         
|
 |
|
Newsletter |
NEWSClick here for a copy of the latest CASA NewsletterClick here for 2010 state CASA report Breaking News: Herald-Times Highlights CASA and Child Welfare Issues - March 31, 2011CASA in need of more volunteersBy Dann Denny The Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates board launched a volunteer recruitment campaign two months ago, hoping to raise the number of CASA volunteers from 96 to 111 by March 1 and to 146 by the end of the year. The campaign, which ran from Jan. 19 to Feb. 18 and included everything from group presentations to TV ads, fell a bit shy of that goal, producing six new CASA volunteers. Those volunteers have begun taking a two-days-a-week, five-week training course March 1-April 15, a course that is offered three times a year. The next training course will be offered May 16-June 20, and applications are needed by May 6. If you're interested in volunteering as a CASA, you can call 333-2272 or apply online at monroecountycasa.org. Kristin Bishay, CASA's director, said volunteering as a CASA is not for everyone. "There can be a high level of frustration and a lot of emotional involvement," she said. "But the rewards are overwhelming. To walk out of a courtroom after you are sure the judge heard you, and that you made a difference in a child's life, is extremely gratifying." Lorraine Merriman, 59, who's been a CASA for 13 years and was recently nominated for National CASA of the Year, said her work can be heart-wrenching, but also deeply satisfying. "It really boils down to one human being helping another human being, but in this case my charge is the children - making sure they have a safe, loving and permanent home," said Merriman. She said the most challenging aspect of her CASA work is encountering delays in the court system. "I find continuances very frustrating," she said. "I know they are necessary because the court dockets are so full, but it can be difficult to see a child suffer because the process is taking longer than I would like." Merriman said CASA work is not for the faint of heart. She's still haunted by a case in which a family was torn apart due to one of the parents' mental illness. "It was so difficult to watch the parents and children suffer as they went through the process of understanding this mental illness and its short- and long-term effects," she said. "It was heartbreaking." Children are waiting Including new and ongoing cases, Monroe County CASAs served 311 children in 2010, compared with 361 in 2009, 297 in 2008 and 255 in 2007. There are currently 22 children on the waiting list for a CASA, and they.re spending an average of three to four months on that list. State law requires that all abused or neglected children be represented by a CASA, but because of the shortage of volunteers, only 72 percent of Child in Need of Special Services cases in Monroe County Juvenile Court have a CASA. "I would prefer to have 100 percent of my cases have a CASA," said Monroe County juvenile court judge Steve Galvin. "But I know that's impossible given the numbers." National award Monroe County CASA recently won a national award for a volunteer recruitment poster it had designed featuring a photo of a small, doe-eyed boy looking directly at the camera. Beneath the photo, a headline reads, "Stand up for abused children, so they can stand a chance." In smaller letters are these words: "Be the difference. Become a CASA." The poster was one of three award winners in the first-ever National CASA Association Communications Contest, which drew more than 55 entries nationwide. The winning entry was in the volunteer category, one of three possible categories in which entries were judged. "I am so excited that Monroe County CASA has received this recognition from National CASA," said Tiffany Kinney, Monroe County CASA assistant director. "Hopefully our volunteer recruitment campaign will help motivate individuals to volunteer and support CASA." She said CASA is grateful to Ryan Kegley, a Kansas City director and designer, for designing the poster, of which nearly 150 copies were made and distributed all over Bloomington.  Volunteer advocates play key role in cases involving abused, neglected kids CASA's involvement can help avoid repetition of child abuse, neglect By Dann Denny
It's the belief of many in the juvenile justice system that Court Appointed Special Advocates not only help abused and neglected children, but society as a whole. "CASA's involvement in a case brings better outcomes for children without significant additional public costs," said Kristin Bishay, director of Monroe County CASA. "And taking services away from these families will create a far greater cost in the future, not just in terms of the dollars and cents but the harm that is caused to children." Bishay said abused or neglected children who don't receive needed services, or are forced to return to unsafe homes, are more likely to become juvenile delinquents down the road. "That leads to more payments to foster care parents and more money needed to pay for further services for the child," she said. "And when more kids are re-entering the system, more DCS case workers are needed to handle their cases." Bishay said the national recidivism rate - the percent of abuse or neglect cases that have to be reopened due to further abuse or neglect - is 50 percent among cases without a CASA volunteer, but only 10 percent among cases in which a CASA volunteer is involved. Ann Houseworth, director of communications with the state DCS, said the DCS does not keep track of its case recidivism rates. "But locally, our CASA program has witnessed a rise in recidivism firsthand," Bishay said. "It's definitely happening more often." Monroe County CASA's payroll accounts for 70 percent of its annual $260,000 budget, mainly to pay professional staff to supervise and train the CASA volunteers. Juvenile court Judge Steve Galvin said the CASA program is a bargain for the county, which pays only $100,000 of CASA's annual budget - the rest coming from CASA's fundraising efforts. "The CASAs give us hundreds of thousands of dollars in volunteer work every year," he said. "And the quality of the CASAs we get - doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, retirees - is incredible." "There are children alive today because the CASAs did their job and did it well," he said. Bishay cites a 2006 audit of the National CASA Association conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General found that: Only 13 percent of children with a CASA volunteer spend time in long-term foster care, while 27 percent of children who don't have a CASA spend time in long-term foster care. When a CASA volunteer was involved, both children and their parents were ordered by the courts to receive more services. The audit concluded that this was an indication that "CASA is effective in identifying the needs of children and parents." Cases involving a CASA volunteer are three times more likely to be permanently closed - meaning the children are reunited with their families or adopted - than cases where a CASA volunteer is not involved. Children with a CASA volunteer are less likely to be placed back with their parents than children not assigned a CASA volunteer. The audit says this is because CASA volunteers typically serve the most serious cases of maltreatment, cases where children are less likely to be reunited with their parents. Breaking News: Herald-Times Highlights CASA and Child Welfare Issues - March 30, 2011Advocates for children worry about steady decline in fundingState now has control over money that had been distributed by county By Dann Denny
