 |
|
News |
|
Archived Articles
Germantown hosts CASA training
July 12, 2002
Babies starved by their mothers, children left with strangers, youngsters hidden while mother and her friends do drugs, those scarred from beatings with extension cords, hairbrushes or hot frying pans are among the thousands of Shelby County children helped annually by Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, of Memphis and Shelby County.
Those interested in joining CASA to help the abused and neglected children of Shelby County can take training in the first classes held in Germantown.
The 30-hours of training covers such topics as courtroom procedure, social services, working with children and families, and the special needs of abused and neglected children.
Classes are scheduled at the Germantown Library, 1920 S. Germantown Road, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 22, 25, 29, 30 and Aug. 1 and10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 and Aug. 3.
Orientation for the Germantown class will be Downtown at Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, 616 Adams Ave., at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Graduation of the class will be at Juvenile Court at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 6.
The next training session will be the first time CASA has offered daytime classes. They will be held in the sunroom of the Junior League House, 3475 Central Ave.
Orientation for the day-training class is 10 a.m. Aug. 13. Classes will be 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 14-15, 19-22 and 26-28.
CASA graduation ceremonies for training classes include a swearing-in ceremony. Graduation for the Germantown class is 5:30 p.m. Aug. 6, while graduation for the day-timers is at Juvenile Court at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 28.
Founded in 1986, CASA provides a voice for abused and neglected children in Memphis courts. Trained CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to investigate and make recommendations in the childs best interest in such cases as child abuse and neglect.
CASA, which now has about 150 active volunteers, could use three or four times that number to handle the current caseload, said Dan Michael, CASA's executive director.
The average child helped by CASA is 6 years old. Of the total number of children helped, 52 percent are female and 80 percent are African-American, he said.
Michael said CASA volunteers are only assigned one case at a time except in rare instances. However, some cases may involve several children from the same family. Cases can require 15 to 30 hours of a volunteers time over a one- to three-month period.
For information, call CASA, 405-8824.
|
