August 2017 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 5
CASA: Court volunteers for the most vulnerable
By JENNIFER COLTON
Casa may mean “home” in Span-
ish, but another definition can forge
a way to help children find one.
In the foster care system, CASA –
Court-Appointed Special Advocate
– volunteers serve as the liaison
between a child and the courts.
A CASA volunteer is assigned to a
specific child or sibling group and
may attend court hearings, school
meetings, and other functions on
behalf of the child.
“The big thing is that they show
up for court and are a voice – ears
and eyes for the youth,” said Jesus
Rome, CASA coordinator for Uma-
tilla and Morrow counties. “They
advocate for the youth.”
CASA began in 1977 when a
Seattle judge had the idea of using
trained community volunteers to
speak for abused and
neglected children. The
program has grown
to cover almost every
state and the District of
Columbia. In Oregon,
almost 2,000 CASA
volunteers serve more
than 5,000 children
each year. Nationwide,
the numbers are about
77,000 volunteers help-
ing 250,000 children.
In Umatilla and Mor-
row counties, CASA is
run through Umatilla-Morrow Head
Start, and the CASA of Eastern Ore-
gon program serves Baker, Malheur,
and Union counties. In Grant and
Harney counties, it’s run through
the education service district.
The management may be differ-
HEATHER A. BACON, PH.D. &
JENNIFER K. COOPER, PSY.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologists
Helping parents discover new ways to shape
behavior and reconnect with children.
Currently accepting new patients.
Most insurance and private pay accepted.
860 W. Elm Ave., Suite 204, Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-7777 • hermistonpsych.com
ent, but the program is the same:
Once a CASA volunteer joins a
child’ or teen’s case, they remain a
constant throughout the parade of
strangers, including judges, lawyers,
foster parents and case workers.
Rome said the goal is to have an
advocate for each child in foster
care; however, high numbers of
children mean that isn’t always pos-
sible at the level they’d like. He re-
ports that earlier this year they had
160 youth in foster care in Umatilla
and Morrow counties – and only 40
advocates.
“We’d love every child that
comes into the foster care system
to have an advocate,” he said. “But
because there’s such a need …
we have to pick the highest need
youth.”
Of those 160 children and teens
in foster care, 56 were identified as
highest need, meaning they had a
parent missing or incarcerated or
parents with severe mental health
issues. Rome said most children
want to return to their biological
parents, but if that isn’t possible,
the CASA volunteer can help find
the child a good home with either
another relative or through adop-
tion.
Now dedicated vol-
unteer, Steve Frazier of
Hermiston took the CASA
training just to learn
what the program was
about. That led Frazier to
become an advocate for
two boys, a position he
had for two years. As the
boys began to move out
of the foster system, he
took on two more fami-
lies.
“It was a wonderful
experience,” he reports.
“It was just rewarding to be able to
make a small difference for them.”
Frazier says being a CASA isn’t
for everyone, it sometimes takes
thick skin, but for anyone with a de-
sire to help, there is a great need. “I
say try it and see if you like it.”
Becoming a CASA volunteer
requires a deep interest in vol-
unteering and serving children.
Potential volunteers go through
an application and interview, pass
a fingerprint and criminal history
background check and complete 36
hours of training and orientation.
After those pieces are in place, the
volunteer is sworn in as an officer
of the court and meets with the
case manager for a case assign-
ment.
If you would like more informa-
tion on becoming a CASA volunteer,
you can contact Jesus Rome at
541-564-6878 or by email at casa@
umchs.org.
“It’s different than being a foster
parent,” Rome said. “It’s a wonder-
ful program if you have time for it.”
________
Jennifer Colton is news director of
KOHU and KQFM, and mother of
three, based in Pendleton.