When children are removed from their homes and the case goes to court, they get entangled in an odyssey that can add to trauma. But for 22 years now, a nonprofit group has been working on behalf of kids in the courts. It’s called Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA:
So what’s it like to be a CASA volunteer? Nancy Benkof has worked with children and adults alike, sharing their experience of crisis. She says the role of a court appointed special advocate is to be the voice of a child. Deborah Martinez spoke with Nancy at a recent outdoor event in Santa Fe commemorating April as Child Abuse Prevention Month:
CASA First—the branch covering the counties of Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba—is now taking applications for its next court volunteer training session. To learn more, visit them online.