The state's appropriation to the Indiana Family and Children Fund - which pays for placements and services for abused and neglected children and juvenile delinquents - was $445 million in fiscal year 2011. The recommended appropriation in fiscal year 2012 is $336 million, a 25 percent decrease. On a larger scale, the total state appropriation for child welfare and child support services was $622 million in fiscal year 2010. The proposed appropriation in 2012 is $529 million, a 15 percent decrease. Child advocate organizations say it's difficult to get figures from the state concerning the amount of money spent on services for abused and neglected children because of changes in the way the Department of Child Services is funded. Before the property tax bill of 2008, the local Department of Child Services was funded by property taxes administered through county governments. But after the bill passed, funding for all DCS offices was centralized at the state level, meaning the control of those funds was no longer in the hands of county governments. "County government used to decide what cuts were or were not made," said Kristin Bishay, director of Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates. "But when property taxes became centralized, it gave the state the power to make cuts however it wanted." Ann Houseworth, director of communications with the state DCS, said the 2008 tax relief bill moved property tax money from the Family and Children Fund Budget to the state budget. "The state Legislature gave the responsibility of managing that money to the state DCS," she said. "Before that, the monies came from county property taxes and were managed by local DCS offices." To make matters more confusing, the state assumed responsibilty for the Family and Children fund for half of fiscal year 2009, which skews the funding data for that year. "We have not had any success getting the data we want from the state," Bishay said. "It seems like they're playing a shuffle game." Houseworth confirmed that the DCS has indeed had cuts, but added that an increase in federal funds have helped ease the pain. "There have been cuts in state dollars, but by providing accurate information showing we are serving families in the best way possible, we've been able to maximize the amount of federal monies we've received," she said. "Overall, though, our budget has been cut." Houseworth said the State Budget Office has directed all state agencies to reduce their spending below appropriations. As a result, the DCS spent about 7 percent less than its appropriations in state fiscal year 2010 and will spend 15 percent less than its appropriations in state fiscal year 2011. Jane Jankowski, Gov. Mitch Daniels. press secretary, said state agencies, on average, have reduced their budgets by 25 percent since late 2008 and early 2009. "Because we have $2 billion less in revenue since fiscal year 2008, all agencies, unfortunately, are seeing reductions in spending," she said. "Gov. Daniels feels we need to live within our means and that's what we are doing." Cathleen Graham, executive director of IARCCA - An Association of Children and Family Services, said when the state shifted funding from the counties to the state, the amount of money budgeted for the Family and Children Fund was $445 million for fiscal year 2011. "But the DCS did not spend $31 million of that $445 million and that was returned last June to the state's general fund," she said. "That meant that each county DCS office had even less money to spend on the daily care of kids." Graham said the state gave its assurance that the cuts would not affect services to abused, neglected and delinquent children - but has not made good on that promise. "Starting July 1 with the start of fiscal year 2012, the state will cut $109 million from what the DCS requested in fiscal year 2011, which is a 25 percent cut," she said. "If you think children are not being well served now, wait until July 1 when there are 25 percent fewer dollars." Houseworth said various initiatives allowed the DCS to improve outcomes for the children it serves without spending the entire Family and Children Fund Budget appropriated to the DCS. In a Jan. 26 letter from Indiana DCS director James Payne to the House Ways and Means Committee, Payne writes that the $109 million reduction to the Family and Children Fund "was accomplished by eliminating inefficiencies in the previously county-based system related to inconsistent pricing of services and increasing the leveraging of federal funds." Graham said DCS officials have told her the agency has been able to save money by placing more children with relatives rather than removing them from homes and paying for foster care. "That's fine as long as the kids are receiving the right level of services and are safe," she said. "But we fear that may not always be happening. If a grandmother is given three grandkids with no help, she may not be able to care for them properly." Graham added that highly troubled children need to be put in therapeutic or special needs foster homes, even if they are more expensive than regular foster homes. "It's the same with counseling and drug treatment," Graham said. "If the state does not invest in these services at the right time, it will lead to more expensive consequences down the road and more kids ending up in the Department of Corrections." Funding cuts to providers Monroe County juvenile court judge Steve Galvin said the county used to pay those who provide services to children and families, but now the state DCS decides what service providers are paid. Galvin said since the state began contracting for services such as drug therapy and drug counseling to families in his court, he has seen some providers stop providing those services. "They saw a 10 percent cut in pay last year and as a result, some of them have fallen away," he said. "One psychologist recently said the rates were unreasonably low and opted out." Galvin said he is not yet at the panic stage because there