Advocates needed for children in court

People have a chance Sept. 11 to start training to help local children in need.

More than 60 children who have been removed from their parents in Hill County due to cases of abuse or neglect do not have an advocate to represent them, the Hill County branch of Court Appointed Special Advocates Facebook page says.

Hill County’s CASA is seeking new citizen-volunteers 21 years or older to become advocates, the page adds. If an application is accepted, the volunteer attends a no-cost orientation and 30 hours of pre-service training spread over five weeks, the application says.

“It’s roughly 5-10 hours a month — spending time with the child, writing reports, investigating the case and going to court when they have hearings,” Hill County CASA Executive Director Chamene Plum said Monday.

The advocate’s commitment to the child’s case is essential, she said, and can last anywhere from six months to a year or two.

“It really depends on if the parents are following their treatment plan and doing everything they can to get their kiddos back,” she said.

Volunteers do not need a legal background, Plum added, since they are not acting as lawyers but as reporters.

“We don’t give legal advice. We’re literally the eyes and the ears of the judge,” she said. “... We investigate in the best interest of the child. We’re literally writing reports to let the judge know how the child is doing, if they’re in the best place they could be and if they need more services. There’s a bunch of legal jargon we need to know, that’s what we train on, but we look for volunteers to step up and be there for the kids.”

Plum began as a CASA herself roughly four years ago, she said.

“I did find it meaningful. I was able to help,” she said. “... My first case was with a 5-year-old child, and it felt good to be able to tell the judge how the child was doing.

“I just had to interview everybody involved in the case, and the judge was notified, and the child was reunified with the parents,” Plum added.

“A child with a CASA is ... quicker to be reunified with a parent,” Plum said, adding that this is the organization’s goal.

The deadline to apply for the next CASA training session is Saturday, Aug. 25.

Orientation and training

Plum said she is looking forward to training the new volunteers.

“I’m excited for it to all come together,” she said.

CASA orientation is Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Garden Room of the District 4 Human Resources Development Council building, the pre-service training Facebook page says.

Pre-service training will be held Tuesdays at 6 p.m. from Sept. 11 to Oct. 16, the page adds, in the CASA of Hill County office, for a total of 30 hours.

Approximately half of the hours are spent in online training, Plum said, with the other 15 being the in-person weekly training. Access to a computer and internet connection are required, she added, although the course is free.

How to apply

Application packets are available online at http://www.casaofhillcounty.org under “Become a CASA — training opportunities,” as well as at the CASA office, Plum said.

She added that she can email or mail applications to interested applicants, who can call her with questions at the Hill County CASA office at 265-6743, ext. 1135.

Completed applications are due Aug. 25 to Chamene Plum, executive director, CASA of Hill County, in Suite 135 of the District 4 HRDC Building, 2229 5th Ave., the Facebook page says.

Screening requirements include a written application, reference check, personal interview, criminal background investigation and child protection records check, and the 30 hour pre-service training, the Facebook event page says.

Required skills

Plum said the work CASAs do “takes somebody that is open minded … because every case is so different, and you have to listen to all parties, and really decide what is in the best interest of the child so you can report correctly to the court.”

A basic understanding of children is important to have, she added.

“A lot of times you’re interviewing all the adults in their life,” Plum said, “but … you have to be able to understand the child’s needs and wants and be able to relay that in written format to the judge.”

Because children may have multiple lawyers, multiple housing placements and even changing case workers, Plum said “it’s important for that CASA to stick with that child the whole way through.”

She added that by having one CASA, “the child knows their wants and needs are important and are getting relayed to that judge.”

Plum said the five weeks of free training is the deciding factor in whether a volunteer is ready to take on the commitment or not, adding that CASA will not swear in a volunteer advocate who cannot commit to staying with the case through its duration in court.

All six sessions of the training are required, including the orientation and online class portion.

“Just be ready to learn,” Plum said. “It’s a lot of information crammed into five weeks. It’s a lot of working together, as well, in the classes.”

The training includes mock cases, where volunteers role-play with trainers what to expect in the court, with children and with the families.

“Every CASA’s going to learn the same information,” she said. “... It’s a training that national CASA gives us.”

Once volunteers have committed to their cases, training and support continues.

“Sometimes it can be really challenging,” Plum said of being a CASA. “We work together, as a group. … Sometimes, if you get stuck in a case and you need a little help, we have a time where we can pick each other’s brains.”

Responsibilities

Advocates discuss their findings and recommendations with their CASA supervisor before reporting to the court, the application says; advocates submit a report for every hearing with objective findings and clear, child-focused recommendations for appropriate services.

An advocate reports the child’s current status and important case developments to the court monthly, as well as monitoring all documents, treatments, service plans and court orders “to confirm that systems are moving toward a permanent solution for the child,” the application says.

Volunteers also advocate in the community, working with care providers including mental health and education professionals, to meet the child’s needs. They participate in staff meetings, foster-care reviews and family group meetings.

Advocates return the case file to the CASA office after the case is dismissed, including all confidential information they previously held.