CASA OF WASHINGTON COUNTY SEEKS VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN
Posted: June 28th, 2011 10:35 AM
- Community members are encouraged to reach out to children in need -
To protect Sarah and her siblings, the Washington County court removed them from their abusive home. Once removed, Sarah was out of immediate danger, but faced losing her brothers and sisters to different foster families. Thankfully, with the help of their CASA volunteer, Sarah and her siblings were not separated.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Washington County is seeking volunteers and is offering three informational orientations July 7, Aug. 3 and Sept. 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Beaverton Community Center. During the orientation sessions, participants will learn more about the program, specific child advocate roles, and the process to becoming a CASA volunteer.
CASA works directly with families and the courts to ensure the needs of the children remain the No. 1 priority. Many abused children rely on CASAs to help remove them from difficult situations. The children may be victims of neglect or physical abuse. In other cases, parents may abuse drugs or alcohol and are unable to care for their children.
"During these difficult times in the children's lives, it's critical that they have people that stand up and fight for them," said Mayor Denny Doyle. "When the children are at their most vulnerable, the CASA volunteers are there for them."
CASA volunteers visit children regularly; review records; interview parents and relatives; consult with teachers, neighbors and foster care providers; and work closely with community service providers. They advocate for the children and families to help gain them access to needed support and services. In addition, they appear in court to advocate on behalf of the child's needs and best interests.
Candy Ohlsen has been a CASA volunteer for more than three years. Her first case involved parents who simply needed someone to step in while they attended anger management classes. In the end, the family was re-united.
Another case involved a single mother of four.
"The mother was really struggling to get by," said Ohlsen. "It's so gratifying to become part of these family's lives-to know that when everything else is changing, you're a constant. It was so rewarding to watch the mother get back on her feet and be there for her kids."
Once the courts appoint a CASA volunteer, they are responsible for quickly gathering information regarding the home lives of each child and securing a safe and permanent home.
"It's really heartbreaking that hundreds of Washington and Multnomah County children-who were victims of abuse or neglect-are now ending up in the juvenile court system," said Beaverton City Councilor Betty Bode. "Through the efforts of CASA volunteers, we can stop this tragic cycle and start making a true difference in these children's lives."
For more information about how to help these children by becoming a CASA volunteer, please visit www.casahelpskids.org or e-mail Benjamin James at benjamin.f.james@co.multnomah.or.us.
ABOUT CASA
CASA's mission is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every abused or neglected child can live in a safe environment, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA and its network of more than 1,050 local community program offices, support volunteers serving children. The role of local CASA programs is to recruit, train and support volunteers in their work with abused or neglected children.
ABOUT BEAVERTON
Beaverton enjoys one of the most diverse populations among Oregon cities. It was one of just four cities of its size recently recognized as a "Smarter City" energy leader by the Natural Resources Defense Council and one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money magazine. In addition, Beaverton has been named one of the safest cities in the Pacific Northwest for three consecutive years, as one of the best places to raise kids by BusinessWeek magazine, an All-America City finalist, one of the 100 Best Walking Cities in America by Prevention magazine, the Recycler of the Year from the Association of Oregon Recyclers, a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Bronze Award Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclists and as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities. Most recently, the Beaverton Community Vision program was named Public Involvement Project of the Year-Best Planning Project by the International
Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Cascade Chapter. For more information, please visit www.beavertonoregon.gov.
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