are still enough providers willing to provide services at the reduced rate. "The state says it's not cutting funding for children, but rather is re-allocating the money," he said. "But the truth is that the state is cutting the amount of money going to providers. I'm worried that any further cuts will result in a loss of services available to children." "The state DCS and juvenile court judges have to make sure we don't allow budgetary considerations to prevent us from providing sufficient and excellent services to children and families." Overworked case managers? State Rep. Peggy Welch said she is concerned about how the cuts are affecting DCS caseworkers and their ability to do their jobs well. "DCS has told them they are now working 37 1/2 hours a week and that's it," she said. "In addition to handling big caseloads, they are required to be in the homes for all supervised parental visitations." Welch said DCS officials have told her the cuts have not affected caseworkers or the services provided to families because the agency now operates more efficiently. But she is skeptical. "DCS says the caseworkers can visit with the children while they're visiting with the parents, but in my opinion you can't do those two things simultaneously," she said. "I'm wondering how the caseworkers can get all their work done, and make sure that kids are being well cared for." Welch said if CASAs are complaining about inadequate services to children, the DCS should listen. "The CASAs are the ones on the front line," she said. "They are the people best able to see where the rubber meets the road when it comes to these children." Houseworth points out that the shrinking budget has not led to reductions in the number of DCS case managers. She said by bringing all its fiscal operations into a centralized location, the DCS now counts around 1,590 case managers, more than twice the number it reported six years ago. How abuse and neglect investigations are done By Dann Denny When the Department of Child Services receives a report of child abuse or neglect, it sends a case manager into the home to assess the situation, said Ann Houseworth, director of communications for the state DCS office. If DCS substantiates that abuse or neglect has taken place, and feels the children are in a dangerous situation, it can immediately remove them from the home - but must obtain court approval within 24 hours to keep them out of the home for a longer period of time. Houseworth said the DCS can open the case as an "informal adjustment," in which the parents willingly accept services - such as drug counseling or therapy. In these instances, the courts do not get involved. But if the abuse or neglect is severe, or the parents are uncooperative, DCS can go to the juvenile courts and ask for a detention hearing to see if there's a need to find temporary placement for the children. "Then, within 48 hours, we have an initial hearing with the parents where we explain to the judge why we removed the children," she said. "At this hearing, we need a court order from the judge to keep the children out of the home and find more long-term placement for them." If the judge issues such an order, Houseworth said, DCS has a 30-day window after the child is removed from the home in which to complete its assessment of the case before having a fact-finding hearing - which is essentially a trial. "If during the assessment we do not substantiate the allegations of abuse or neglect, we will not file a Child in Need of Services petition, and the case would not go forward," Houseworth said. "If abuse or neglect is substantiated, DCS would file a CHINS petition and the case would go on to the fact-finding aspect." Houseworth said after the fact-finding, DCS - along with a Court Appointed Special Advocate and the medical professionals and social workers - bring their recommendations to the judge and the judge makes a decision based on those recommendations. "The judge could order that the children be removed from the home, order services for the family or children, or put the kids back into the home," she said. Breaking News: Herald-Times Highlights CASA and Child Welfare Issues - March 29, 2011Are Indiana's funding cuts hurting state's abused and neglected children?Some who work with kids say cuts are having an impact; state says services still available By Dann Denny
"Just four months after that, the children had to once again be yanked out of the home," said Kristin Bishay, director of Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates. "As a result, the children were traumatized and had their lives disrupted a second time." Bishay does not blame the caseworker. She, along with her board, feels a reduction in state funding is the real culprit. She said state funding slashes are pressuring DCS caseworkers to ask judges to close cases - effectively removing themselves from the family's life and cutting off all services - before a safe environment can be established for the children. "We're now seeing babies with illegal substances in their systems not being removed from homes, meaning they are being left in the care of mothers who are addicted to drugs," she said. "That never used to happen, but with these budget cuts, it's happening now." Bishay said limited funds have caused the DCS to come up with a new philosophy concerning drug-addicted parents. "DCS now says that just because a mom is an addict, it does not necessarily mean she cannot parent her child safely, even though the very reason the child was removed to begin with is that she put the child in harm's way through her drug use," she said. Ann Houseworth, director of communications for the state DCS office, said it's true that in the past children born to addicted mothers were automatically removed from the home. "But now we feel it can be harmful to remove a child during the most important time of his or her life, when the bonding experience between the baby and mom takes place," she said. "We have changed the lens we use to look at these cases." Houseworth said DCS might try, for example, to bring a grandparent into the home of an addicted mother while the mother receives drug counseling, rather than remove the child from the home. "But if the child can't be kept safely in the home, we will remove the child," she said. Houseworth said the DCS is trying to dispel the notion that it.s eager to remove children from homes. "A lot of people think when the DCS knocks on your door it says, 'We.'e here to take your kids,'" she said. "We want people to know that when we knock on your door we say, 'We've been told there is a problem here; how can we help you solve it?'" Houseworth said state funding cuts had nothing to do with the change in the DCS's position regarding the removal of children from homes with a drug-addicted parent, saying the assessment