Yavapai County cases Court Appointed Special Advocates are sought for the following cases:
• A CASA volunteer is needed to serve as a Baby CASA for 6-day-old “Tyler.” The Department of Child Safety took “Tyler” into custody after he was born substance-exposed to methamphetamine and THC. “Tyler’s” mother left the hospital against medical advice and has not been back to see him. “Tyler’s” father is unknown currently. “Tyler” will be placed in licensed foster care upon his discharge from the hospital.
• A CASA volunteer is needed to serve as a CASA for 3-year-old “Brody.” The Department of Child Safety took “Brody” into custody after law enforcement received reports that he was walking around an apartment complex alone. “Brody” was found to be dirty with tangled hair and no shirt in hot weather. “Brody” was placed in foster care while DCS locates safe and appropriate relatives to care for him.
• A CASA volunteer is needed to serve as an advocate for 8-year-old “Eddie” and 6-year-old “Tommy.” Their mother’s driving was unsafe to the extent that she was in an accident with the children in the car. Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found in the vehicle, accessible to the children, and their mother was determined to be under the influence.
The Department of Child Safety took custody of the brothers at this time. “Eddie” and “Tommy’s” father is currently incarcerated on assault charges against the children’s mother, and he hasn’t had contact with the children in three years. These circumstances have left the children with no parent willing and able to care for them safely and effectively.
The children are currently placed in a licensed foster home; however, there are tentative plans to move them to a relative placement once DCS has investigated this placement.
• A CASA volunteer is needed to serve as an advocate for 14-year-old “Katherine.” The Department of Child Safety became involved after a report was made to the DCS hotline. “Katherine’s” mother works overnight, and she does not provide the supervision required for her daughter. “Katherine” has been using marijuana and was recently suspended from school. Her problems with drugs and authority began after her parents’ divorce and father moved out of state. “Katherine” is currently placed in a group home in Maricopa County.
The CASA volunteer’s responsibilities include monitoring the child’s progress in their current placement; working with their DCS case manager and any service providers to ensure that they receive the appropriate services, such as educational and medical care; and making recommendations to the court about a permanent outcome for them.
Are you willing to give approximately 15 to 20 hours per month to advocate for an abused or neglected child in our community? Are you detail-oriented and organized? Do you have time to review documents, attend meetings and write a quarterly report based on the information you’ve received? No experience is necessary, and comprehensive training is provided at no cost to the volunteer advocate.
In person and online training sessions are available. Once certification and training are complete, CASA volunteers spend time learning about the child and their needs, gather information about the child’s circumstances, advocate for services for the child and provide information to the court about what they feel is in the child’s best interest. If you are interested in becoming a CASA volunteer and making a difference in the life of an abused or neglected child, contact the Yavapai County CASA office at (928) 771-3165.
The names of the above children have been changed to protect the identities of those involved, and these children are not eligible for adoption at this time.
