With just 42 volunteers, the Cole County group of the national organization Court Appointed Special Advocates is not able to meet the current demand for their services and is hoping they will have more volunteers added to their roster by September.
According to the director of the Cole County group, Dr. James Kellerman, a retired community college executive, the group needs new members to allow the group to accomplish its mission, that "every abused and neglected child can be safe, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive."
Since beginning five years ago, Kellerman and his colleagues have witnessed the program grow from operating out of the Kellerman family home to a network of CASA volunteers including pediatricians, lawyers, nurses, teachers, retirees and young adults from across Cole County.
"Our volunteers represent every walk of life (in Cole County)," Kellerman said. "I am often asked about what it takes to be a volunteer and an advocate, and I tell people it is as simple as caring about the welfare of a child and to make a difference in that child's life."
The advocates work with children who are in the court system by no fault of their own, Kellerman said.
"They have not done anything wrong," Kellerman said. "They simply have come from homes where drugs were used, or where they experienced some form of abuse and had to be removed for their own protection."
While advocating for the child, advocates may meet with the children's teachers at school, neighbors and the child to find out what is the best interest of the child. Kellerman said there is an important line that CASA volunteers are careful not to cross.
"We understand that our role is not to become a buddy, or a big brother or sister," Kellerman said. "Our role is, instead, to be an adult figure that the child can trust and be confident in."
The time commitment varies by the child and the case, Kellerman said.
"We ask the volunteers to spend at least one hour a month with the child," Kellerman said. "However, most of our volunteers spend a lot more time, up to an hour or two a week. It really depends on the availability of the advocate, the child and the nature of the case."
Kellerman said he matches up the advocates and the case based on personality, availability, skill sets and who would work best with the child.
"For example, if the case involves an infant, I would probably pair the pediatrician with the baby. Who better to take care of a baby than a doctor," Kellerman said. "On the contrary, if I have a teenage boy, I would pair him up with one of our younger adult males, who could serve as a father figure to him."
Volunteers are required to pass a criminal background check and be at least 21 years of age, according to Kellerman.
According to Kellerman, the volunteers go through an extensive 10-week training session to learn how to be the voice of the child in the courtroom. The next round of training sessions begin in September, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Mondays. There is no cost to be a CASA volunteer. Those interested in becoming a volunteer or finding out more should contact Kellerman at 690-9171.
Kellerman is hopeful 30 new Cole County residents will accept the challenge to be an advocate.
"It is incredibly sad to me when we see a case in court, that could have used the services of a volunteer, but we couldn't do anything because we didn't have enough volunteers," Kellerman said. According to Kellerman, volunteers are limited to working with just one or two cases at a time, to "ensure we are making a difference in the lives of those children."