process is solely focused on the child, not on fiscal concerns. "DCS will not endanger the life of a child in order to save money," she said. "The DCS practice model is focused on safety of the child, first and foremost. Family case managers assess each case based on its unique circumstances, seek input from the family involved, then make a decision ensuring the safety and best interests of the child." But Bishay and some other child advocates say the changes in DCS policy are the result of cuts in state funding to the Indiana Family and Children Fund - which pays for out-of-home placements and out-of-home and in-home services to abused and neglected children and juvenile delinquents. The state's recommended appropriations for fiscal year 2012 are 25 percent lower than the year before. Factors affect decisions Monroe County Juvenile Court Judge Steve Galvin said DCS caseworkers must reconcile the needs of children with limited state funding when they make recommendations to the court. "In addition to their financial limitations, they have a legal duty to try to help reunite children with their families, and I have to take that into account," he said. Court Appointed Special Advocates are specifically focused on the needs of children in court cases. They are trained volunteers who work with individual children as their legal cases wend their way through the system. Lorraine Merriman, a CASA for 13 years, said the children she's represented have always received sufficient services, but said other CASAs have told her that - due to new rules and regulations from the state DCS office - decisions are being made that are not in the best interest of the children. "I'm not sure the state understands that this is not formulaic work," she said. "Each family has a different dynamic." Bishay said if the DCS persuades the court to return children to unsafe home environments, it increases the likelihood that the youngsters will suffer more abuse or neglect, thus re-entering the child protection system. She cites a case in which children were returned to a home in which the parents had failed for nine months to comply with court-ordered therapy and anger management classes. "Ten days later, one of the young children was physically harmed by a parent, and the children were removed again," she said. "The trauma of the abuse was compounded by the trauma of being removed again." CASAs' influence Bishay said there are often occasions when a DCS caseworker wants the court to close a case before a CASA volunteer feels it's appropriate to do so. "The DCS worker might say to the judge that it has a safety plan in place and it's OK to put the children back into the home, but the CASA volunteer may have uncovered facts showing it's too soon," she said. "On many occasions, at least in Monroe County, the CASA volunteer can persuade the judge to keep the kids out of the home." Galvin said the CASAs play an invaluable role by arming him with enough facts to make the best possible ruling. "They're concerned that DCS caseworkers are not always concerned about the same things I'm concerned about," he said. Galvin adds that DCS caseworkers, who must simultaneously juggle multiple cases, can't put as much time into each case as the CASAs. "The CASAs are able to spend more time visiting with the children and family and gathering information than the caseworkers," he said. "They keep me informed. They are the canary in the mine." Bishay said the problem of returning kids to unsafe homes is not as acute in Monroe County as in other Indiana counties because judges here are fierce child protection advocates. CASA board member Janice Arvesen gave an example of a case two years ago in which an 11-month-old infant had been removed from a home after having suffered a broken bone. Arvesen said when the infant's mother had another baby, the DCS caseworker felt it would be all right to allow the mother to take the newborn home with her. "I felt strongly that the baby should not go home with the mom," she said. "Fortunately, the judge agreed, and the baby was removed from the mother at the hospital and put into foster care." Galvin said in today's world of bark-tight budgets, CASAs play a crucial role in providing information to the juvenile courts. "They give voice to children who otherwise would have no voice." Fewer services? Arvesen said state cuts are coercing DCS caseworkers to ask the court for fewer vital services for abused and neglected children and their parents. "When a CASA goes to court and says a kid needs counseling, for example, the DCS caseworker might say, 'Yes, we agree, but we don't have the money to provide those services,'" she said. Bishay said a court can order counseling for children, and such things as therapy, drug counseling and parenting classes for parents. Arvesen said it's not the fault of DCS caseworkers that they sometimes ask judges to provide scant services to families. "They are doing their job the best they can with the money they have, but sometimes their hands are tied by lack of funds," she said. "Unfortunately, because we are fighting so hard for these kids, it can erect a wall between us and the caseworkers." Galvin said he, too, is aware of the financial challenges faced by the DCS. "The DCS is trying to be more frugal, and that will always cause strains in the system," he said. Galvin said he is ultimately responsible for determining what services are ordered, but the availability of those services is controlled by the state DCS. "The DCS contracts with providers for all juvenile services I order," he said. "I have seen some contraction of services in recent years, but all services are still available." Houseworth of the state DCS office said despite a decrease in state funding, the agency has not curtailed the services it provides to children and families. "We still make every effort to ensure that children are kept safely in the home by working with community partners to provide additional services to them - things like intensive family therapy and parenting classes," she said. Houseworth said the DCS's budgetary challenges are the concern of its fiscal staff and management team, not its case managers. "There has been no directive from the DCS central office that programs and services should be limited due to funding issues," she said. Bishay said she believes the case managers feel constrained nonetheless by tight budgets. "The case managers tell us that's the case under the table, but they can't say that publicly without being fired," she said. Drug testing of addicted parents less frequent after state budget cuts By Dann Denny After children have been removed from a home because of their parents' drug abuse, they are sometimes returned to the same home with a court order for the parents to submit to periodic, unannounced drug testing to make sure