So this week was quite the experience for me since it had been my first time being present for a PP5, which basically means PRELIMINARY PROTECTIVE HEARING. Attending a PP5 allowed for me to see first hand the very beginning stages of when CPS (Child Protective Services) is brought into the picture. Of course, I was warned ahead of time that usually these hearings are where you will witness more heightened emotions from the parents and/or family members. However, the hearings that I was able to attend did not seem to get too out of hand. Although it was truly a reality check. After many weeks of attending trainings and learning more about what CASA for Kids has to offer, it was within this  PP5 hearing that reminded me of the pain that families experience when CPS comes into the picture. It is so easy to get lost in all the legalities of the situation, but seeing the tears on the face of a mother who realizes that she hasn't been the best mother by not being able to love, care, and protect her child the way she should was my reminder... Her tears reminded me of the many mistakes we all tend to make as human beings. But before I allowed myself to mourn over the loss of her freedom to see her child, I snapped back into reality and remembered the child's life that was at stake. When you birth a child, you take on a whole new life. You are accepting the responsibilities of being that child's protector. You are 100% responsible for the well being of that child. Now, the moment you become negligent with that child's life, you must become mentally prepared for the consequences. No mother should ever have to experience their child being taken away from them, however, no child should ever have to experience their mother taking their lives for granted.

What did she do wrong?

Friday, August 24th, I had been provided with the opportunity to experience the permanency values round table training provided through Casey Family Programs. It was in that training we were provided with a glimpse into the life of the average foster child. The purpose of the training was to develop permanent plans for wards of the courts that can realistically be implemented over at least a six month period....
What the training allowed for us to do was to stimulate thinking and learning about pathways to permanency for these children and also to be able to identify and address barriers to permanency through professional development, policy change, resource development, and the engagement of system partners. But what really caused the presentation to be more effective was the fact that one of the presenters, Berisha Black, had been an alumni of the foster care system. She was able to provide her very own experience of neglect while also sharing the experiences of many children within the foster care system. Also, considering the fact that a child's life is in limbo during this entire process, what made the newly provided information more heart wrenching is seeing how sometimes the experiences of these kids are more so effected by the attitudes from the some of case workers. In fact, it was an immediate shock to most, if not all who attended this training. To realize that what makes these children's experiences more challenging are the lack of concerns or attitudes from the same people who are paid to represent these innocent lives, and provide a voice for them in court. For a child to already have to experience the trauma of being removed from their home, family, and sense of self, into a situation of which, people take it upon themselves to decide that their living environments are not to the standards of the view points of others....and to add insult to injury, some of these workers who are suppose to provide a sense of security and safety for these children, are sometimes the very ones who make an already traumatic situation much worse. It was very upsetting for many of us to hear. Especially considering the fact that many, if not all the attendees of the training are placed at very fragile points within a child's life in order to try to make the experience at least a little more bearable and not as mentally damaging as it already has the tendency to be....

Another thing that caught my attention while in training was the fact that so many people think that money and material items can compensate for time and presence within a child's life. This is one of the biggest misconceptions one can possess. Children in foster care, although compensation of money and laptops and various other material items are very much appreciated, however, it cannot possess the assumption of being the SOLE provider for a child's happiness and success. Anyone who thinks this way needs to take a walk in the shoes of a foster child. 

A child within the foster care system sees adults as breakers of their home environment. They fear adults because everytime a new face shows up, they know it means they are about to be taken yet again, to another placement home until permanency happens.
It kills me knowing that these children out here only long to be loved and cared for. Even just a simple hug or a loving touch, a child harbors those feelings for the rest of their lives and should never be taken for granted.
Children who aren't given the opportunity to experience the norms of family life and an actual childhood, sometimes are left forever questioning 'what they did wrong.' At 4 years old, the presenter of the training shared this humbling and deeply saddening reality with us. She was left to wonder, "what did she do wrong....?" At times children truly harbor false feelings that the reason they are being taken away from their homes is because of something they did....

We cannot continue to just place a bandage over the womb, with the blind assumption that these kids are ONLY looking for financial help and support. If we allow ourselves to think this way, we are continuing the vicious cycle, by telling these kids that it is okay for them to rely on someone else for support. We are giving into the "welfare trap" by allowing these kids to think that it is completely acceptable and normal to rely on others for financial means. This keeps the poor people poor, and the rich people rich. Why do we give into feeding into these models of society? As human beings, we should only want to see the best in others. We should only help lift our fellow man up, not keep him down.... 
Don't allow that little girl to constantly feel as though she has done something wrong.

