Norma's Volunteer Story, Part 9

Norma:

I met with Ernie and his mother so I could get to know them a little better. Ernie reported he had just received a job offer as a mechanic, which would be great to present at the next hearing. If Ernie was stable enough to maintain a job, he would be able to aid the children financially. Ernie's mother informed me she would be delighted to help Ernie with Robert and Rose, if in fact, Rose was his daughter.  Ernie expressed his excitement for getting to reconnect with Robert after the home study on his and Anita's living situation cleared. 

The same day, I drove over to visit Robert and Rose at their temporary foster home. When I first got to the home, the children were coloring and Robert seemed timid about speaking with me. Although I did come to visit the children, the first thing I did was speak with Anne Franklin, their foster mother. I wanted to hear her analysis of the condition of the children. Anne informed me she was worried about Rose's development.  She was nine-months-old but couldn't crawl or sit up on her own. She also never made any sounds except for when crying. I visited for about an hour with Robert and played with Rose.

The next day I drove to visit Ben, who was staying with his Aunt Carol, near Plainview. Because he was older, it was much easier for me to explain my role to him. Once inside and comfortable, I informed him I was here to listen to his needs and act in his best interest.  Ben explained he loved his mother and wanted to see her, but he was concerned about having to go back to living with her. He knew it was difficult for her to take care of them.

Ben wanted to live at his aunt's house, but he had taken on the role of caretaker so often when mom wasn't around, he feared what would happen to Robert and Rose the next time she disappeared.

I asked Ben to exit the room for a while so Carol and I could speak in private. I asked her how she thought Ben was doing overall. She said he seemed to love the open space the country provided and he got along great with his cousins who were of similar age. She had taken him to their family physician to make sure everything was normal and so most importantly, he could pick up his asthma medicine. Ben would be starting classes at a new school the following Monday and we were all eager to hear reports of his adjustment. 

After meeting with everyone, I called my CASA supervisor to discuss the case, ask her a few questions, and talk about my recommendations.  After much thought and deliberation, I thought it best for Robert to go live with his father and grandmother. I also thought Rose should be placed in the home if the ordered paternity test proved Ernie the biological father.  Otherwise, Rose should stay in her current foster placement and CPS should strive to identify her biological father.

After visiting with Ben and Carol, it seemed best for Ben to stay with his aunt. He seemed at peace and loved it there. Ben did mention he wanted to see his siblings even if he couldn't currently be with them.  The only way I predicted the children being able to live together again was in the event that Kathy underwent a substance abuse assessment and followed the recommendations made by the judge.

It really bothered me at this stage in her life Rose wasn't walking or crawling so I recommended both Kathy and Ernie be enrolled in parenting classes while Rose was enrolled in developmental classes.  Lastly, I recommended the siblings be allowed visitation with each other weekly and weekly visitation with their mother, Kathy.  

The next morning, I called the kids CPS caseworker, Bob Johnson. I needed to discuss the case again. Bob briefed me on the current standings. The current case plan for Rose and Ben was reunification with Kathy Price while the plan for Ben was for him to be adopted by his aunt. The results had come back and Ernie was determined to be the father of Rose, so until Kathy had met all requirements the court set in place, Rose and Robert would stay with Ernie and Dashee, his mother.  Now that I had spoken with all parties in order to gather voices for recommendations, I was prepared for the upcoming hearing.

New volunteer training starts in Lubbock on March 18. CASA needs volunteers like you to advocate on behalf of foster children. More than 500 foster children in the South Plains area went without an advocate in 2012. Call Peggy, our Recruitment and Training Director, at 806-763-2272 or email peggye@lubbockcasa.org to talk about becoming a volunteer. Peggy has been with CASA for 15 years and knows the ins and outs of our organization.

Norma's Volunteer Story, Part 8

This is a series about Norma, a woman who becomes a CASA volunteer. It is fictional, but based on real events. Each Wednesday we will update the blog with the next segment. At CASA we always need volunteers, but right now we are extremely low on volunteers and there are hundreds of children in the South Plains who are waiting for a special person like Norma......like you. Please call 806-763-2272 if you would like to be that person.