they're staying clean. "Seventy-five to 80 percent of our cases are in the system because at least one of the child's parents is addicted to drugs," said Kristin Bishay, director of the Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates program. "That's why sporadic drug testing is so important." Bishay said court-ordered drug testing takes place much less frequently than before the budget cuts. "Tests used to be routinely ordered two to three times a week," she said. "Now, it's usually twice a month. We are going to court almost every week, pleading for more frequent drug testing". Bishay said judges are keenly aware that even if more frequent testing were ordered, the Monroe County Department of Child Services often lacks the funding to pay for it. Ann Houseworth, director of communications for the state DCS office, said there has been no directive from the state DCS office to ask judges for less frequent drug testing of addicted parents. She said the state DCS has no set recommendation concerning the frequency of drug testing, saying that after an assessment of a particular case, DCS caseworkers make a drug-testing recommendation to the court based on the needs of the child and family - and CASAs, social workers and medical professionals also make recommendations. "These recommendations are presented to the family court judge, who makes the final decision and orders the programs or services for each case," she said. But Monroe County Juvenile Court Judge Steve Galvin said it's his understanding that the state DCS's policy is to drug test addicted parents twice a month, which he said is less than in the past. "For some families, twice a month is simply not frequent enough," he said. "The DCS is trying to implement policies that can be applied statewide, but there is always going to be tension between a statewide policy and the individual needs of a family." Bishay said judges normally go along with DCS recommendations on drug testing because they don't want to micromanage, but Galvin said he will order drug testing more often if he deems it appropriate. He said he looks at the person's drug-use history, and relies heavily on feedback from the CASAs. "The DCS caseworkers are trying to implement state policies, but the CASAs have no other duty than to represent the children," he said. Bishay said judges know that if they order DCS to drug test a parent several times a week, the DCS can appeal it to the Indiana Appellate Court, claiming it's too frequent. "If that appeal goes in favor of the DCS, then the county has to pick up the tab for the drug testing," Bishay said. Bishay has another drug-testing beef with the DCS. She said the agency used to drug test parents by testing their hair follicles or urine, but now - because it.s cheaper - it uses an oral swab. Depending on how many drugs the tests try to detect, urine screens generally cost $25 to $35 and oral swab tests cost $15 to $25. "DCS claims the oral swab can detect a wider variety of drugs," she said. "But the hair follicle test can determine if someone used drugs in the past 2 to 3 months, whereas the oral swab goes back a couple days." Houseworth said the DCS switched to the oral swab because it is more accurate, and because urine tests were found to be obtrusive - not because swab tests are less expensive. "The rationale for the change to swab tests is to not only to allow our family case managers to administer tests at the scene of an incident or assessment but also to ensure the accuracy of those tests," she said. "If the swab tests are in fact less expensive than the urine tests, then the decision was prudent from both an accuracy and monetary perspective." One day: 45 cases in juvenile court Judge listens to many sources in cases about parents, children By Dann Denny
On his desk are two 12-inch-high stacks of folders representing the 45 cases he will preside over today. The cases will vary in nature - from "initial hearings" in which he advises parents of their rights; to "review hearings" in which he reviews how cases are going; and "permanency hearings" to determine the permanent placement of a child. In the courtroom are attorneys, Monroe County Department of Child Services representatives and Court Appointed Special Advocates - who are here to provide the judge with pertinent information about the children and their families. One review hearing involves a case in which parental rights have been terminated for the parents of two children, who are now living with foster parents who are considering adopting them. It has come to the court's attention that something disturbing recently happened between two of the foster parents' adopted children that may pose a threat to the two foster children. The CASA, Lyndsay Miller, tells Galvin the foster parents are wonderful parents, and are handling the situation well. Miller says she has talked to both children at length and has not seen any evidence of trauma. She suggests that the family follow a plan to ensure the children's safety, and that the court not take any further action until a therapist can determine how the incident may have affected the children. The DCS attorney concurs that the foster parents are excellent parents, and that the court should not remove the children from the home. Galvin agrees, but adds, "I don't want to see a repeat of this (the incident). And if the therapist finds the children are having any concerns about what happened, I want to know about it." Later, the issue is a foster couple who want to adopt a preschool child with severe health challenges. The parental rights of the child's parents have been terminated. Galvin asks why the adoption has not yet taken place. The CASA, Gary Friedman, says the adoption is being delayed while negotiations take place between the DCS and the foster parents concerning the cost of services for the child. "I trust you will consider giving them whatever they want," Galvin said, directing his comments at the DCS attorney. "The fact that this couple is willing to adopt a child with so many medical needs is extraordinary. The child should not have to wait to be adopted while negotiations take place." Next up is a review hearing involving a teenager who's had a traumatic upbringing and has spent many years in foster homes and residential care facilities. She's on several medications to help her cope with mental health issues. The CASA, Danie Norris, asks Galvin to suspend some of the teen's medications so she can have a new psychological evaluation. Norris said she wonders whether some of the teen's mental problems might be caused by some of her medications. "I am loathe to order a change in medications," Galvin says. "But I would like the DCS and CASA and doctors to consider talking about her medications." Then the teen, on speakerphone from her residential care facility, asks