Sheila’s dedication to children was shown in August 2008, when she requested that she be appointed to one of the office’s most difficult cases, a case which continues today. The case involves a teenager who has been in and out of care throughout her life, experienced multiple placements, has a history of sexual abuse and neglect, struggles with psychiatric issues, and is a teen parent. On top of this the child was diagnosed with a serious post-natal heart condition at age 14 and was not even expected to live to be 18 years old. Sheila had previously advocated for this child’s daughter until she was able to find permanency with a grandmother. When Sheila heard that the child’s CASA had to leave the case, she requested that she be appointed, despite knowing the difficulty and complexity of the case.

Since Sheila was assigned, the child has had a much-needed dedicated and effective advocate on her side. As DFCS workers have come and gone, Sheila has remained a constant, fighting for the child’s best interests. In fact, Sheila remains the most knowledgeable individual regarding this child and DFCS, lawyers, and service providers commonly contact her for valuable information. Sheila fought for this child when she was removed from a foster home and moved to a residential facility. Even though the outcome was not what Sheila had advocated for, she did not quit and continued to advocate, calling over 10 facilities, until she found one that best fit the child’s medical and mental health needs. When the child was being overmedicated, Sheila worked tirelessly in and out of court to ensure she was reexamined and placed on the correct medications. Although she has heard “no” or “that’s not possible” from every avenue, she has never allowed that to deter her from advocating for what was best for her child.

The respect and adoration for Sheila goes well beyond the walls of Fulton County CASA. Sheila’s Advocacy Coordinator is often contacted by providers to state what a wonderful advocate she is. A Unit Director and Counselor at the child’s current residential facility recently stated, “I wish every child in care had a mentor, advocate, and friend like Sheila on their side. I am scared to think where (this child) would be without her”. Through Sheila’s continued dedication, even amidst the struggles, she also inspires fellow CASAs and even her own Coordinator to look deeper and work harder in advocating for abused and neglected children.

On Sheila’s CASA application she stated that she wanted to be a CASA because “I strongly believe that every individual has a responsibility to promote a strong community, and that strength begins with providing a safe environment for children and families”. Her belief in this has been shown through her advocacy and continuous efforts to involve all interested parties in making the best decisions for her children.

“Not only is it my belief that every volunteer program needs a ‘Sheila’,” said Katie Grant, Sheila’s advocacy coordinator, “but it is also my belief that every abused and neglected child needs a Sheila as well.”

Angela Parham, CASA Advocacy Coordinator for the past six years, will not waste your time. Angela’s style is polite, direct and concise. She is definitely a leader who helps CASA go the extra mile in advocating and caring for children. Angela had plenty of seasoning for her role, working as a CASA volunteer for eight years prior to joining the staff. She then became an intern for the program and played various roles such as training assistant, raising in-kind donations, and creating files for new volunteers.

In addition to overseeing the casework of 35 CASA volunteers who are handling 58 cases with 83 children, one of Angela’s key projects is handling the Holiday Toy Drive. Angela coordinates the efforts of volunteers and donors enabling every CASA child in foster care to receive Christmas gifts. Every child receives at least one gift that was on their submitted list, and many receive every gift on their list.

“I could not do this without the help of volunteers who ask their employers if they can help our program,” she points out.  “Every year they call and want to do more for our holiday program.  I usually have a few last minute children added to my list and I personally shop for them on my own time.  I coordinate the Annual wrapping party, staff holiday party and staff gift exchange.  I think it’s important to always thank people for the work that they do.  We are very fortunate to have such wonderful generous donors.”

Angela was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.  She graduated from St. Mary’s Academy and continued on to Los Angeles Trade Technical College for fashion design and merchandising.

Angela immersed herself in community service early in her career. She attended and completed the 1st Community Police Academy in Los Angeles.

“I was encouraged by my local elected officials to pursue my education in political science due to my hard work and dedication to my community.   I stood up against drug dealers and gangs in my community,” Angela explains.

She also organized community support for a family that had lost 6 people in an accidental home fire. Most of them were children under the age of 8 years old.

Angela came to Atlanta to attend Spelman College.  She received a BS in Human Services with a concentration in Pre-Law.  In1996, she participated in the Centennial Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Angela is married to Scott Parham and has three boys, James Anthony Parham (17), Brandon Wright (14) and Spencer Parham (4).  The family pet is a two-year old English Bulldog named Caesar Adonis.

VOLUNTEERS AT CASA DAY AT THE CAPITOL.

Representatives from Fulton County CASA were among 250 volunteers and staffers who attended the annual JUST Georgia/CASA Day at the Capitol in Atlanta on Feb. 7. The day included a group photo with Gov. and Mrs. Nathan Deal.

Fulton County was in the company of several fellow Georgia CASA programs that included staff, volunteers, and board members.  Fulton County CASA had two tables full of attendees.  The volunteers met in the Floyd building for breakfast and an introduction by Duaine Hathaway, Executive Director of Georgia CASA, along with other staff members.  Our Lobbyist, political consultant, Wendi Clifton, discussed the relevant political environment and what we may want to ask our politicians to push for.  For the past six years, Senate Bill 127 has been up for vote.  It has been evolving over time and has yet to be passed. The bill would:

• Prohibit using juvenile jails and prisons for children who have not committed a crime
• Help abused and neglected children transition from foster care to successful adulthood
• Promote accountability in juvenile court proceedings
• Protect millions of dollars in federal funding by ensuring compliance with federal laws related to abused, neglected and other at-risk children

Our position is to have a Senate vote that prioritizes laws that uphold children’s best interests, not just budget.  One issue that came up is an 8 million dollar juvenile prison in South Fulton County that is being considered.  Some volunteers felt that the $8 million could be going into preventative services for children instead of a detention center that provides no rehabilitative services.

