♪ Court appointed special advocates can help change the story of a child who suffered from abuse and neglect.

We talked today to the executive director of Casa of Lexington, Melinda Jamison.

>> About what causes do the training they need and why their work is so very vital.

That's now on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome and thank you for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

You may have heard about CASA volunteers to help kids in the child welfare system.

But like many, you may not really have a complete understanding of what they do, how they help and the services they provide with a laser focus on the needs of children.

Melinda Jamison is with cast of Casa of Lexington and she's with us today to educate us about these critical volunteers and discuss a new book.

She's written to help us all understand the meaning a family and how Casa workers show up in court go on home visits and help put children at ease.

Thank you, Melinda.

>> Yeah, thanks to a Casa Casta a casa.

Have you here at all?

Different kind of what it's like.

Your favorite Mexican casa su casa light.

Kind of make sense of what casa workers do right?

Helping kids who come from will just say, for lack of better turn, broken homes and helping them navigate.

>> So very much complex systems.

So I would like for you first, just start off by telling us what a CASA worker.

>> Is a volunteer, what they do, how much I mean, I mean, what's the requirements on being was absolutely so cassis stands for court appointed special advocate and they are everyday citizens back.

Kentucky revised statute here in our state.

They come from all walks of life, but they need to be at least 21 years of age.

They go through a 30 hour training we fall and national curriculum that deliver it right here and across the state and they undergo various background checks and then they take the oath of confidentiality and get sworn in.

But the wonderful thing about a casa advocate is they are supervised by staff person called a volunteer manager.

So they don't have to have any special expertise are degrees when they come to us.

We're going to teach them what they need to now.

They just need to have a heart for children.

And as you said, their match with the child or sibling set, we KET siblings together and that when one has perpetrated on won.

>> If teen as a mother with might need to separate the in fat from the teen.

Mom.

>> More if there is such a large sibling set say of 7 siblings, they could be placed in 7 different counties.

We may need to do 3 cast of volunteers on that case.

They said they get assigned a case.

They have a court order so they can get medical records.

School records, drug testing record to the biological parents.

And they put all of that information into our report.

And that's part of the training we use a template.

And at the end, they can make recommendations.

The very neat thing about passive volunteers are we are best interest advocacy.

So we're the only party that say are solely for what's in the child's best interest because attorneys and others are working for the family or the parents or caregivers grants to state social workers have to work toward reunification for them are so many app out of bites whereas a CASA volunteer does not.

If that's not in the child's best interest, we are all for reunification.

If it's a safe and permanent home, right?

So I'm curious about the age of 21 because I think you have to be a pretty mature.

21 year-old to take on that level of responsibility.

Valley.

Assume this role would require?

Absolutely.

But we have plenty of students here that go through training at the age of 20 and take their first cases soon as they turn.

21, are they interested in social work or do they have a bit toward social services?

So we have a lot of firsts are already on campus.

Kappa Alpha Theta whose philanthropy is So we get a lot of women.

They're going through that date or Also, we have social workers.

We have journalism student right now.

We have students from all walks of life.

It's a great experience for someone considering law school to experience before they go into law school.

We also have law students and as Danny Murphy, one of the assistant dean to say it's the best experience you can get outside of being an attorney, right.

And his wife is a judge.

Absolutely.

And Melissa Murphy, well, let me ask you a question about, well, OK, now we've we've heard about the requirements, but what do they do?

And so we know that they go to court and some people are wondering, it sounds like it could be potentially dangerous work.

Yes, so let's start right there and take care of that because I think safety is a concern for some people.

But typically if the child has been an unsafe home, they've been removed from the home before Casa becomes involved.

So they're in a foster home are maybe with a relative or in a residential treatment facility that the group all so the volunteer would not be going into that home where the danger was that we absolutely cover safety as part of the 30 hour training.

But again, we're typically not going into those homes.

So that's already been removed.

Our staff member always goes on the first home visit with the CASA volunteer and then even if the child is not with the biological parents, we will meet them at least once.

But that could be in an attorney's office if their safety concerns at that cost the office, it could be a zoom or a phone call.