Galvin when she will be able to leave. "My main concern is you and your safety," he says. "I want you to complete your treatment where you are, but my goal is to get you in a stable living condition." During one hearing that did not involve a CASA, Galvin sternly rebuked a DCS worker for not reporting to the court that the agency had moved a child from one setting to another within 24 hours of the move - something that is required by law. "You waited two weeks to inform the court," he says. "If that happens again, I will hold you in contempt." CASA Press Release - February 17, 2011Monroe County CASA Wins National Contest for Recruitment Poster DesignBloomington, IN - Monroe County CASA learned recently that it has won a national award for designing a volunteer recruitment poster. The poster featur es a small boy with the headline "Stand up for abused children, so they can stand a chance". Monroe County CASA will be awarded a small monetary award and the chance to win at the People's Choice judging at the annual CASA conference. A win at the Pe ople's Choice judging would award Monroe County CASA a free consultation with a Public Relations agency. The award comes at the end of the first-ever National CASA Association Communications Contest. Monroe County CASA came out on top out of a total pool of more than 55 entries. The winning entry was part of the Volunteer category, one of three possible categories entries were judged upon. CASA would like to thank Ryan Kegley, art director and designer, for his work with Monroe County CASA. His work highlights the mission of CASA by using a sin gle, powerful image. "I am so excited that Monroe County CASA has received this recognition from National CASA," Tiffany Kinney, Monroe County CASA Assistant Director said. "Hop efully our volunteer recruitment campaign will help motivate individuals to volunteer and support CASA". CASA is an organization dedicated to the advocacy of abused and neglected children in court. The date for the next CASA volunteer training is March 1 - April 12, 2011 Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm. For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer or how you can be a CASA supporter, contact Monroe County CASA at (812) 333-2272 or visit www.monroecountycasa.org. CASA Press ReleaseMonroe County CASA Brings Foster Care Issues and Need for CASA Volunteers to LifeThrough the Forgotten Children Campaign  Pictures of the Forgotten Children Bloomington, IN - Every year children enter the Monroe County foster care system, due to suspected parental abuse or neglect. Monroe County CASA is a local nonprofit organization that trains community volunteers to speak for the best interests of children involved in juvenile court due to abuse and neglect. To raise awareness about abused and neglected children and the need for more CASA volunteers, Monroe County CASA is hosting a Forgotten Children Campaign. The "forgotten children" are life size stand-up displays that bear actual messages from foster children, all gathered from a recent national study commissioned by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. The "forgotten children" will be placed around Bloomington in various businesses, churches, and the public library. They will have CASA brochures attached to them for area residents to learn more about volunteering. In the words of one youth: "If you want the foster care system to get better, if you have compassion in your heart, don't stop doing whatever you can to make it better - even if it's just by providing an ear. Be someone we can talk to. You are the one that can create the change." "In 2010, Monroe County CASA had the highest caseload since the program was established in 1983" said Kristin Bishay, Executive Director, Monroe County CASA. "The need for more CASA volunteers is greater than ever before. Our goal is to be able to serve 100% of the children we are appointed to but that won't happen until we have enough volunteers." Becoming a CASA volunteer is an opportunity to have a real impact on a child's life while giving back to the community. CASA volunteers gather information about the child, help identify needs and possible services, and monitor court orders and case plans to help the child find a safe, loving home. Monroe County CASA requires its volunteers to undergo a 33 hour training program. The next training is March 1-April 12, 2011 meeting Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:30am-12:30pm. The application deadline is February 18th. To learn more about volunteering while enjoying free coffee and pastries, join CASA staff at the Scholar's Inn Bakehouse downtown January, 19, 2011 from 8:30am-10:00am. For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer or how you can be a CASA supporter, contact Kristin Bishay at (812) 333-2272 ext. 12 or visit www.monroecountycasa.org. BREAKING NEWS: LATEST CASA PRESS IN THE BLOOMINGTON HERALD-TIMES
Our opinion The Court Appointed Special Advocates program has distinct disadvantages in the scramble for volunteers. First, it can be really hard work and work that is extremely important to do well. Second, it's a commitment that takes significant training. Third, it's not a volunteer opportunity that will get you into the paper, not that that's a serious reason most people volunteer for any charitable enterprise. But be assured, there are no cute pictures of leaf rakers for seniors or box stackers at a soup kitchen in the CASA files. In fact, the people who volunteer for the program can't even talk about what they do, much less blather to a reporter about the details. That's because their clients are children who desperately need a grown-up to watch out for their interests, often because there's no one else who can do that. The cases are hard. They most often involve court cases where a child has been removed from the home. The advocate researches the problem, interviews the family, writes a report. The report may be the deciding factor on whether the child finally goes home or not. The process is not a quick turnaround. CASA board member Janice Arveson has helped six kids in her five years of volunteering. She, of course, doesn't talk about the details. But she could say to reporter Lindsey Erdody that "I have found it extremely rewarding because I know I'm making a difference for that child". Right now, there are more kids than advocates. The Help Wanted sign is out. Go to www.monroecountycasa.org to find out more. And if you really can't be an advocate but still want to help, buy a ticket or a handful of them in the annual raffle of the CASA playhouse. They're on sale at several locations, including Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington Hardware, the East Third Street fire station and at the CASA office in One City Centre at Seventh Street and College Avenue.
