Truly making a difference in a child’s life
Each year, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who become advocates for children placed in the foster-care system.
CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to what are oftentimes the direst cases: children with prior maltreatment or contact with child welfare, cases of extreme abuse or neglect, or those where there is a great level of risk of further abuse and neglect. Many children assigned to CASA have learning disabilities, physical disabilities and significant emotional and mental-health problems.
A CASA works with everyone that touches that child’s life, from their social worker, to their educator and doctor, examining what will best work to give that child a life path that will help them to succeed. Sometimes this is simply finding them a bed to sleep in on a reliable basis. Other times it’s working to reunite them with family, or to secure medical attention where it’s drastically needed. A CASA covers a lot of ground and is often the only consistent long-term adult presence in that child’s life.
The statistics for foster youth in Los Angeles are disturbing. Of youths that age out of the foster system, less than half will have a high school diploma or GED, half will be unemployed and at least 40 percent will have been homeless for some period of time.
CASAs greatly help to avoid these outcomes. Not every case has a happy ending, but the odds dramatically improve when a child has a CASA.
This year, CASA will serve 1,000 foster children with intensive advocacy services. We can all do the math, and it’s obvious more volunteers and more support are needed.
CASA of Los Angeles will be hosting community information sessions at: Total Wine, in Long Beach Towne Center, 7400 Carson St., from 6pm to 7:15pm on Wednesday, Jan. 18; and Pizzanista, 1837 E 7th St., from 4pm to 5:15pm on Thursday, Jan. 19.
For more information about CASA of Los Angeles, visit casala.org
Brian McWilliams
Vice president
spellcom.com
