Today in Michigan there are almost 20,000 children who cannot live at home because it is not safe for them to do so. Each of these children has experienced some level of abuse or neglect whether they were abandoned with no food or heat; or battered to the point that bones broke. The child may have experienced punishment that was so severe that they were left brain damaged; or experienced sexual assault that one judge describes as "sexual torture."

Eventually these children end up in court. Their only crime is that they are victims. These horrible acts happened at the hands of people they trusted to care for them. And all too often, even with our best efforts, these children may be victimized once again as their case passes through the child welfare system.

Did you know that the American Public Welfare Association estimates that there are currently 500,000 children in foster care or some sort of out-of-home care? 14 out of every 1,000 children in the u.s. were substantiated as victims of child maltreatment. Of the total number of reported incidents of maltreatment: 62% are categorized as neglected, 25% are physically abused, 7% are sexually abused, 3% are emotionally maltreated, and 4% are victims or other types of abuse and/or neglect.

Americans pay an estimated 6.9 billion a year in taxes to care for children in foster care, but the cost in human potential is even greater.

Situation cost to taxpayers
• one child in foster care $15,000/yr.
• one juvenile delinquent $25,000/yr.
• one adult in maximum security prison $19,074/yr.

We are all aware of the best efforts that people in the child welfare system put forth to assist these children. But even our best efforts can fall short when elements within our own system fail.

Family division judges now have less time to hear cases; several jurists may hear the same case over a span of one year; and with court reorganization, judges must now have a broader working knowledge of the laws pertaining to their cases as opposed to judges with a specialized focus on child protective proceedings.

Though many other people and organizations are involved in each child's case, that may not be enough. each case has an attorney for the child, an attorney for the parents (they may have separate attorneys,) a legal representative for DHS and a jurist. There may also be foster care workers from each placement agency. Added to this mix may be therapists for the child, a family counselor, parent aides, and foster parents among others. But of all these people, the CASA may be the only consistent person in this child's life over the course of the case, Which can last up to 18 months to 2 years. Perhaps, with the exception of the foster parents, the CASA will know more about this child than any one of these other players.

Also, lawyer-guardian ads litems are required by law to do an independent investigation/assessment and visit their child client before hearings. Yet, few jurisdictions compensate the LGAL at a level that allows them to perform all their responsibilities in a thorough and comprehensive manner.

Lastly, foster care workers struggle with high case loads, expanding demands for written documentation, and a high level of stress. With most foster care in Michigan provided through purchase of several agencies, where the annual worker turnover rate is 60%, CASA volunteers report that it is not unusual for a child to have 3 foster care workers during the life of the case.

A CASA volunteer is a specially screened and trained, citizen volunteer who has been appointed at the earliest opportunity by a family division judge to provide a voice for the best interests of an abused or neglected child who is involved in a child protective proceeding.

CASA volunteers offer an opportunity to give a voice to the needs of abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers are ordinary people doing extraordinary work for children. They will go through extensive screening prior to 30 hours of intense training. The CASA training covers a variety of topics aimed a providing a broad range of learning including child development, court processes, Michigan laws, community resources, cultural awareness, as well as skill building in interviewing, information gathering, report writing, and testifying.

Once trained, the CASA volunteer is sworn in as an officer of the court and appointed to a family's case generally following the preliminary hearing or adjudication. One CASA will be appointed to one sibling group. The volunteer will speak with the foster care worker, the LGAL, the parents and foster parents, day care providers, teachers, therapists and anyone else who has information about the child. The CASA volunteer will visit the children every 7-10 days, spending 1-2 hours at each visit, learning about the child, their needs and wishes; talking about the court process and what will happen at the next hearing; and simply playing together to build a trusting relationship with them. CASA volunteers will spend an average 15 hours per month on their case.

Prior to every hearing, the CASA volunteer will work with the CASA program staff to write a report for the court outlining their findings and making recommendations for services to aid the child in reaching a safe and permanent home in as short a time as possible. Their commitment is for the life of the case. The average length of cases in Monroe is 18-24 months..

Since the establishment of the first juvenile court in 1899, judges have struggled with the question of whether they have all the information necessary to make life-changing decisions for children who have been abused or neglected. That was the compelling reason behind Judge David Soukup's creation of the first volunteer advocacy program in Seattle, Washington in 1977. Within the first year of the program's existence, Judge Soukup was so pleased with the level of information he was receiving that he shared the concept with a committee of the National juvenile and family court judges. The committee, chaired by Michigan's own Judge John Steketee of Grand Rapids, was developing guidelines for handling abuse and neglect cases and safe guarding a child's right to a safe and permanent home. The committee incorporated the concept as a model for juvenile and family courts in the United States and in the next year the committee gave CASA its name.

Judges across Michigan began to look at CASA as a new resource to aid them in making critical decisions about children and programs began to pop up all over the state. Judges would often refer to the CASA volunteer as "their eyes and ears, gathering information they would if they could."

CASA programs in Michigan have grown from 4 programs in the early 1980's to 19 active programs today. In terms of children served this year, there were 333 CASA volunteers providing a powerful voice of 630 abused and neglected children.... and CASA continues to grow.

Discussion about starting a CASA program started around 1990. In 1996, Monroe County's three probate judges (Judge Joseph A. Costello, Judge Pamela A. Moskwa, and Judge John A. Hohman) called a meeting with directors of agencies that could umbrella a CASA Program. The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Family Counseling and Shelter Services (FCSS) signed an agreement with the probate judges to provide a CASA program for the county. In 1997, the first class of six CASA volunteers was sworn-in. In 2001, RSVP assumed total responsibility for the program. In 2006, twenty-seven volunteers advocated for fifty-eight children. As of April 2005, there were 173 children in foster care in Monroe County.

Community support has been an important factor in the success of CASA of Monroe County. A Friends of CASA Advisory Board was formed in 2001. This advisory body helps to raise public awareness and funds for the CASA program. CASA has been able to expand services with the addition of becoming a United Way Member in 2007. CASA was awarded a grant to increase the number of children served in Monroe County.

The CASA program has steadily grown to advocate for children throughout the past ten years. The program as a stellar reputation throughout the State of Michigan. In 2005, Monroe County CASA volunteer, Kelly Schuck, received an award as "2005 MI CASA Child Advocate of the Year" from the State CASA Association. Nominations for this award considered advocates throughout the State of Michigan who have made significant voluntary contributions in helping abused and neglected children and to the CASA program in their county.

Then in 2006, CASA of Monroe County again was honored to announce that, Monroe County CASA volunteer, Vivian Walczesky, was recognized with the highest award the State CASA Association gives when she received the "2006 MI CASA Child Advocate of the Year" award.

The goal of the local CASA program is to have an advocate for every abused child who enters the court system. At the present time about 2/3 of the children have a CASA Volunteer. If you are interested in helping to support the program or volunteer to become an advocate, contact Associate Director, Dot Stacy at (734) 241-8182

CONTACT CASA

Associate Director - Dot Stacy

Volunteer Coordinator - Denise A. Gray

Friends of CASA Advisory Board

Michelle Duell
Delores LaBeau
Tami Rawlings
Doug Redding
Kelly Schuck
Debbie Shah
Cindy Smith
Walt Wilburn
Vivian Walczesky - Volunteer Liason