TEENS and DRUGS and ABUSE.....OH MY!!!!

So today I had been provided with the opportunity of experiencing the honorable Judge Ethan A. Wolfinger in action at the Yavapai Juvenile Justice Center here in Prescott, AZ, and I must admit it was an awesome and rewarding experience to say the least. I had the privilege of observing court cases of all levels ranging from drug paraphernalia to juvenile criminal cases, and even seeing first hand the use of Rule 11~ A.R.S. § 8-291.08(D), which allows for a case to be dismissed if a child is incompetent with a low IQ, and will not be restored to competency within 240 days. This further would allow for the case to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the court cannot come back later to charge the child with the same crime once he/she is of age and competency.


This experience truly opened my eyes to the many issues that the youth here face here in Prescott. One observation I was able to make was the fact that most of the youth here in Yavapai County are having many problems with substance abuse. It's sad and scary all at the same time. What angered me the most was the lack of parental supervision. I understand it is the summer time and lots of kids are just hanging around looking for something to do, but why such a high rate of drug and alcohol abuse?.....For some reason there seems to be a rising occurrence among the youth within this community.


 I feel Judge Woldinger did an exceptional job today in court. Although he was stern, of which I feel a lot of these kids truly need is some REAL discipline, however, he was genuinely concerned for their well being. I could tell the Judge was very bothered with a lot of these cases and this was confirmed later after meeting in the Judge's chambers, where I was able to gain a real sense of the seriousness of the many issues surrounding drug dependency among the youth here in Yavapai County. A lot of these issues stem from problems within the home environment. It saddens me to see these beautiful and young bright kids go down such a dark path and many of them don't have the love and support needed within the home. At one point within the Judge's chambers, I was even able to view a very popular drug called "Spice" of which seems to be gaining much popularity among the youth within the community along with "Bath Salts" and Meth.
What was especially heart breaking to learn was that many of these kids have no sense of stability or encouragement within their homes. I feel CASA's (Court Appointed Special Advocates) are very much needed in order to provide these lost souls with some type of moral support and stability within unstable households. 


On a lighter note however, I was able to observe what the court calls "Promotions" for the youth that do well within the drug rehabilitation programs. Four certificates were handed to the teens that were successful in remaining sober for a decent length of time. I was also present for meeting them before the ceremony in order to observe them as they discussed their many challenges in trying to remain sober and challenges they are prepared to face later on. One young man in particular stood out to me the most because of his response to the question "what are you planning to do with your life?" He responded that he wanted to be a mentor and help other youth just like him in trying to lead better lives. He wanted to be a positive example and role model. Now at this point within the meeting I became teary-eyed because it was such a beautiful blessing for myself to experience first hand the changes that this young man has undergone within a brief amount of time. It proved that there is still hope for many of these kids who are currently leading a destructive lives. 
It was from that very moment of being fully present as that young man shared his dream of wanting to be a mentor, I knew this is where I am suppose to be. 


I am truly humbled and blessed to have experienced such a rewarding and inspiring moment. I only pray there are many more to come.......

New kid on the Block

When starting something new, anxiety is an innate reaction when it comes to the feelings of what one might experience...

I'm a New VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America) via AmeriCorps, starting a NEW project that no VISTA has worked with before. So you can be sure that I was feeling very anxious....

When I first learned of CASA(Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Kids via AmeriCorps, I couldn't contain my excitement. Everything they do first of all is amazing. I mean, who can go wrong with a mission statement like, "serving the unmet needs of abused, abandoned and neglected children within the foster care system....." ? I felt it was a calling in a sense. My own mother was what you would consider an unwanted child. She was abused at a young age after losing her father to cancer. She experienced first hand the many horrors that many children within the foster care system experience daily.


So of course this was even more of a reason for me to take this project on...

Now, fast forward to meeting the people behind this beautiful organization. Barbara Polk, the brains and beauty behind this organization cannot be summed up into mere words for lack of being able to convey just how much of a positive influence this woman has contributed to her community. The same goes for all the CASA's and other volunteers that help to make this organization thrive. Laura Taylor, Janet Lincoln, Eileen Bond, to name a few... but these women and men give so much of their time, effort, and finances to this wonderful organization. And they are volunteers. They aren't here because they are paid to do it, but their here simply because they WANT to do it. They WANT to be here. That in itself is such a beautiful blessing.

So, my initial experience of this organization and the beautiful people behind it has been so rewarding and inspiring. I am only looking forward to all that is yet to come of my VISTA adventures....STAY TUNED ;)