Pam Fortier, executive director of CASA, uses three vases with arbitrary names and ages of kids to represent the number of children in need of an advocate.
Pete Erickson / The Bulletin
Legal advocates for children
CASA program volunteers represent kids in abuse, neglect cases
By Alandra Johnson / The Bulletin
Published: April 25. 2008 4:00AM PSTThis profile is one in a regular series to help families connect with assistance organizations. Eighty-seven is a number that is on Pam Fortier’s mind. It’s the number of children in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties in need of a court appointed special advocate.
Fortier is the executive director of the local CASA program and is proud of the work that they do. She is also well aware of the great need the program has for volunteers.
CASA volunteers, who are referred to as CASAs, serve as advocates for children who are involved in dependency cases. This means the children are suspected of having been abused or neglected. They may be in foster care or living with parents or other relatives.
The role of a CASA is to research the case and make objective recommendations in the best interest of the child.
In 2007, there were 65 CASAs in Central Oregon who spent more than 3,000 hours assisting 306 children. CASAs are found throughout the nation, since a pilot program started in Seattle in 1977.
The volunteers, who are appointed by judges, accompany children into court, but they may also visit the child at school or at home.
The volunteers meet face-to-face with each child at least once every 30 days, but many see the children they represent much more frequently. Fortier says most CASAs spend 10 to 15 hours a month volunteering.
“Often times it’s the CASA that is that consistent person in the child’s life,” said Fortier.
While CASAs advocate for kids, that does not mean the volunteers always recommend what children say they want. Sometimes, for instance, a child may want to be reunited with a parent, but a volunteer may determine that the environment remains unsafe.
Judges are not mandated to enforce a CASA’s recommendation, but Fortier believes the assessments are taken seriously and given a great deal of weight.
Fortier says recruiting new volunteers is important because CASAs provide a valuable service. She says children with CASAs perform better in school and spend less time in foster care than children without special advocates.
Cindy Selberg has been a CASA volunteer for more than five years, since moving to Sunriver after she retired as a high school counselor. In that time, she has worked with more than 20 families.
She likes being able to “make a difference in kids’ lives and work within the system.”
Selberg says the work is a good use of her time and is very satisfying, even if it can be disheartening.
Working with case workers, foster parents and other professionals helping the children helps keep Selberg positive because she sees that everyone really wants the best for the children.
“We’re all working together,” said Selberg. “It’s not been as sad as I thought (it would be).”
Most of the children who have a CASA end up being reunited with a parent. Of the 94 cases that closed in 2007, 66 children were returned to their parents, 19 were adopted, three aged out of the system, two went to legal guardians and four children had other various situations.
Training for new volunteers will begin in May. The training is intensive and includes 30 hours of classroom training plus four hours of courtroom observation.
Contact: www.casaofcentral oregon.org or call 389-1618.
— Alandra Johnson
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