Judges to recognize advocate volunteers
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News from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
POLSON — District Court Judges James Manley and Deborah Kim Christopher will recognize Court Appointed Special Advocates volunteers for their contributions to abused and neglected children at an event on Jan. 27.
Twenty CASA advocates in Lake and Sanders Counties currently serve approximately 70 children, and work with their families, the Montana Department of Child and Family Services, and local attorneys. An advocate’s goal is to seek cooperative solutions to the unfortunate situations these children face. CASA advocates collect information, conduct investigations, visit the child regularly, attend meetings and court hearings and ultimately help to prepare recommendations to the 20th Judicial District Court. On average, each advocate serving a case contributes about 10 hours per month. Some advocates serve more than one case.
CASA advocates are trained by CASA Director Ann Marie McNeel, who also serves as a substitute to Lake County Justice of the Peace and as a guardian ad litem to children in private parenting cases. McNeel notes that many of the parents in abuse and neglect cases also have problems in Justice Court.
“It is unfortunate to realize that some of the people we see in Justice Court over and over again, who have life challenges that continually interfere with their ability to live by the letters of the law, also have children at home,” she said. “We end up seeing their children at some point in our abuse and neglect cases. This is a real community problem.”
McNeel noted that almost half of the existing abuse and neglect cases relate to methamphetamine use.
CASA of Lake and Sanders Counties is affiliated with the National CASA Association and 14 other local CASA offices throughout Montana. The number of abuse and neglect cases in Lake County has nearly doubled two years in a row.
“In 2013, our local CASA program was served by a part-time director alone. Now, there are two of us and the office can be busy with advocates on any given day,” McNeel said.
CASA advocates will be recognized Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. in the large conference room of the Lake County Courthouse. The public is welcome to join this event to learn more about CASA. Food will be donated by Cove Deli.
To find out more about becoming a CASA advocate or donating to this organization, contact CASA of Lake and Sanders Counties at 406-883-0158.