It was neutral ground as much as passes aleut lead that the volunteer is visiting monthly with those children to in person.

And some are going more often than that.

I heard from around how long a time no particular time.

So they might visit a school.

They could visit in the home where they're at so could be in different settings.

at dawn tears yesterday told me she was getting a lesson on checks in the afternoon that the 3 kiddo's we're going to teach her how to play So they really enter at.

But they are court appointed so they can get those records and the power is in that report.

So how did the judges never meet these children that they're making lifelong decisions on behalf of the report gives them at picture about the child, the family.

And if the in the CASA volunteer makes recommendations that could be everything from termination of parental rights.

And let's look at adoption or it could be maybe biological mom is doing really well and Let's look at overnight visits, right?

It could also be the child need eyeglasses.

I tell this story a lot.

We had a 7 year-old we were appointed on the case.

The school system was looking at putting her and remedial coursework the cast of volunteer guide, their realized she needed glasses.

She came from a home where she just said it was normal to see a bit fuzzy.

We recommended it.

The judge ordered and within 2 weeks she was moved into the advance reading group for this child.

Education can break this cycle that she was born in to no fault of her own the right.

So how did she get the glasses?

So were they given to her are provided for her somehow?

Because we would think that the family would have done it if they could afford.

Sure.

So the state provided because it showers and foster care wants the judge ordered it.

The cabinet worked with her to get that.

There are no one had taken the time.

Our noticed that she needed.

I guy says, but that instead that it was IQ situation and she needed to be removed from the classroom.

And that's why I say it doesn't take up.

Tamala, just our position that someone has a heart for children, which our future to take the time to get to know them.

See what's going on.

Sometimes there's more than on the surface and provide that information so the court can make an informed decision.

So you mentioned a couple of things about how you like to KET siblings together as much as possible.

I'm thinking about the the age range of the kids that are CASA volunteer may be engaging with.

I mean, what is the age range?

So 0 to 18 and sometimes up to 21.

So we get and fit straight from the hospital to have been born addicted to substances.

That could be where Kasey gets appointed.

So as young as they want, and then at 18, a child has the app or too nutty.

If they're still in the system to recommit, which means they're signing on to stay involved with the state social worker.

If they are to do that, then that passes stays involved as well.

Up to 21.

But many do not choose to do that.

They're not a permanent home.

18 and the cost may stay involved as that make tour of sorts after that.

But not as a court appointed special Okay.

So that's good to know.

And I am just thinking about, OK, so you you decide to do this because you have a heart for children.

Can you count how many people have decided?

I think I want to pursue adoption of this child, particularly if it's a newborn or maybe doesn't matter.

Maybe it's someone who could be strands issuing right you know, that that there are Bob.

And, you know, we know that those a very tender years transition, Ali, when you're still in out of home care.

So talk to us about how many adoptions actually occur from Casa volunteer.

Sure.

So CASA volunteers can not be a foster parent at the same time.

It's a conflict of interest in staying with a foster parent than a Casa volunteer.

So typically that's not the model that we would However, in my tenure and has happened, wants in a situation where volunteers with the young man he was in care for over 5 years.

He was a teenager.

It became apparent it was going to be very Aslan chances that he would be adapted and he did not have a home to go back to.

So the cast of volunteer said their volunteer manager at think I'm an adaptive and the volunteer major immediately came to my office and said we have a situation because you you can't do that.

As a casa volunteer, some work.

But then we work with the Cabinet.

The volunteer stepped down as advocate and she and her husband actually, I adapted the teenager into their home.

Since then he doing quite well.

He's a little bit older now and she's come back as a CASA volunteer, right?

So you can be a foster parent, but you can't be a foster parent to a kid who was in.

Right.

So we often you can't be a foster parent at the same time as a Casa volunteer stopped when someone has close to home, maybe they've adopted a child or children or are no longer providing foster care.

They might say.

I I want to be a casa So to the question about the amount of time that's involved in the training.

I mean, do do people who get into the What's your attrition?

Rate sensors are there people who get the process?

And I think, okay, this is probably just too much for me right now.

So the national average, according to National Passage E a L s 25%.

