Fannin County Children's Center CASA Volunteers Give Hope

CASA Volunteers Give Help and Hope to Children in Need

By Melanie Grammar, RN, BSN and Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteer

As registered nurse, my schedule is already pretty busy providing care to individuals who are sick and support to their families. Therefore, my free time is important to me. That’s why I choose to spend it as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer. As a CASA volunteer, I can a use some of my free time – and my skills and knowledge as a nurse – to provide help and hope to abused and neglected children.

My first case showed me how my experience as a nurse could compliment my work for children through CASA. Sarah (not her real name) was a young girl in foster care who had cerebral palsy with severe spasticity, mental retardation, scoliosis of her spine, and asthma. She could not speak so understanding her needs could be tough to almost impossible. When I went to visit her for the first time in her foster home, I got a feeling that something was not right. It was here that my nursing training kicked in.

As nurses, we are taught to use our critical thinking, and then dig for the answers to our questions. When I asked why Sarah, who was 8 years old, only weighed 37 pounds, Sarah’s foster mom became very defensive. The foster mom said she had a feeding tube problem and that she took Sarah to the children’s hospital for all her appointments, which were many.

After reviewing her medical records and speaking to her doctors and the school nurse, it appeared Sarah was being starved. I also found out that Sarah had been missing appointments and had not been receiving the care which CASA and the courts were being told she was obtaining. Sarah was in trouble and needed quick intervention to save her. I was willing to go do whatever needed to be done.

By making phone calls and follow up visits, I was able to update all the various groups on Sarah’s case and go before the judge to explain the critical need of removing Sarah from her situation. The judge did order an emergency removal from the foster home and Sarah was then placed in a loving home. Soon she was healthy and had the special equipment she needed to help her movements. She eventually gained 30 pounds, putting her at a healthy weight for her small frame.

After the court hearing, I felt that with my help this small, helpless little girl had been given a chance at life in a safe, loving home. It was then that I knew my being a CASA volunteer really can make a huge difference in the life of a child, and that my experience and training as an RN is a great resource for helping these children survive. With my flexible schedule, I can do my important work as a nurse, and then have the time to review records and monitor a child’s progress, visit the child and their families, participate in court hearings and important meetings, and help guide the child through the foster care system and into a safe, permanent home.

This article first appeared in the Texas Nurses Association’s quarterly publication the Texas Nursing Voice. It is reprinted with permission. While being a nurse clearly helped this volunteer while working on this particular case, being a trained nurse is not a requirement of becoming a CASA volunteer. The needed training is provided at no cost to adults who wish to become an advocate for an abused child. If you are interested in becoming a CASA volunteer in Fannin County, contact the Fannin County Children’s Center now. A new training class is set to begin October 20. Volunteer applications, background checks and a personal interview must be completed before training begins. Call (903) 583-4339 to request an application. Visit www.fanninccc.org for more information.