“My parents always told me that you’ve got to give back,” said CASA advocate Amy Roeder. This is exactly what 10 new Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) have set out to do. Chief Judge Daniel Creitz officiated the swearing-in ceremony Wednesday afternoon to welcome the advocates to the organization.
CASA has been providing services to victims of child abuse since its inception in mid-2003. The organization works in the court system with children who have been removed from their biological homes because they’ve been abused or neglected to the extent that it’s not safe for them to remain in the home.
The 31st Judicial District covers a four-county area that includes Allen, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson counties.
Roeder is an eight-year veteran of the program and finds the role rewarding in many ways. “I had always heard about the need to help kids in foster care,” she said. “So, after I retired, that’s what I wanted to do.”
CASA advocates’ primary focus is the child. A monthly one-hour meeting with the child is performed to ensure their ongoing safety and to get an update on their current situation. They also meet with the child’s parents and biological relatives, as well as teachers and counselors.
“I always meet children at their placement,” said Roeder. “This helps me get to know their needs.” She added that she will play games with the child, to see where their skill levels are currently.
She also meets with the parents and develops a case plan that goes over specific needs that must be met. “We help them find resources that maybe they didn’t know about,” she said.
Volunteers determine whether the child is getting regular medical care, immunizations, dental and vision checks. The volunteers also note if the child is exhibiting any unusual behaviors or showing signs of trauma or mental health problems.
As many can imagine, these cases can be challenging. Roeder’s voice cracked as she recounted a case where a child was severely abused. “They will never be able to become what they could’ve been,” she lamented. “That’s been very difficult to witness. They face medical challenges. That child’s life will never be the same.”
By being an advocate, Roeder has also seen the positive impact of her work. One particular case was extremely rewarding. The child had not been doing well in school and wasn’t expected to graduate. “With my training as an educational advocate, and with the help of his teachers, he was able to put in the work and graduate,” she noted. “I hope this motivates him as he goes on in life. That he can accomplish these goals.”
The child’s best interest is at the center of CASA’s focus. The ultimate goal, Roeder said, is to see the child successfully reunited with a “good parent” who has stepped up and accomplished the steps necessary for reunification. However, success comes in many forms. “It’s rewarding when we see a child, who everyone thought was developmentally delayed, go to a foster home and thrive,” said Roeder. “The care of the child is the most important.”
CASA Director Aimee Daniels helps train future advocates.
“It’s intensive,” said Daniels. Each of the newly appointed advocates have completed 30 hours of training in all aspects of child care in the court system.
“We did it in three-hour blocks,” Daniels said, and covered mental health, domestic violence, drugs and alcohol, child psychology, and how the foster care and court systems work.
The training is followed by an extensive background check. This includes fingerprinting with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), checks against the abuse and neglect list with DCF and national sexual predator website, and driver’s license, driver’s history, Social Security, and local criminal checks.
