CASA Training

Recently I've been involved with training to be a CASA volunteer. That acronym stands for "Court Appointed Special Advocate". A CASA is a person who works with DFACS, the Juvenile Justice System, and the adults who are involved in the life of any young person who has been removed from their home by Child Protection Services ( a division of the Department of Family and Children Services).

The CASA's job is to report to the Judge what the child would like to happen regarding his future custody, and to report what the CASA himself feels would be best for the child. This involves detailed investigation and conversation with family members, the current guardian of the child, DFACS case workers, Juvenile Justice staff, teachers, and any other adults who are knowledgeable about the child's life. Most importantly, a CASA is to get to know and speak for the child to the world of adults who are part of the decision-making process regarding his future home or placement.

In Georgia, there are strong legal directives toward permanency within a year. Parents who are charged with negligence, abuse, drug use, or other child-endangerment actions may have less than a year to correct their mistakes, reorder their home, lifestyle and work patterns.

In doing Parenting Education for the Bartow County Women's Resource Center, a non-profit which provides training for parents, I see some interesting situations. Sometimes a parent starts a court ordered program, or only registers for classes, and then abandons their plan.... that often can mean they've given up hope of recovery to a level that the authorities determine they are capable of caring for their children. Other parents show me pictures of their children, telling me about them, and about their own desire to be reunited as a family.

Visiting in court settings, drug court, and panel reviews, I've witnessed some horrific stories and pictures of child abuse, which no adult caregiver can "explain". I've been in small conference rooms where a preschooler responds to the foster parent as a real mom, and does not even recognize the birth mother 1 seat away. Sometimes I've heard the people in charge of a child's welfare tell the family of origin: "you cannot demonstrate the ability to care for yourself, much less care for your child".

I have also seen parents make amazing progress in turning from a life of destruction, to self-sufficiency and renewal. I've heard judges tell parents, "I had no hope for you 2 years ago, and now am very proud of your progress, and am returning your children to you".

In the midst of an world-wide economic "meltdown", with the Pentagon's computer systems being assaulted millions of times per day, with the discovery that viruses and codes placed by foreign sources are scattered throughout our power grid control system, I have other news.

It is my conclusion that our greatest problem in America is the unreported headline story of the collapse of the American family. Greatly driven by the drug and sexual saturation of our culture, the implosion (and sometimes explosion) of the family as a unit in our country is now showing up in the 3rd generation of families.

We need to be praying for individuals in our legal system, law enforcement, and social services to be empowered to be strong in battle. The foe is unrelenting in his assault. Thankfully, there is an unseen army available on our behalf! (Josua 5:14-15).