After this positioning discussion, the CASA group headed over to the capital to “call” our house representatives and senators and asked them to support SB 127 and to join the group for lunch to get to know CASA.

“It feels a bit like the stock market, you have to figure out who your politician is, call them by writing a message and sending a 12-year-old into the find our politician and be persistent about them coming out to talk to you,” commented Ciera Tavana, CASA Development and Marketing Manager.  “Police officers are yelling for us to clear the aisle, and move.  Over the load echos of the marble capitol building, you have to have a polite, engaging, demanding conversation that explains the relevance of what CASA does and what we are asking them to vote for. “

The volunteers then attend a luncheon with the hope that politicians would join them.  Some did and were welcomed to the CASA table with open arms and warm smiles.

Dear CASA Family,

First, thank you.  If you receive this newsletter, you have put your time, your money or sometimes the whole combination into Fulton County CASA. And for that, I am grateful to you and for you.

As a metropolitan CASA organization, we reach, touch and change the lives of children who have odds stack against the a mile high. The volunteers who involve themselves in these often forgotten lives literally help alter a course headed for a brick wall.  The work you do is life changing and often life saving.  This is what motivates me and the rest of the board to find every dime we can to keep this organization funded and growing.

It is my wish that as you are sharing your stories about the work you do with FCCASA that you are reminding people that they too can participate, even if they do not have the time to become a certified CASA.  We have different ways for people to share their time and talent.  We also can put their money to good work.

For every full time Advocacy Coordinator we can hire, we can support up to 25 additional volunteers. That translates into about 50 children served. 1-25-50.  We have over 1000 children in Fulton County who would benefit from having a CASA.  But that formula requires funding.

So, as your friends, co-workers and family are doing their tax planning for next year, invite them to consider FCCASA as an organization worthy of their tax-deductible support. You know what the work produces…it’s the very fruit of your own hands.

And finally, I want to thank the staff not only for their daily work, but for going above and beyond and often reaching heights that weren’t previously imagined, let alone attempted.  These dedicated people do things for the children and volunteers that leave me stunned in their scope and motivated to work harder by their reach.

Stephanie Robinson

Chair

Fulton County CASA Board

Fulton County CASA is LEAPing Forward!

The Legal Educational Advocacy Project

The Legal Educational Advocacy Project (LEAP) is a new program that is housed at Fulton County CASA. LEAP focuses on providing court-involved youth with educational stability.  LEAP defines educational stability as keeping a child in the same school despite changes in home placement.  Educational stability also encompasses maintaining special education services while a child is detained.  Approximately 65% of foster children change schools 7 times from elementary school to middle school.  Each time a child changes schools he or she loses 4 to 6 months of educational progress.  Foster youth’s increased mobility, compounded by their unstable home lives creates a huge discrepancy between foster youth’s educational achievement and their non-court-involved peers.  By the time foster youth reach the 10th grade, they are 3 grade levels behind in reading.

LEAP was created through an Equal Justice Works Fellowship sponsored by Ford & Harrison, LLP.  LEAP strives to close the educational achievement gap between court-involved youth and their non-court-involved peers by:  (1) compelling the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) to maintain educational stability for youth in care; (2) advocating for special education students in DFCS’ or the Department of Juvenile Justice’s (DJJ) custody through representation in disciplinary proceedings; and (3) representing court-involved youth in special education litigation to advocate for their educational services.

CASA volunteers and advocates are in a unique position because of the close relationships they form with their clients. If you have a child who is struggling in school, academically or behaviorally, please refer your client to LEAP. Additionally, if you have a client who is facing a disciplinary tribunal, LEAP can provide legal representation for the hearing.

For more information about LEAP, please contact Aarti Sharma via email at aarti.sharma@fultoncountyga.gov  404-613-4751.

 The Georgia CASA Conference 2012: I Am for the Child
will take place on
Saturday, March 10th at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Schedule At-A-Glance
8:30 – Registration
9:00 – Opening Session
9:45 – Workshop Block I
11:30 – Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon
1:15 – Workshop Block II
3:00 – Workshop Block III
4:30 – Adjourn

Keynote Speaker
Chadwick Sapenter, Former Foster Youth & Author
Chadwick Sapenter is no stranger to adversity; in fact, he is a former foster youth who was
nearly murdered on two different occasions. Chadwick is the author of two books, The Little
Book of Words Every Foster Kid Should Know and The Little Book of Words Every Foster &
Adoptive Parent Should Know.
Chadwick Sapenter’s website

Registration
$40 for CASA affiliated participants by February 24th ($50 afterwards)
$65 for non-CASA affiliated participants

Click here to register

Join our Facebook event!

If you need more information or have questions, please contact Alicia Darden at Georgia CASA
via email (adarden@gacasa.org) or phone at 404-874-2888 or 800-251-4012.