NORWICH – After five months on the job, a special group of volunteers with the county’s Dispute Resolution Center say their new roles in the community have paid them an invaluable wage.
Volunteering as Court Appointed Special Advocates – a new program that officially began in June – the first crew of appointees have been charged with taking an in-depth look into dispute-related court cases, and advocating for the best interests of the children who are involved.
“To make a profound difference in a child’s life,” said CASA Laura Mandell, “it’s indescribable.”
Since June, the CASAs have handled 9 cases, five in Chenango and four in Otsego County, with roughly 13 neglected children assigned to different advocates so far.
“The impact is happening,” said Rita Maxwell, the CASA coordinator at the dispute center. “The full impact has yet to be felt.”
Once assigned a case, CASAs are required to review court records, research information, and interview the children, parents, attorneys, judges, social workers, teachers, and other family members. In each case the advocate will submit official testimony and an opinion to the court regarding the welfare of the child, and what they believe would be in their best interests.
“There is no normal day,” Mandell said, explaining that the number of people CASAs work with day-in and day-out makes for an extraordinary volunteer experience. “It’s a real concerted effort of people.”
Maxwell said that feedback from the courts so far have said that typically longer cases are processing quicker with the volunteers’ involvement. “Things were taking a longer time to happen,” said Maxwell. “CASAs have forced things before the courts quicker.”
County and Family Court Judge Howard Sullivan said the program is still developing, but based on what he’s seen so far, he expects it to be of great value to the community over the long-term.
“It’s made a positive impact so far,” Sullivan said. “Long-term it’s going to be a great service that will be a helpful aid to children, families, judges, lawyers and law-guardians. It has started off the way I thought it would.”
CASA June Georgia said she didn’t know what to expect when she enrolled in the program, but believes now her objective is quite clear.
“I feel like I’m the eyes and ears, and I give the cases an unbiased look that some might not be able to do,” Georgia said. “If we do anything – just to help one child, to me, it’s working.”