We were at 18% last year here in Cass of Lexington.

And we're currently at 4% for the year.

So I feel real good about that.

But it is a 30 hour training and another misperception is that you need to be retired or not working.

The majority of our volunteers work full time.

And last year we had 286 volunteers here at the cast of Lexington Program and we cover Fayette Bourbon Woodford Sky Jessamine Garrett and linking County.

So sort of the central Kentucky area.

But you you can work for the time so that they're ready.

Our training can be the trickiest right to get through that.

And how 30 hours it runs over about 6 to 8 weeks.

We usually do it on Tuesday and Thursday, evenings and a couple of Saturdays.

We also have online options so say Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday still work.

We will get someone signed up for online Nice option to have what do you say to those who are kind of on the fence?

Because I know you proselytize pretty have about this.

And so when you see people who seem to have a heart for children, what's your elevator pitch to them to convince them to at least try or go through the process?

Sure.

So I really believe that each one of us should do what we can to make the world a better place, not to sound that Miss Congeniality.

But and for me, this is one opportunity where we can break this cycle.

So serving one child could literally impact multiple generations down the road.

The number one question I get is Kentucky's been number one for John Abuse.

Johnny got we recently dropped to number 5, but nothing to celebrate.

And so here in Fayette County, we have around 1500 new children every year.

The have substantiated petitions of abuse or neglect.

And so even though we served over 600 kids, that's not even 20% of the need.

So that said that page is there are children waiting for you and through 5 to 10 hours a month, you can literally impact generations to come up.

I mean, maybe the challenge will be matched by security cancer, arson.

Next president.

What power?

We have to invest in these young people.

So we know that there's like an interdisciplinary team that surrounds these kids who are in out of home care or because they are dealing with.

>> And suffering from abuse and neglect.

And so I'm just curious about how CASA workers either with in tandem are may be in competition with social workers and others who were involved in that particular child's case.

Definitely.

We work with collateral is not in competition.

So now a state social worker has and a little bit of a different directive.

>> Then a casa volunteer such as we mentioned earlier on about, they must work toward reunification for the believe it 16 to 20 months.

The cast of volunteer does not have that same mandate, but we provide all of our information to the social workers.

That's the only party we provided to outside of the court.

The report is part of the official record so that in the clerk's office we're working closely with them.

We work with like turn of other community partners, Greenhouse 17 children's advocacy center.

So they're doing the forensic interviews to see if there's sexual abuse.

The passive volunteer can observe those recorded as sessions as well as counseling sessions.

There.

We work with the Vo here and that it can absolutely so for people who don't know, they do second chance, employment and really help those who have a a history of substance abuse and maybe have been incarcerated they there could be individuals there with children and their children.

Have I have case with a Casa volunteer, same as the chrysalis half.

We may have women over there that are house with their children are working to get their children back.

So we're going to work with all those community partners.

We have cases where the children are family speak other languages.

So we're working with services here in the community.

We actually offer an interpreter program at for folks that can't commit to being an advocate because it does take that 5 to 10 hours a month.

They say I'm versed in a line wage and will sign an oath.

I don't have to go through the 30 hour training and they provide different language services.

I think we now have volunteers that speak a different language.

It now.

So you think about particularly child abuse and neglect?

I mean, that encompasses so much or maltreatment.

>> And I am thinking about the worst of the worst cases.

I mean, we've reported just heinous sexual abuse cases.

So this is like, you know, this could be very emotionally taxing on someone and particularly if there new to this situation.

So do you would do you advise people on the type of thing case?

They want to get involved in?

>> Absolutely.

So for staff when you go through that 30 hour training at that and you have a final interview with a staff person and you share PF case preferences, boys, girls.

I want to burgle speaking.

I love and fence at prefer not to have sexual abuse.

So you share all of the sayings which we take into consideration.

But when we get appointed to a case by judge, we discussed internally amongst the staff who would be a good fit who has commonalities with nation tour right?

We would love to match a volunteer that looks like a child.

So they automatically had that initial intro.

But there are not enough man.

So calling all May we made us cast of volunteers.

But the need is out there for women to we just need more cash to volunteer.

