Every day in Sonoma County, children are removed from their homes because they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Through no fault of their own, these children are made dependents of the Juvenile Court and enter a world where an overburdened legal system sometimes cannot hear their voices.
These youth need a Court Appointed Special Advocate – known commonly as a CASA advocate – to provide consistent and personal support as they go through months and sometimes years of legal procedures. All too often, the children are moved from one temporary placement to another, never knowing what it is to have the comfort of a permanent home. The CASA volunteer provides human contact that the kids need and the adult experience and savvy the court needs to make better decisions for them.
Juvenile court officials have identified an additional 25 youth who need advocates and CASA is appealing to Sonoma County residents to volunteer. CASA advocates for the youth are asked to spend a minimum of 10-12 hours a month on their case. Executive Director Millie Gilson states that there are approximately 135 volunteers, and hopes to recruit another 20 with the next training.
The training, which takes place over three and a half days begins Thursday, October 7, then runs from Tuesday, October 12, through Thursday, October 14. Classes are held at CASA’s office at the Los Guilicos complex near Oakmont in Santa Rosa. For more information, contact Gilson at 565.6375 or visit the web site at sonomacasa.org.
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