Oath of Office

On November 28 ten people raised their right hands and swore an oath to advocate for the children they will serve in the months and years to come. Judge Neill oversaw the proceedings.

Class is back in session!

On September 28, 2009 eleven very special people began their journey of becoming a CASA volunteer by taking the NCASA Pre-Service training. NCASA Pre-Service is an eye-opening training that teaches new volunteers the basics of becoming a CASA volunteer.  Over the past few weeks the new class of CASA volunteers have enjoyed learning about what it means to be a CASA volunteer, cultural competence, laws pertaining to Youth In Need of Care cases, and begun to understand family dynamics. The class will continue to learn more about children, families, followed by classes on how to use all this information as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL). Though veteran CASA’s know there is not enough training to prepare for everything one could encounter as a CASA; the trainers share their expertise and insight about their experiences.Once training is finished, on October 27 the class will have a mock trial and be sworn in as officers of the court. This new bunch of enthusiastic volunteers are ready to hit the ground running. With only a few weeks left of training, this class will make an excellent addition to the CASA-CAN volunteers.

Classes are Monday and Wednesday nights 6-9pm. Current CASA’s are encouraged to attend to brush up on old skills, share their experiences, and best of all you can count your hours attended into your annual 12 hours of training.  

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming a CASA volunteer? Classes will begin again January 25, 2010. It is never too early to sign-up. Call us today!

"Imparting Hope"

Hi. My name is Gary Nowell.  I have been involved with CASA-CAN for two and half years.  Before I became a Guardian Ad Litem I worked to recruit volunteers for CASA through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.  I also rode my bicycle from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park to raise funds for the state CASA program in the annual Park2Park ride. 

At first all I knew about CASA-CAN was that they were “the voice for the child” who was abused and neglected and in the foster care system.  The goal of the program is that every child who is designated as Youth In Need Care has an advocate who will represent their best interest through court and foster care system.  Until I became a Guardian did I truly understand what being the voice for a child meant.

Being a guardian is about imparting hope to both the child and the parents.  I catch myself saying to them, “You can do this” or “You can make it.”  Without hope both the child and the parents give up moving forward in life. 

It is also about getting to know the child and the families.  As I observed the monitored visits at DPHHS the case aides are pointing the nuances in the behavior of child or the parent.  I began to look deeper and observe more closely.  I have learned to listen to the whole person.  It is like putting a jig saw puzzle together.  The guardian’s job is to ask, “How do all of these relationships fit together? And do they fit well together? “

My first case ended well.  I celebrated with the family and the DPHHS case worker of a successful reunification of the child with her father and grandparents.  I am in the middle of my second case and it is reading like a detective novel with plenty of twists and turns.  Even though I don’t know the exact ending I know that it will turn out well for the child because I am walking with him through this journey and am speaking out for his best interest along the way.

DV = Domestic Violence

DV is the acronym that many guardians ad litem see as they read through a case. "The mother presented with fractured ribs, a large bruise on her forehead, and a bald spot where the hair had been pulled out. Two children, 3 and 5, witnessed this assault and previous DV by their father." Though they themselves had not been touched physically, the children suffer emotionally.

Options are out there for battered women and their children, but did you know on average the woman leaves her abuser 7 - 10 times before leaving for good? At the McGuire Conference in Billings last week, 4 CASA-CAN guardians ad litem, VISTA Amanda Nigrello, and I learned many of the aspects of the psychology of battered women, the effects on children and the law as it pertains to DV. The conference, sponsored by the Billings Area Family Violence Task Force, was a great learning experience.

Lisa Goff

Intermountain Training Offered

FitzgeraldJim FitzGerald, Executive Director of Intermountain will present on “sustaining empathy with an emphasis on developmental impacts of neglect and abuse.” Fitzgerald has played a key role in developing the nationally recognized children’s mental health agency which specializes in nurturing, therapeutic environments for children under severe emotional distress. Fitzgerald has worked with Intermountain for nearly 30 years and serves as the designated state leader for the Child Welfare League of America and sits on the national public policy board.

Intermountain is a "a nationally recognized Montana non-profit specializing in nurturing, therapeutic environments for children under severe emotional distress. We integrate relationship-based treatment and sound clinical discipline to assure a permanent family for every child." For more information about Intermountain click here www.intermountain.org.