And I think even for kids of color, there might be some disparity.

Absolutely.

There's disparity in the system and we do not have enough volunteers that reflect that we actually lagged a little further when it comes to light.

He know volunteers that by volunteers face a close second out.

And so we're working to change that.

Here we have the volunteer recruitment advisory committee had the opportunity to be out at Roots and Heritage Festival heading to Latino festival.

But we need communities to step up and come to the because children and I do think connect when they see a visible character estate that they can identify with that.

Back to your initial question, that staff person is there to guide the person through the process.

So yes, it can be taxing.

But if someone is even thinking about it, I say reach out because you are needed statewide passes in 80 of our 120 counties.

Now, if you're in a county where there's not a CASA program, reach out to the Kentucky Cassatt Network and let's get a program there and we want to serve all 120 counties and we want to have a volunteer for every child that need to act.

And so I would think and maybe this is not the case because cause of Lexington does serve all the surrounding counties that you mention.

Is that how it's set up?

>> It is where so it's all local programs.

I think today we have 22 programs that are serving those 80 counties.

Some maybe I one county program, others might be 6 or 7 counties and the national model is to move towards a more regional model because you can serve more children and do it at a higher level of service for less dollars.

Yeah, I do want to talk to and we have status.

Questions like ticks am all for 1, 1, is.

But I do want to talk about this book.

>> That you have written and has been illustrated by Matthew Wald in and it's so vivid and it talks about Oscars family.

And we have some pictures that will bring up on the screen of the just just graphic illustrations as far as their beauty.

And it tells the story of Oscar's family.

So walk us through with the stories about and who is this book designed for.

So it's designed for children and my original intent was to give a tool to our cash to volunteers and volunteers around the nation.

>> When they go to meet with a child for the first time.

And there are another person coming into their life and they say I'm your costs up.

Yeah, we struggle with that.

Imagine BN 6 years of age.

So this is a tool that the volunteer can rate to the child to explain what their role is and what exactly is a now?

It's excellent.

So Oscar, what's the What's the deal with Oscar?

So he is a young man and it finds itself.

He's a kindergartner.

Matt is in the family court system for dependency, neglect and abuse.

He and his siblings.

He S 3 sisters and their place into a foster home and he gets an assignment and kindergarten to draw is family and and gets a little upset.

Goes home and talks to foster mom about the family and his first mom.

And as she explains that family looks different and it can include a lot of people and he gets very excited and ends up sketching a much larger picture at the end of this story.

And he's excited to take it and to show and tell and share with this classmates.

And he even has a special visitor.

His castle volunteer and Matilda.

Yeah.

So I think we have a shot of the real Maybe you could tell that is AB a courthouse facility.

Dogs that worked with the cast of Lexington Program.

She's the only one in the state of Kentucky, but she is actual service dog that went through 2 years of training before being matched She came from canine companions for independence and she is a true superhero.

He goes all over the state last year.

I think they visited 36 counties.

How why?

And when a child has to testify here in Kentucky, they have to do so in front of their perpetrator.

She can go into a down stay and not move for up to 4 hours, not make any noise.

We can turn the leash over to the job and she can provide a sense of calm for for them.

And we had a young man and a horrific case had to testify against his stepdad for harbell, physical and sexual abuse.

It is first question when asked was can't Mathilde at the West.

And so when he recounted the history that he'd been through, he buried his face and her for and was able to share what the court needed to to move forward with that case.

She also goes on home visits.

She's been a schools, spend birthday parties.

I think she'll be there.

Only one Matilda.

>> Right.

Yeah.

How do you get more Mattel?

Does it sound like you to do that?

It took us 3 years to get her.

So it is a process, but she will be retiring probably in the next couple years.

So we probably need to start that process yet.

Another right?

>> I mean, when you describe children having to testify against the perpetrator and they are tender ages of 5, 7, 8, whatever it is.

I mean, it's hard.

>> To imagine why that even has to happen.

>> And that's something the legislature has talked about for several sessions and you know it to a shoe that I can see both sides.

>> Meaning here in Kentucky, family court is closed.

