CASA Kids Newsletter

July 2019

Announcements, Upcoming Events, and Support for CASAs

Did You Know?

CASA Kids can provide support for CASAs and the children on your cases in a variety of ways. We can help with:

-transportation costs for CASAs to visit kids placed out of state.

-needs that would allow for reunification (eg: deposit on an apartment or utility deposit)

-items needed in order to move a child to a relative placement (eg: deposit on a larger apartment, furniture)

-needs of adolescents not  covered by Medicaid (eg: braces, contact lenses)

For more information, or if you’re interested in serving on the CASA Kids board, please contact Mary Bartley at bartley_casa@hotmail.com

Want to Learn More About Psychological Evaluations?

Dr. Rybicki will be appearing at Remann Hall on July 12, 2019 from Noon to 1:30pm to present information surrounding psychological evaluations. In dependency cases, psychological evaluations and the use of these assessments are commonly utilized.

The expected agenda will be: Introduction and Qualification of Presenter, Basics of Psychological Evaluations, Terminology, Testing Domains, Observations/Parenting Assessments, and Second Opinions.

Please join us for this amazing opportunity to gain more insight on psychological evaluations. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. The presentation will be located in the Cafeteria at Remann Hall, entry through Building B (First Lobby/Administration). Hope to see everyone there!

 Questions? Contact Buffy Via at 253-625-4006

Get Feedback and Advice on Your CASA Case

You’re invited to lean on a group of people to discuss anything from the smallest frustration to a major decision in your case!   

From CASA Coordinators Amber Hasley and Buffy Via

In our CASA cases we often find ourselves feeling indecisive as to how to move forward-- whether regarding a proposed plan, a move we might be uneasy about, or we find others opposing something that we recommend.

In the spirit of “two heads are better than one,” we offer a time set aside to staff difficult cases every Tuesday with alternating times of 8:30 a.m. one week and 2 p.m. the next week. All sessions take place in the CASA Conference Room.  We acknowledge that the times can be confusing, so please contact your CASA Coordinator to confirm the time of the case consults if you are interested in joining us. We’d love to see you there!

DEPENDENCY PROGRAM BOOK CLUB

Where the Dead Sit Talking By: Brandon Hobson

Meet at the University Place Whole Foods Market

3515 Bridgeport Way West

University Place, WA 98466

July 18, 2019

5:30-7:00pm

Questions? Please call Buffy Via at 253-625-4006

Morgan’s Legal Corner

New Legislation: Prohibiting the Use of Detention for Dependency

CASA Kids Newsletter – Legal Corner

During the 2019 legislative session, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5290, which outlines when children can be held in secure detention for non-criminal contempt. This affects youth in dependency, as well as Children in Need of Services (CHINs), At-Risk Youth (ARY) and Truancy.

Previously, if a child was involved in one of the above-identified proceedings and was not following a Court’s order, the Court could hold a child in contempt and place them in secure detention for up 7 days until a hearing to address the child’s failure to abide by the Court’s order. Most often, in Pierce County dependency cases, this would happen if a child went on the run from foster care.

Beginning immediately, the period of time that a child can be held in secure detention for civil contempt has been reduced from 7 days to 72 hours, not including weekends and holidays. The Court also cannot hold a child for more than 72 hours no matter the number of violations and is only allowed to hold a child for two 72-hour periods in 30 days.

Beginning 7/1/2020 (and later dates for Truancy and ARY matters), secure detention cannot be used as a sanction for children who are in contempt of a Court order in dependency. The Court must find alternatives to address the child’s behavior. Additionally, Courts can no longer issue a warrant for a child to appear in Court. Instead, the Court must issue a summons for the child to appear in Court, which will not appear in law enforcement databases. That summons cannot be served on the child during school hours and must be communicated in any way for the child to get notice of the hearing, including by text message.

Questions about how this legislation might affect a child on your caseload? Please talk to your CASA Coordinator or CASA attorney Morgan Chaput for more details.

The Emotional Challenges of Being a CASA
By Starr Mayer

I have a relative who is a CASA in another city.  He is dealing with a highly contentious case in which there are multiple family members, foster parents, and attorneys involved.  He has developed strong concerns about one of the parents and the safety of the children in that person’s care.  However, his perception is at odds with his Coordinator’s and with that of several of the social workers.  When he discusses this case with me, his frustration and anger spill over into the conversation.  I happen to think he is right in his fears, but I worry about his ability to make a cogent and objective case before a judge. It has become personal for him – not only in terms of his wanting to protect the children, but also in terms of how others might perceive his professional judgment.

My first case drew me in the other direction. I worked with a woman who was accused of a felony.  I was convinced that if she had had a good criminal attorney, she would never have been convicted. That may or may not have been true.  It did, I think, lead me to wanting to see her as a great mother who would prove them wrong and me right. I now realize I sometimes must have worn rose colored glasses to my visits.

I need to remind myself to keep a tight rein on my own feelings in my cases.  The first reason to do so is that people do change.  I should never deny individuals the right to mature, to become sober, to be educated.  Therefore, they may also, in spite of my hopes, succumb to their worst instincts.  Secondly, my feelings are based on perceptions drawn from a very small snapshot of a limited portion of a person’s life. They are, in addition, biased by my own life experiences.  They may be very wrong. 

On the other hand, they may be very right, spotlighting important pieces of the puzzle that is a family.  I can’t dismiss them out of hand, but I can’t weigh them more heavily than other factors.

My job as a CASA is to hold my feelings lightly, reexamine them frequently, test them with other people’s perceptions, and constantly hold them up against the best interests of the child.  It’s not easy.  But at the same time, it is a good rule to apply to the relationships with all the people we encounter in our lives.

CASA Highlights

Buffy Via wants to commend CASA Karen Shaffer for helping to facilitate a Make A Wish grant for one of the children she advocates for. Thanks to Karen’s hard work, the child was able to receive a therapy dog named Coco. This was a challenging task as the child has a fragile respiratory system, so a hypoallergenic dog had to be found. Karen located a breeder and Make A Wish did a wonderful job of coordinating everything. Great job, Karen!

Coordinators please feel free to send CASA highlights to Lauren Stasiak at l_stasiak@yahoo.com.

CASA Kids would like to thank the following donors for their generous support of our programs and the children we represent. Please consider patronizing the following businesses and letting them know your appreciation as a CASA.

Upcoming Trainings

Investigate/Monitor l Wed 9/11 l 5:30 to 7:30

Report Writing l Wed 7/24 l 5:30 - 7:30

Permanency Planning Lunch Box Learning l Fri 7/19 at 11am-12:30pm & Wed 7/31 at 4:30-6:30pml

Indian Child Welfare Lunch Box Learning l Fri 8/16 at 11am-12:30pm & Fri 8/13 at 4:30-6:30pml

GAL Rules (mandatory once) l Thurs 8/8 l 5:30 to 7:30

Training for New CASAs
Sat. 7/13 l Sun. 7/21 l Sat. 7/27 l Sun. 8/4 l Ts. 10/1
Sat. 9/21 l Sun. 9/29 l Sat. 10/5 l Sun. 10/13 l Ts. 12/10

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Board of Directors & Committees

Mary Bartley: President l Kathy Bertram: Vice President; Recruitment & Retention l Jenny Kenyon Gentry  Secretary; Recruitment & Retention; Community Relations & Social Media l Dan Casey: Treasurer, Children’s Program l Buffy Via: CASA Liaison l Lauren Stasiak: Newsletter l Mike McCowan: Fundraising

CASA Kids meets on the 2nd Wednesday, every other month, from 5:30 - 7:30 in the CASA room at Remann Hall. Meetings are open to all.
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