COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds of volunteers, judges and attorneys gathered in Columbus for training to determine ways to help Ohio children in foster care. The training is being done through the CASA program.
CASA, standing for Court Appointed Special Advocate, trains volunteers to advocate in court for the best interest of children who have experience in Ohio’s child welfare system. CASA volunteers are assigned to a child for the duration of a case, usually lasting a year or two.
The average time spent in care is two years, during which the child may change residences as many as three times, which is why CASA volunteer work is so important.
One of the volunteers, Kathy Sweat, has worked with nearly a dozen kids for over five years. She said her goal is to provide emotional support for children and advocate for them in the courtroom, but she had no idea the impact it would have on her own life.
"I mean you expect to go in to help the kids but to also feel generally a connection with the parents, it's a lot, it's incredibly positive, but your heart just grows immensely being in CASA,” said Sweat.
Another volunteer, Brook Rigdon, from Delaware County said she saw the challenges of the foster care system firsthand after adopting two boys from foster, Logan and Miles. She said she knew she wanted to continue to support children and became a CASA volunteer.
“You're really focused on the children and being a voice and standing up for them and what's right for them,” said Rigdon. “It will change your life, your heart is bigger than you can ever perceive."
Kevin Greenwood, the program director for CaASA of Franklin County, said duties include monthly check-ins, aiding in court appearances and handling trauma.
“Trauma is really body-based, it resides within the body and the tensions that can bring,” said Greenwood. “So what we're hoping now is to work with our volunteers to help children release that tension in positive ways so they can get that tension out so they can calmly think and be better able to express their feelings and their needs.”
For more information on how to volunteer, visit their website here.