LexisNexis Cares Spotlight: CASA gives neglected children a voice – and hope
Danette Eason of LexisNexis Dayton was concerned as she watched a formerly rambunctious 2-year-old boy – now in a foster home because his teenage father was unable to care for him – sit listlessly every time she came to visit.
But since Danette was the boy’s CASA, his Court Appointed Special Advocate, she could do something about it.
“As the eyes and ears of the court, I noticed this change in his behavior and included these observations in my report to the judge,” Danette said. “Something wasn’t right, and ultimately, this child was removed from that foster home."
Volunteer CASAs like Danette, Senior Operations Support Representative, LexisNexis, advocate in court for abused, neglected or dependent children who have been removed from their parents or other caregivers. Danette’s role: To help get the children placed into safe, permanent, loving homes. In most cases, this means returning the children to their family once their safety is assured. In other cases, it means releasing the children for adoption rather than keeping them in temporary care.
“These children are not juvenile delinquents,” Danette noted. “They are good kids who just need a safe home.”
Every foster child needs a CASA
Thousands more CASAs like Danette are needed to speak on behalf of abused, neglected or dependent children. Currently, less than half of all children in foster care have advocates. Last year, more than 59,000 CASAs nationwide represented 243,000 children, but every day, more than 500,000 children are in foster care, according to the National CASA Association.
“More children are finding themselves in the foster care system through no fault of their own,” Danette said. “If more individuals would take on just one case, it would make such a huge difference. We can give these children a voice, and we can give them hope.”
A CASA is a constant figure in a foster child’s life
As a CASA in Ohio, Danette is an everyday citizen trained and empowered as an officer of the Montgomery County Juvenile Court to represent a child’s best interests. After receiving a new case, she visits with the foster child at least monthly and conducts research by interviewing doctors, school or daycare teachers, family members, foster parents, lawyers, social workers and other people in the child’s life. Danette reports the facts, documenting her findings and recommendations in an unbiased report to the court, and then speaks to the court on the child’s behalf.
Her report contains information the judge needs to make good decisions and find a permanent home for the child. That’s important, since each week, almost 6,000 children enter our nation’s already overcrowded foster care system.
A CASA – also called a Guardian Ad Litem or child advocate – becomes that one, constant adult in the life of a child, who may have been removed from a parent suddenly, in the middle of the night, or moved from foster home to foster home.
“A CASA who is able to be with that child consistently, even just once a month, can make a huge difference in that child’s life,” she said.
Anyone can be a CASA
Any adult age 21 or older who passes a background check can be a CASA – from college students to professionals to homemakers to retirees.
After being trained, a CASA volunteer is sworn in as an Officer of the Court and assigned a mentor. Danette estimates she spends four to eight hours a month on each case, including the monthly visit with the child. She’s reimbursed for mileage and parking fees.
There are plenty of ways to help
Besides being a CASA, LexisNexis employees support local CASA programs in other ways. Earlier this year, LexisNexis Colorado Springs employees collected stuffed animals, pajamas, baseballs, footballs, soccer balls, craft kits and pajamas for a daytime pajama party for foster children sponsored by their local CASA organization.
“We delivered four big bags with items for the party,” said Patricia Rodriguez, LexisNexis Cares champion, Colorado Springs. “We’re looking at more ways to partner with CASA locally.”
LexisNexis employees in Washington, D.C., helped to create more awareness about abused, neglected and dependent children by participating in National CASA’s Forgotten Children campaign, held May 19-23. Diedra Alexander, LexisNexis Cares champion, Washington, D.C., and a dozen other LexisNexis employees helped place 850 life-size poster cutouts of children near the Washington Monument on the National Mall. These poster cutouts, bearing photos and messages from foster children, represent the average number of children who enter the foster care system each day.
“When you actually saw the faces of these forgotten children, against the backdrop of the Washington Monument, it was pretty powerful,” Diedra said. “People walking by stopped to find out what we were doing and learn more about these children and about CASA. It really touched everyone.”
Sally Vogel, Vice President, Government Sales, LexisNexis, rounded up some of her sales staff to help place the cutouts on the National Mall as soon as she learned about the opportunity from Diedra.
“I am so much more aware – 850 children entering our foster care system each day is huge!” Sally said. “It made me think about what I need to do to help CASA, now that I understand what’s going on with these children.”
To donate, learn how to become a CASA volunteer or partner with your local CASA program, please visit nationalcasa.org or call 800-628-3233.