Child advocacy group needs area help

The Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri is looking for a few good volunteers.

The organization, known as CASA, seeks new members who will donate their time and compassion in an effort to better represent children in court cases involving abuse or neglect.

"There's always been a shortage of volunteers," said Linda Nash, director of CASA of Southeast Missouri. "We've never had the number of volunteers we need, but the need continues."

Since 1992, CASA volunteers have served as advocates for abused or neglected children in court cases in the 32nd Judicial Circuit, which covers Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties. The circuit each year averages about 230 cases involving abused or neglected children, Nash said, and in 2012 volunteers were able to serve in only 49 of those cases -- roughly 21 percent.

"There's just not enough people to serve everybody," Nash said. "We'd like to be able to reach the national CASA average, which is 30 percent. I wish we could serve in at least 75 percent of the cases."

According to the national CASA website, the organization consists of 933 nationwide programs that recruit, train and support volunteers to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom. In 2012, CASA volunteers helped 234,000 abused and neglected children find safe, permanent homes by serving as the eyes and ears of judges in the child abuse or neglect cases to which they were assigned.

Nash said CASA involvement in a child abuse or neglect case starts with a referral from the juvenile office of the 32nd Judicial Circuit. The child involved in the case has already been placed in foster care and, depending on availability, a CASA volunteer is appointed by the court to serve as an advocate on behalf of the child. The volunteer determines the child's condition and needs and the condition of the child's parents. Reports and recommendations are submitted for the court to consider when making a decision in the case. A volunteer serves on behalf of the child until the case closes, which can mean either a termination of parental rights, a guardian taking legal custody of the child, or the child legally leaving foster care at age 18.

"We say to potential volunteers that they should take a case with the intent of staying with it," Nash said. "That means making home visits, going to court and making reports. Normally a volunteer will have only one case, and the time involved comes to between four to six hours a month."

Tammy Johnston, a CASA volunteer since March, said she volunteered because she wanted to make a difference in a child's life.

"It's a challenge, but it can be so rewarding," Johnston said. "There's nothing like building a bond with a child."

Johnston said CASA volunteer training emphasizes the responsibilities of being an advocate and building a relationship with the child, even if the child has come from depressing circumstances.

"Sometimes what a volunteer sees is hard," she said. "Sometimes a child is in a bad situation, but that only makes me more determined to help them."

The work done by CASA volunteers on behalf of abused or neglected children is being noticed by the courts where they serve.

"What they do is invaluable," said Circuit Court Judge Scott Lipke. "My experiences with them have always been positive ones. We need more CASA volunteers."

Lipke said he has been impressed by the findings of CASA volunteers when they submit their reports to the court.

"They are always very detailed," he said. "In child abuse cases, I would prefer having more information than less."

Nash said a one-hour orientation session for new CASA volunteers will be Thursday in the CASA office at 937 Broadway, but potential volunteers are asked to contact the office before Thursday to arrange an interview. Volunteer training, which includes online sessions, will begin Oct. 15 and lasts through Nov. 12. CASA also will host a scavenger hunt from 3 to 7 p.m. Oct. 5, starting at the Bel Air Grill at 24 S. Spanish St.

CASA isn't the only organization in Cape Girardeau seeking volunteers. Nancy Jernigan, executive director of the United Way of Southeast Missouri, said volunteers are needed for the United Way's "Read To Succeed" program in the Cape Girardeau elementary schools and their "Navigator" program, which focuses on at-risk families.

For more information on being a CASA volunteer, call CASA at 335-1726 or visit capecasa.com. For information about the United Way's volunteer opportunities, call the United Way of Southeast Missouri at 334-9634 or visit unitedwayofsemo.com.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

937 Broadway, Ste. 201, Cape Girardeau, Mo.