3 Years Later

This past week marked my third year of employment with Sunflower CASA Project!

It all started back in 2005...I was in need of an internship to graduate and I met with my class professor to discuss some placements she had in mind.  One was with a legislator in Topeka but we both knew I would immediately butt heads with that particular lawmaker.  The other was with a local agency that worked with abused and neglected children in the Manhattan community.

I had never heard of the agency and didn't really even know that much about abuse or neglect.  I had already been working with the Crisis Center and the Women's Center on campus so I was more than familiar with partner abuse and those dynamics.  I could handle those dynamics so I decided I would meet with the agency's Executive Director.

At the meeting, I met Jayme, the Executive Director of Sunflower CASA Project, Inc.  I was a bit embarassed to be a Political Science major until she disclosed that her background was in biochemistry.  Really?!  I immediately felt 10x more comfortable and decided to proceed with the training and then my internship.

I eventually wrapped up my internship and continued to serve as a CASA volunteer.   Graduation from K-State arrived and I accepted a job working with the geriatric population.  NOT quite the kiddos I had fallen in love with, but it was a job and income.

A few years later, CASA was hiring for a new position.  I applied and was offered the job!

I would spend part of my time working with their brand-new Child Advocacy Center.  Basically...Child Advocacy Centers, or CACs, coordinate a collaborative partnership of professionals who are dedicated to providing child-sensitive interviews and advocacy services to children and their family. Professionals from SRS, Riley County Attorney's Office, Riley County Police Department, Pawnee Mental Health, Mercy Regional Hospital and other disciplines provide a coordinated team response when a child reports abuse or when there is reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected.  Our CAC specializes in sexual abuse and let me tell ya, the things you hear make you sick, sick, sick to your stomach.  However, it's beyond amazing to see a team of professionals come together and give their everything for a child.   What's even more amazing?  To witness how resilient some of these children are.  The unimaginable has happened but they bounce back and continue to do great things with themselves!

The other part of my time would be spent working with the Child Exchange and Visitation Program.  The CEVC is a safe and neutral location for visitation arrangements with children, without direct contact between parents or caregivers and a secure environment in which to conduct parental exchanges.  Most of our families are court-ordered to participate in the program because of the presence or past history of domestic violence within their relationship.  One of the first lessons I learned at CASA is this: children love their parents, even though some horrific things may happen within their family unit.  More often than not, children want to see their parents and we're fortunate to have a safe location for the visitation to occur here in our community.

Last April, I reduced my status to part-time and dropped my responsibilities with the CAC to go to work for the school.  There are can be some extremely challenging days in social services, especially when working with families in conflict, but the good days outnumber the bad days.  Otherwise, I would have run far, far away a long time ago!  In fact, when the school gig came up I was torn--I did NOT want to leave CASA.  I will be forever grateful that Jayme let me stay on part time...and now I'm celebrating 3 years with the agency! 

I figure some day I will eventually be the old lady who retires from working and when that day comes, I can't wait to serve as a volunteer advocate again.  Prior to my employment with CASA, I was assigned to 3 different cases...one case closed successfully, one case moved to a different judicial district and the other case, well, I still worry about that kiddo.  But that's how I am...I just hope that these kids will stay strong and continue to do great things with themselves.  One thing we do know is that children who have CASAs are much more likely to find stable, long-term homes and do not bounce in and out of the system at the rate that children without CASAs do.  It's always nice to have a little bit of reassurance that the work of a CASA does make a difference :-)

If you're interested in finding out more about being a CASA volunteer, please check out:
http://casa.manhattanks.org/
or
http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5301303/k.6FB1/About_Us__CASA_for_Children.htm.