More CASA volunteers needed for increasing caseload
lerdody@heraldt.com  This playhouse is the prize in a raffle to benefit Monroe County CASA. Courtesy photo Case numbers are on the rise at Monroe County CASA, but volunteer numbers are not rising as fast. The local organization assists children during court hearings because they were removed from their homes. Since June 2008, the wait list numbers have increased 74 percent despite the increase from 58 court appointed special advocates to 72."Our case load has gone up a lot," CASA volunteer and member of the board of directors Janice Arvesen said. The letters CASA stand for court appointed special advocate. Children are automatically assigned an advocate after the Department of Child Services has removed them from their home. The court process continues even if the child is added to the wait list. "Children are on our wait list for three to four months," assistant director of CASA Tiffany Kinney said. "Typically because we are four months out, a case is not going to close before we assign a CASA". Arvesen has worked with the organization for about five years and has helped six children. "I wanted to be able to help children that were in a situation that was no making of their own," she said. "I have found it extremely rewarding because I know I'm making a difference for that child". Each volunteer is assigned to one case at a time and works with one family. They are responsible for researching the case, meeting with the parents and the children and making safety recommendations to the court. "We need to take care of these kids because they can.t take care of themselves," Arvesen said. "It's a responsibility that we all have". "The average time commitment for CASAs is 10 to 15 hours per month", Kinney said. Volunteers must apply at the office and be interviewed. If chosen, they will go through training including child awareness and some legal education. "It's very involved but it's excellent," Arvesen said. Those interested in volunteering can apply now and the training process will begin in September. "All are needed and welcome," Arvesen said. Kinney explained they look for people with good communication and writing skills and with an interest in helping children. In addition to needing volunteers, Arvesen said the organization always needs fundraising. "It's an ongoing need, especially as our case numbers rise," she said. The Playhouse raffle is CASA's current fundraiser that continues until Sept. 5. "It's an adorable full-sized playhouse that kids play in," Arvesen said. The Playhouse can be seen in the Fourth of July parade. Raffle tickets are available at the CASA office, Bloomington Hardware, Bloomington Hospital and the fire station on East Third Street. They can be purchased until Sept. 5. Tickets cost $2 for one, $5 for three, $10 for 10 and $20 for 25. "It helps us with our ongoing operations," Kinney said. 70 cases in need of CASA volunteers By Bethany Nolan March 11, 2010 With 70 children waiting for people to advocate for them in the court system, CASA needs more volunteers - who will in turn need someone to supervise them. That was the gist of an additional appropriation request before the Monroe County Council earlier this week, where Monroe Circuit Court Judge Steve Galvin asked for $10,000 to partially fund another part-time position for the Court Appointed Special Advocate organization. CASA is a nonprofit program that trains volunteers to act as advocates in juvenile court for child victims of abuse and neglect. Monroe County funds 42 percent of the organization, and CASA fund-raises the remainder of its budget, director Kristin Bishay said. Galvin said cases for Children in Need of Services rose from 112 in 2008 to 230 in 2009, meaning there aren't enough volunteers to assist in each case. Bishay estimated there were 70 cases waiting for a CASA volunteer. Galvin said he wasn't sure why the case load had gone up, but said he was seeing more cases involving children with drug-addicted parents than he's seen in the past. "Meth cases have dropped, but heroin is on the rise," he said. "And our drug cases in general are on the rise." Bishay said CASA has two full-time and three part-time positions, and the additional $10,000 will fund part of the salary of a fourth part-time position. That person will supervise 25 volunteers, she said. The organization has 92 volunteers. Bishay said the organization served 100 more children in 2008, but only served 72 percent of those in need in 2009. That's compared to 86 percent in 2008, she said, adding, "We're treading water." The council approved the additional appropriation request with a unanimous vote. Recent cases highlight the value of CASA volunteers By Dann Denny December 20, 2009 One recent morning, Janice Arvesen was sitting in a restaurant with friends when she saw a story in The Herald-Times about a 3-year-old Bloomington boy who had died after what appeared to be a beating. "It really hit me in the gut," she said. "Here was another senseless and preventable death involving an innocent child." In recent weeks, two other local children have been hospitalized because of beating or abuse injuries. Arrests have been made in all three cases. Arvesen is a board member and volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates Inc., which uses community volunteers to advocate in juvenile court for abused and neglected children. "We need more Monroe County CASA volunteers to speak up for children in our court system in a clear, educated and responsible voice," she