and keep children’s needs from falling through the cracks. They are a stabilizing factor for children through moves and school changes, even caseworker changes.
“One thing that we are getting more involved in,” stated Michelle Wells, Executive Director for CASA in the Heart of Texas, “is family finding, really exploring and searching out family members who can help keep the child connected to the family by staying in contact, supervising visits, being considered for placement or even adoption, should that become necessary.” Collaborative Family Engagement is a joint effort of CASA programs in Texas and their CPS counterparts. The program is gradually rolling out in the state; Brown and Comanche counties are implementing the program currently.
Court Appointed Special Advocates must be 21 years of age, pass extensive background checks, go through the interview process, then compete the training class. People who make good advocates are self-starters, pay attention to detail, communicate well, can follow guidelines, are team players, and are genuinely interested in the best interest of the children. If you think you would like to volunteer to help children in this way, please complete the application and other forms found on the CASA in the Heart of Texas website, www.casabrownwood.org. Call the office at 325-643-2557 for help if needed or with any questions.
CASA in the Heart of Texas will be having CASA 101: Information Session at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, December 3rd at 901 Avenue B in Brownwood. “This is a great time to learn more, ask questions, and get the information needed to decide if this is the volunteer opportunity you are looking for,” stated Joanne McCraw, Recruiter/Trainer for the program.
The next Pre-Service Volunteer Training Class is planned to begin in early January 2020 and applications must be received by December 6, 2019.
Anyone thinking they would like to volunteer and go through this next class needs to complete the application process by Friday, December 6, 2019 in order to allow time for obtaining references, completing necessary background checks, interviewing and, of course, working around the holidays.
CASA in the Heart of Texas will have a cookie decorating booth at Christmas Under the Stars in Brownwood on December 6 and 7, 2019 at The Depot. They would love to see you there!