Day four training: Judge Perspective and Course Wrap-Up

CPS Bob Johnson:

When the boys finished the pizza, Bob helped them each pack a garbage bag of clothes and what personal items they could fit into it. They helped Bob pack a bag of items for Rose as well. Bob made a call to placement and Ben and Robert were taken to an emergency shelter and baby Rose was taken to a foster home.

It was now time to contact Kathy Price, the children’s mother. Whether the parents were first time offenders or veterans of the department’s protective services, Bob hated visiting the parents in jail to inform them a child had been taken and placed into the system. In the Harris-Price children’s case, this would be the third time. He arrived at the jail, sat down at the video monitor, and picked up the receiver so he could speak with her. Kathy unhooked the dirty hand receiver from the wall and glared at Bob on the video monitor.

"What did you do with my kids? They told me you were taking them," she yelled.

"Hello, Ms. Price. Your children are fine and safe. We found them two days after your arrest. Due to living arrangements and the fact that the children were left home alone, your children have been taken into the custody by the department,” Johnson said.

Upon hearing these words, Kathy could feel her anger, frustration, and sadness all coming to a boil in her chest. She wouldn't have had to leave her children if she hadn't been arrested. She didn't expect the officer to arrest her that night. She wouldn't have had to leave the house at all if she had enough food to feed two growing boys, herself, and her precious baby. She would have money to feed her family if the children's fathers would pay child support ....if she had a better job….if she wasn’t addicted and trying to make it day by day.

Kathy asked if once she was released from jail if she would get her kids back. Mr. Johnson said no- the next thing she should ask is what will happen next when she is released from jail. 

Norma:

It was 7p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon, and Norma was completing her last day of training. Judge Hart, the local foster care cluster court judge, spoke to the group. He is the judge who handles all of the foster cases. He talked to them about what he expects in his courtroom and what the advocates could expect from him. Judge Hart reinforced how important the CASA advocate is in a child’s life.

She jotted down a few last minute ideas as Peggy, the facilitator of the training class, wrapped up the training.  Peggy explained that after you have completed the necessary requirements to become a CASA, your information is entered into the system to be used upon availability of a case. When the instance arises where the child has to be removed, a CPS legal proceeding begins. The court has one year from the date the CPS is named Temporary Managing Conservator of the child to determine the permanency plan through a series of several hearings.

The next day, Norma and the other volunteers arrived at the courthouse in Judge Hart’s courtroom. He swore each person in and gave them a certificate. Peggy took photos of the group and congratulated them on becoming an official CASA advocate.

Within a few days, Norma was assigned a supervisor and her first CASA case. The children had been removed from their mother due to being left alone and without appropriate caregivers. The two boys had been placed in a shelter, the baby was in a foster home, and the mother, Kathy Price remained incarcerated at the time of the placement of the children into foster care.

By Texas law according to the Texas Family Code, an adversary hearing must be held with 14 days of the removal of the children. At the hearing Kathy, Norma, Mr. Johnson, and the children’s attorney met prior to the hearing to discuss what would occur before the judge. Kathy would be given the option by the department to request a hearing, in order to provide evidence of why her children should not remain in the care of the department. If Kathy agreed the children should remain in the care of the department then there would not be a hearing of presented evidence.

Kathy stated she would like to have a hearing on this day and would move forward to represent herself. After testimony was heard the judge ruled there was enough evidence to prove the children’s safety and well-being was at risk, and the department had made reasonable efforts to prevent the children from coming into care of the department. CPS presented through Mr. Johnson that Kathy had a history of leaving her children without supervision and was currently on probation. There was evidence that supported that Kathy violated her probation by leaving her children home alone, as well as allegation of theft of the baby formula.

During the hearing the judge explained that Kathy could offer family members as possible placement for her children during the duration of the department’s case. CPS would be required to complete a home study on each home that was requested by any parent. Kathy presented to the court and the other parties that her sister Carol and a paternal grandmother, Dashee, would be her best options for the children.  It was also ordered that Ernie Price submit to paternity testing for the child, Rose Price. Even though Ernie Price and Kathy Price were married, Rose was born after the divorce and he is the alleged father to Rose.