And so I can see why you would want it to be open because people are very on aware of how much child abuse and neglect is going on.

Last year, 17,000 new petition to grant Kentucky average case runs about 3 years.

So if you think about that, that 51,000 children, victims of abuse and right here in Kentucky, I know we can do better, but we have to start somewhere where we can break the cycle.

I firmly believe pass as one of those ways.

And just and by anyone listening to check out our Web site, pass of Lexington Dot Org.

The statewide website is Kentucky Cassatt Network.

We'd love to give you more information and say you go through the training and decide it's not the right fit.

That's OK, we're not going to force you to take a case.

You become more informed and can help us with our 0 advertising budget to spread the word on the need for cash to volunteers and what cast is so When you say volunteers, they are volunteers is a non paid community service efforts.

That is correct.

And we work with the volunteers based on their work situation or the number of hours they have available.

Newer volunteers are going to get a quote, unquote.

Easier case may be one child instead of a large sibling group with less going on.

And you really have the support of that volunteer manager, which is a paid staff person and we are privileged to have people that are attorneys.

We have masters of social work.

Teachers at therapist event on our cost of Lexington team.

It really work with these volunteer state check and make sure they're OK, make sure they're going through the process.

Duke Casa volunteers are can they really provides services to more than one child?

Not in the same family.

So we have some amazing rocks, ours.

We have 2 women there.

Advocates at Cass of Lexington, the had 5 cases each that is not typical, but they're doing some amazing work.

And both women work for the time I had.

So if it's something that someone really feels passionately about, I think you make time for what is important to you, right?

Well, I didn't mean to mention that all of the proceeds from Oscar's family go right back to Casa.

Blacks are at 100% myself.

And the illustrator did this as a project to provide for Mass of Lexington.

So 2 fold, hopefully a little finding that also awareness, right?

And you can find this anywhere.

Your local books are sold on Amazon or EBay or Amazon.

It's also on the Castle.

Lexington website into local stores are already carrying it.

The children's book star, the Plaid Elephant in Danville, Kentucky.

Soaps Insect in Stanford which has a local author, said Do you find if this really does help kind of a basic foundational level help people understand really what costs is about.

So that's to be determined because it's fresh out the press.

We only received the books and from the publisher a couple of weeks ago.

And so it's not even in the hands of our Casa Volunteers.

Yeah, wow.

So were the first to get it.

That addition to when I come back.

That's right.

That's right.

Well, how do you think it will be proceed and as a helpful tool or today, if you know, even trigger I had this exact same experience or I I know Oscar's family because I've dealt maybe you saw those 5 women.

I've got 2 of those kids right now who are street.

So a few friends that have adapted shorter and Rd have copies.

And they've said, How did you get the wording, right?

My child uses first mob are some terminology that you see through the book and we were very intentional.

And I was writing the book.

I talked to my staff.

I talked to volunteers at top 2 foster parents to find the terminology that the kids were using because I wanted it to be reliable.

Matthew hit it out of the park with the illustrations.

There's one of the child and visioning the judge when the castle volunteer says I report to the judge and someone clad in a metal suit with sat there and instill in the child's eyes.

We really tried to make it as accurate as possible.

Yeah, it's that's so important because that is a scary proposition for adults to appear before a alone.

A young young child.

>> Well, Melinda, I thank you so very much.

I you're a fun person and this work I know is difficult.

And on fun sometimes.

But your passion for children and to this work is evident.

And so we're so glad that you're dedicating your time and service to our Kentucky kids and the kids here.

And in central Kentucky.

>> Well, thank you.

I think together we can do this and I know the Commonwealth Games and I know I'll be looking forward to getting I guess the exclusive interview when Oscar's family part to our Oscar grows up comes out.

So I hope we get a chance to >> meet again and talk again and maybe make a visit in person at the Casa.

Well, thank you so very much for watching.

Remember, Oscar's family is available wherever books are sold.

Pick up a copy for yourself and maybe for someone else who might be interested in being a volunteer.

You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter.

KET in the know with Kentucky Edition each week night at 6.30, Eastern until I see you again.

Take really good care.

So long.

♪ ♪ ♪