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Patience Opaola Sworn In as CASA Volunteer
Child Focus
Linden’s own Patience Opaola was sworn in as a CASA volunteer on June 11th alongside training classmates Elaine Anderson of Summit, Loretta Gadson of West Orange, Kathleen Oates-Nies of Westfield, Christine Larrabee of Cranford, and Robert Tracy of Cresskill.
Union County Superior Court Judge Rosalba Comas presided over the swearing-in of the newly trained volunteers, and each can now be assigned to work with children living in foster care through no fault of their own, advocating for their best interests and ensuring their needs are met while in the child welfare system.
The nonprofit organization Child Focus operates CASA of Passaic and Union Counties, and its goal is to provide a CASA volunteer for each of the more than 250 child-victims in Union County foster care. Currently, just 30 percent of these vulnerable infants, children, and teens have the continuity and support of a CASA volunteer serving as extra eyes and ears for judges hearing their cases. The need is critical for additional volunteers to step up and serve waiting children.
“We are proud to welcome this new group of volunteers to the CASA family,” said Erica Fischer-Kaslander, Executive Director of Child Focus. “These individuals have taken concrete action to make a difference in the lives of children who have experienced immense trauma, having been removed from home through no fault of their own, often due to abuse or neglect. We look forward to working with our new advocates as they serve these vulnerable youth and urge more community members to follow their example by volunteering to support children in need.”
Judge Comas expressed her gratitude for the CASA program and the volunteers’ commitment to the children they serve. “If I really want to know what’s happening with a child I listen to the CASA worker, because they are 100% in tune with everything that the child needs, and everything that’s happening in the child’s life,” she shared. “Their job is to look out for the kids, represent the children’s interest, and make sure that all of their needs are being addressed. It’s not just whether they need clothes or whether they need toys, it’s the bond. It’s what they need emotionally, it’s someone they can count on.”
Since caseworkers, attorneys, and foster homes are ever-changing, the CASA volunteer – or advocate – is a much-needed constant in a child’s life, committing to work with the child until they reach permanency in a stable home and the case closes. Children assigned a CASA volunteer are more likely to receive services, spend less time in the foster system, and experience significantly better outcomes than those without an advocate.
Becoming a CASA requires no special skills or background in child welfare. Child Focus provides thorough training on the ins and outs of advocating for abused and neglected children, and volunteers are fully supported by CASA program staff. Volunteers visit the children at least monthly and get to know the people in the child’s life, such as foster parents, biological parents, teachers, therapists, and attorneys in order to make unbiased recommendations to the family court judge that support the child’s best interests.
The first step to becoming an advocate is to attend an information session. Upcoming sessions will be heldMonday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Elizabeth Public Library (Elmora Branch), 740 W Grand St, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; Thursday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Rahway Public Library, 2 City Hall Plaza in Rahway; Thursday July 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Union County Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield; or Monday July 1 at 10 a.m., Monday July 15 at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday July 24 at 12 p.m., and Wednesday July 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wayne Child Focus office, 415 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite D2. Register now at casapassaicunion.org/info-session.
ABOUT CHILD FOCUS:
Child Focus prioritizes the needs and well-being of infants, children and teens impacted by, or at risk of, abuse or neglect by amplifying their voices and working toward lasting, permanent solutions that address their unique situations and provide support needed to thrive. This critical work is accomplished through three distinct but complementary programs: CASA of Passaic and Union Counties, NJ Safe Babies Court Team, and the Open Door Store. For more information about Child Focus, visit childfocusnj.org.