Norma set up separate meetings with Kathy, Carol, Dashee, and Jason Harris. Jason Harris informed her he wasn't open for discussion because he no longer wanted anything to do with Kathy or placement of his child, Ben, in his home.  Kathy's sister had mentioned during the hearing that although she loved all of the children and wished them the best, she could only financially and time-wise, support one more child, Ben, the oldest.  At this point, it was looking as if the chances of the children staying together were slim, but it would be CASA's recommendation for the best interest to have the children remain together.

Norma's Volunteer Story, Part 7

This is a series about Norma, a woman who becomes a CASA volunteer. It is fictional, but based on real events. Each Wednesday we will update the blog with the next segment. At CASA we always need volunteers, but right now we are extremely low on volunteers and there are hundreds of children in the South Plains who are waiting for a special person like Norma......like you. Please call 806-763-2272 if you would like to be that person.

Norma’s Volunteer Story, Part 7

Day three training: Cultural Competence & Families

Day three of training was probably the most eye-opening for Norma. She had always thought of herself as being relatively open-minded as far as being accepting of others beliefs, but the term cultural competence was new to her. Cultural competence means just that: to be understanding and open when it comes to being introduced to a circumstance that differs from one’s own cultural heritage or background. There are so many different types of people in this world and we all have our own values and culture.

The training stressed the importance of learning more about our own heritage and culture and how it affects our day-to-day life. If we each questioned our assumptions and remained open to the differences in others, how much simpler and easier it would be to coexist without all of the complexities that ignorance, intolerance and closed mindedness bring to the fray.

Some families may be harsher in their discipline, while others are more relaxed. Some families may not allow their children to eat sweets or watch television, while their neighbors do.  There is no set rule that says one family is more right than the other. It simply lends proof to the theory that this country is a melting pot of cultures, values and beliefs. By becoming more culturally competent and aware, we can avoid the persecution and misunderstanding altogether, and move towards a more effective reconciliation for the torn families who need our help and support.

The trainees were given a picture of a family in their house that looked cluttered and chaotic, and were instructed to find the strengths of the scenario. At first glance, all you see is the mess, but as you look at the scene, it is easy to point out the positive points.

Every family who goes through the process of having a child removed from the home has some type of stress factor present. Sometimes stress is created by circumstances that seem unchangeable for someone who does not know what resources are available to them.  Often, it is up to the CASA volunteer to shift the balance of stress in the circumstance. This can be done most effectively by listening, communicating and understanding that different doesn’t necessarily mean wrong.

Norma was saddened by the number of children in the Lubbock area who are abused and neglected. She wondered if she could really make a difference. As it turned out, the speaker after the snack break was a presentation from a current CASA advocate.

Eric was a mid-twenties single man who had been a volunteer for nearly three years. His first case was two siblings – a brother and sister- whose parents were drug addicts. The children were taken from a mice-infested house with no running water. They were not going to school regularly. Because they were neglected so long, at first they had trouble assimilating into the foster home and school. Eric spoke with teachers, extended family members, CPS caseworkers and doctors, and attended every hearing. Because of his diligence, he was able to find an aunt who lived across the state and was willing to adopt both children. The aunt’s house was small and she had two of her own kids at home, so the situation wasn’t perfect, but the kids were loved and safe. He said the kids still were a little behind in school, and were still in therapy but doing well overall. Eric said the kids still call him periodically and he always sends them birthday and holiday cards. 

Next, the group talked about abuse and neglect child-related and parent-related factors. The most common reason in the Lubbock area that children are removed from a home is due to neglect. Some children are neglected because of physical or mental disabilities and some are due to chronological age or the child was unwanted. On the parent’s side, some of the factors include abuse as a child, substance abuse, depression or ignorance. The group also talked about the impact of abuse, neglect and being in the foster care system has on a child. They ended the evening of training talking about various statistics regarding children in America, poverty rates, hunger and welfare.

This really made an impact on Norma. She knew that even if she only helped one child, that making a difference in that child’s life would be worth it. What if she could help a child in foster care get to a permanent placement? Someplace safe, where that child would be clothed, fed and loved. Norma decided at that moment she had made the right decision to be a CASA advocate.

Check back on 2/13/13 for the next installment of Norma's Story. Find out what happens to the Harris Price children.