A baby girl, just 4 months old, is shaken so badly she can no longer see or hear. As a result of the abuse, which occurs at the hands of a parent, she also suffers severe spinal injuries and begins having up to 200 seizures a day. She can't stay in her home; that much is clear. So she is placed in foster care, where she begins to go through a system that, even under the best of circumstances, has cracks big enough to lose someone so small and voiceless.
Enter Wilma Cordova, a Court Appointed Special Advocate, charged with speaking on the baby girl's behalf. And she does — through court dates and hearings, during visits to the foster parents' home and in conversations with the medical professionals who are trying to give the little girl the best quality of life they can.
Contributed photo |
CASA of Deep East Texas is hosting a Fun Run to benefit the organization and to raise awareness of the organization and its need for volunteers. Last year's event, shown in a contributed photo, drew runners of all ages for a day of fun.
|
The ending to this particular story is actually a beginning. Adopted by her foster parents, the little girl, now two years old and in a wheelchair, has regained a little bit of her sight and hearing and has put on some weight. She has also had extensive surgery to implant a device in her neck that warns of impending seizures.
"She is well cared for," Cordova says of the toddler, the first child for whom she advocated.
Cordova, an assistant professor of social work at Stephen F. Austin State University, became involved with CASA of Deep East Texas in August 2007 by first serving as a founding board member. At the time, Cordova had a private practice as a clinical social worker, which allowed her to see firsthand the devastation caused by abuse.
"I heard about the program starting up from a colleague on the child welfare board," she says. "And I believe in its cause. I know for a fact that children in the system do not get heard. The stories were heartbreaking. And although Judge (Campbell) Cox and Judge (Ed) Klein are exceptional, they can't know everything."
Cordova served on the board for a year, before stepping down to become a CASA volunteer and work directly with, and for, the children.
What is a CASA?
A Court Appointed Special Advocate is a volunteer appointed by a judge to help guide an abused or neglected child (or set of siblings) who has entered foster care navigate through the system to a safe, permanent home.
While Cordova has a background in social work, a CASA volunteer does not need to meet any professional requirements. People from all walks of life — from retirees to full-time business people to college students and grandparents — are CASA volunteers. After acceptance into the program (volunteers must be 21 years old and pass a background check), volunteers are provided with more than 30 hours of training before they are given their first case. They also receive ongoing training and support from their local CASA staff.
"It certainly is a commitment," Cordova says. "But you don't have to be a professional to do this. All you have to do is have a heart for children and ensure they're safe and nurtured."
What does a CASA do?
Once appointed by a judge to a case, a CASA volunteer is the voice of that child (or set of siblings) until a safe, permanent home is found. Volunteers work one case until it is complete, advocating in the best interest of the child in school, in court and in agency meetings. They also spend time with the child, acting as a mentor and a positive role model, which gives them insight into the child's needs so they can make recommendations to the court.
"We don't get paid," Cordova says. "We just have a special place for this and we want to see them protected. We get to know the children and can represent them with integrity. The child does confide in a CASA volunteer. If you know the child, they're going to tell you their needs."
While working the case of the infant with shaken baby syndrome, Cordova made visits to the foster home on a regular basis, talked with the baby's physical therapist and even reviewed her medical records. Because babies can't talk, volunteers who work with infants have to be more astute and observant in reading clues, Cordova says.
"You have to have a relationship with everyone involved in her life and get to know them," she says. "A lot of the time, I just held her and rocked her and played with her."
Why should you become a CASA?
Children represented by CASA are more likely to receive the services and resources they and their families need; maintain stable placements while in foster care and avoid the court system once their case is dismissed, according to information found on the Texas CASA Web site. The program has also been recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice as a model juvenile delinquency prevention program. "When CASA's involvement in a child's case prevents later juvenile delinquency and placement, the investment in CASA representation for that one child will have paid off 40 times over," the Web site states.
Statistics aside, the most important reason for someone to become a CASA volunteer is to provide a stable influence in a child's otherwise unstable life, Cordova says.
"It does take a village," she says. "These children are so frightened and confused. They want to please their parents, teachers... everyone. They're so afraid of the system. We have to do a better job advocating on their behalf and meeting their needs. All the children in foster care should have a CASA."
For more information about CASA go to texascasa.org or nationalcasa.org. To volunteer at CASA of Deep East Texas in Nacogdoches, call 560-4711. To volunteer at CASA of the Pines in Lufkin, call 634-6725.
Denise Hoepfner's e-mail address
is dhoepfner@lufkindailynews.com.
CASA Facts
In Texas there were:
265,349 alleged victims of child abuse and neglect
61,433 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect
41,305 children in CPS custody
201 child deaths related to abuse and neglect
In Nacogdoches County, there were:
679 alleged victims of child abuse and neglect
139 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect
96 children in CPS custody
Statistics from the DFPS 2005 Databook
dfps.state.tx.us
CASA of Deep East Texas is hosting a Fun Run to benefit the organization and to raise awareness of the organization and its need for volunteers.
Proceeds from the event will assist the Nacogdoches chapter in its efforts to train and recruit CASA volunteers to give a "voice" to abused and neglected children in court and the foster care system. These CASA volunteers gain a firm understanding of a child's case and serve as the "eyes and ears" to a judge.
Last year's event, shown in a contributed photo, drew runners of all ages for a day of fun.
Your participation does make a difference. So, walk, run, or jog and give a voice to the children of Nacogdoches.
When: 9 a.m. on Nov. 7
Where: Pecan Acres Park, 826 Starr Ave., Nacogdoches
Cost: Registration is $25 for adults; $15 for children; $15 each for groups of 10 or more.Register online at casa5k.org.
For more information: casa5k.org or call (936) 560-4711
