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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Ind. Courts - More on: "Indianapolis Courts, City dedicate $2 Million to Clear Backlog of Cases for Children in Need of Court Appointed Special Advocates"

Updating this ILB entry from yesterday, Jon Murray of the Indianapolis Star reports today:

An injection of $2 million will help shorten the backlog of about 800 abused and neglected children in Marion County who are on a waiting list to get adult advocates.

The advocates act on behalf of children involved in the welfare system, providing reports to the courts and helping children navigate legal and social services issues.
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The persistent backlog has rendered as many as half of eligible children effectively voiceless this year. While they wait, their cases keep moving forward.

"We could be nine months into a case before a child gets his advocate," said Marion County juvenile court Judge Marilyn Moores. "But children are parties to a case. . . . If you're waitlisted nine months, you're essentially unrepresented for that time."

Moores and other officials, including Mayor Greg Ballard, will announce the new funding today.

The money will help provide an extra set of eyes and ears -- something already required by law and an essential component, Moores said, as decisions by the courts can have grave consequences.

Marion County isn't alone in Indiana, particularly in urban areas, with struggling to fund programs and find enough advocates, who are mostly volunteers.

Adding to the pressure is a surge in child removals by the Indiana Department of Child Services in recent years as the agency has weathered a litany of high-profile deaths of children under its watch. Those included 12-week-old Destiny Linden, who was still on the advocate waiting list when she died in foster care.

The new funding will let Child Advocates, a nonprofit agency that provides the service in Marion County, hire more staff to manage community volunteer advocates. It also will recruit and train up to 200 more advocates to augment the 358 now on its roster, said Cindy Booth, the agency's executive director.

"We are hoping that by the end of next year," she said, "all children will be represented." * * *

Marion County's waiting list is down from about 1,100 at the start of the year. Statewide, despite a record number of new volunteers last year, the backlog was 4,000 by the end of 2008 in 65 counties with certified Court Appointed Special Advocate or guardian ad litem programs, though not all had waits.

The state GAL/CASA office has put up highway billboards seeking more volunteers and recently received a $20,000 grant to create a recruiting Web site. "We've had more interest than ever," said Leslie Dunn, the office's director.

Advocates often spend more time with children than DCS caseworkers or anyone else in the system, visiting foster homes and reporting to the court about their needs and care.

"They don't have a dog in the fight as far as the legal issues," Moores said. "They are there to represent the child's best interest."

From an Indy Star sidebar:
Here's how you can help

Volunteer advocates are needed across Indiana to help children who have been abused and neglected. All prospective volunteers must be at least 21 years old and a high school graduate, complete an application, and submit to a criminal background check. A training program is required.

Volunteers gather information to help assess the home life of a child in foster care. They also monitor the child's care and needs while in foster care. Their written reports, based on their observations, are used in court to help determine a child's future.

For more information about volunteering in Marion County, call (317) 205-3055 or send an e-mail to info@childadvocates.net.

For more information about volunteer opportunities in other counties, call (800) 542-0813 or go online to www.casa.IN.gov.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 25, 2009 02:05 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts