MHA’s Court Appointed Special Advocates
Program Seeks Volunteers
When Yvonne Tropp of Mamaroneck
retired from the world of finance, she knew that
she would have to find a way to replace the
satisfaction that her career provided. She searched
for a year before finding the right fit-- an
opportunity to improve the lives of some of
Westchester’s neediest children as a Court Appointed
Special Advocate (CASA) with the Mental Health
Association of Westchester (MHA).
CASA volunteers are appointed by Family Court
Judges and spend 15 to 20 hours per month
advocating for abused and neglected children in foster
care, with a focus on the child's health, education and
overall well-being. By collecting information and
monitoring the court-ordered services, CASA
advocates work toward an ultimate goal of helping
facilitate the placement of the child in a safe and
permanent home.
CASA advocates usually deal with one child's
case at a time, unlike the social workers assigned to
each child by the Department of Social Services, who
often have overwhelming case loads. Advocates may
talk to the child's doctors and teachers and visit them
in their foster homes.
CASA advocates can also use their experience
with the child to advise the family court judges in
making their decisions. One of Yvonne Tropp's cases
was a four year old child who had been abandoned by
his birth mother. Tropp made a recommendation to
the judge that helped facilitate the adoption of the child
by his loving foster mother. "He proudly told everyone
that he was changing his name," says Tropp. "It was
a beautiful ending to a long struggle."
"All that is required to be a CASA volunteer is that
you care about the welfare of children and have the
time to commit," says Jackie
Boissonnault, Director of MHA's Children's Advocacy,
who oversees the CASA program, adding that MHA
provides more than 40 hours of initial training and
then ongoing support for its volunteers. The program
is also actively looking for people of color and
volunteers who are bilingual and bicultural, especially
Latinos. CASA will be interviewing candidates through
March 15th and training begins March 21st.
For Yvonne Tropp, the small time commitment of
her CASA work equals a world of difference. "I feel like
I am improving a child's life," she says. "I can help
that child be safe and have a chance at a normal life."
Anyone interested in volunteering as a CASA advocate
should call MHA of Westchester at 914-345-3993, ext.
208.
