‘Set these children up to thrive’: New court advocacy program helps youngsters find permanent homes

Pike County has established a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program to advance the well-being of children in dependency court proceedings and help them find permanent homes.

“Children aren’t asked to come into the dependency court system,” said Pike County Judge Kelly Gaughan. “Imagine yourself being lost in this world. These children need one consistent advocate. They deserve a voice.”

The program is scheduled to begin this month.

Retired Pike County Commissioner Steve Guccini was instrumental in bringing in this program and establishing a local CASA Steering committee, which consists of the commissioners, Judge Gaughan, paralegal Dawn Allison, and other community professionals.

The committee completed the local chapter application with help from a Pennsylvania CASA representative. The application was approved in January.

“We recognized the need for a program that helps to support children during what is already a very difficult time,” said Commissioners’ Chair Matthew Osterberg. “We see CASA as a tool to be utilized by Children and Youth Services as well as the courts in order to set these children up to thrive by determining the optimal course of action. We as a community need to provide as much support, tools and resources that we can to this population.”

One person, one case

Steve Gill, program specialist of Eastern Region PA CASA, attended the Feb. 16 commissioners’ meeting to share information about the new program. Gill covered CASA’s history, core competencies, effectiveness, and the volunteer application and screening process.

Gill says CASA focuses on one person, one case, to allow the volunteer ample time to gather information that will help the court make the best decision for the child.

Each volunteer is partnered with one child or family to serve as the child’s advocate. A CASA volunteer gathers information about the case by talking to the child, family, and foster family, and relaying the information to the judge during court hearings.

“In Pennsylvania, one of the advantages of having a court-appointed special advocate assigned to the case is that less than one percent of children assigned to CASA volunteers re-enter the foster care system, as opposed to almost 25 percent of the general population of children in foster care,” said Gill.

Children paired with CASA advocates also see significantly improved outcomes academically and behaviorally in school and reported significantly higher levels of hope. “A child’s hope has been linked to academic success, overall well-being, increases in self-control, positive social relationships, and optimism,” Gill said.

Judge Gaughan said CASA advocates have the time to cultivate relationships with the child they are serving. “A court-appointed special advocate is going to have one child or one family at a time. As a judge, this helps me to make good decisions because I am getting a whole new layer of information.”

Volunteers now being screened

Dawn Allison, a SWAN-LSI paralegal previously working in Pike County Children and Youth Services, was selected to serve as the CASA of Pike County Director. The local office is located at 105 West High Street, in Milford.

Allison is now screening applicants to serve as volunteer advocates. To date, more than 20 individuals have expressed interest.

“There is no typical volunteer,” says Allison. “CASA volunteers are individuals from all walks of life.”

Applicants will be rigorously screened and trained by their local program.

Prior to accepting a case, each volunteer is required to receive more than 30 hours of training, with an additional 12 hours of continued education annually. The trainings are designed by National CASA.

The first CASA of Pike County volunteer training begins on March 7. A swearing in ceremony for individuals who complete the training will occur on April 4.

To learn more about volunteer eligibility or to apply to be a CASA volunteer advocate, contact Allison at dmallison@pikepa.org or 570-296-9827.