said. "The volunteers are the eyes and the ears of the court, representing our most vulnerable citizens — the child victims." Arvesen said when a child enters the court system due to reported abuse or neglect, state law requires the child to have a CASA volunteer assigned to represent the child in court. "But we have so many kids on our waiting list that it's impossible to do that," she said. "Many children in dangerous environments must be placed at the bottom of our waiting list." She said those wishing to become a CASA volunteers need to apply for the training session — Feb. 3 through March 6 — no later than Jan. 18. People can apply by calling 333-CASA (ext. 12), emailing info@monroecountycasa.org, or visiting monroecountycasa.org. The application process involves a phone screening, written application and in-person interview. If at that point CASA Inc. and the applicant feel it's a good fit, the person can begin the 36-hour training over six weeks. "I know CASA volunteers make a difference," Arvesen said. "I once told Child Protective Services that a home in which there had been abuse was not yet ready for another child, leading to a baby being removed from the home and preventing further abuse from taking place." Kristin Bishay, director of CASA Inc., said a government survey showed that the rate of abused or neglected kids coming back into the system due to more abuse or neglect was reduced by half if they had a CASA volunteer working on their behalf. Bishay said thanks to an influx of 15 newly trained CASA Inc. volunteers, the number of children on the waiting list has shrunk from 77 last August to 40 today. "But we still have only 92 volunteers, and need at least 25 more," she said. "We once thought we needed only 100 volunteers, but our case load keeps growing. We served more children during the first six months of 2009 — 278 — than during all of 2008. So far in 2009 we've served 355 kids." Bishay said CASA Inc. became its own entity Oct. 1, separating from the Family Service Association of Monroe County after it had raised more than $30,000 to cover the agency's first month of payroll, rent and volunteer recruitment and training. "Our regular donors really came through for us," she said. "We left the FSA on a good note, and I think the separation gives our volunteers more of a sense of ownership of the agency." Bishay said that while CASA Inc. is financially strong, the agency's expenses keep going up. "We now have so many volunteers that we may need to hire another case supervisor," she said. "We now have five case supervisors, but not all of them are full-time." CASA Inc. receives funding from the Monroe County courts, grants, state CASA organization, fund raising and private donations. Bishay said it costs about $22,000 a month to run the program. More volunteers needed to help needy children December 22, 2009 In court cases involving abused and neglected children, our legal system is set up to provide both the state and the defendant with legal representation. But for the children whose future safety and well-being is at stake, it's just as important that their interests be protected, too. The Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates program is operated by a nonprofit organization that enlists and trains impartial adult volunteers to speak out for children in court. Because state law requires that such a volunteer be appointed to represent each child in a case involving reported abuse or neglect, there is a constant demand for CASA services. Currently in Monroe County there are many more children on the waiting list than there are CASA volunteers. Children in dangerous environments may have to wait weeks before being assigned a volunteer. Studies have shown that the rate of abused or neglected children ending up back in the court system is reduced by half when there is CASA representation. This demonstrates the important role of independent CASA advocacy in the disposition of these cases. Although CASA has done an admirable job of recruiting volunteers, about 25 more are needed to help the growing number of children needing these services. The agency served more children in the first six months of 2009 than it had during all of 2008. To sign up for the upcoming volunteer training session, which runs Feb. 3 through March 6, call 333-CASA or send an e-mail to info@monroecountycasa.org. 
CASA volunteers act as the 'voice of a child' — Volunteers spend time working to make life 'safer and more nurturing' for child victimsDecember 23, 2009 2009 was a great year for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Thirty-four community members were sworn in as new CASA volunteers. They all joined a wonderful group of people who advocate in court for our most vulnerable citizens — the abused and neglected children. Monroe County CASA Inc. is very proud of the work they do and are even more proud of the volunteers' tireless efforts in making life safer and more nurturing for the child victims. Applications are being accepted for the Feb. 3 through March 6 training class. If you are interested in becoming a CASA volunteer or would like more information about Monroe County CASA, Inc. contact us at 333-CASA (2272) or look for us on the Web at www.monroecountycasa.org. |
|
Monroe County CASA • 201 N. Morton Street • Bloomington, IN 47404 Phone: (812) 333-2272 • Fax: (812) 333-7949 • E-mail: info@monroecountycasa.org To report child abuse or neglect, please call the child abuse hotline at 1-800-800-5556 |
©2009 Monroe County CASA | Site designed by Ryan Kegley
