Aug 22, 2015 5 min read

Mitzi Miller saw and experienced a lot during her years as a Washington County CASA.

She witnessed broken families and abused and neglected children, and she stood up for those children in court to protect their best interests. Those cases helped prepare her for one that touched her the most, and what led her to ultimately help three abused children find a loving home.

CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children who are caught in abusive or difficult situations in their home and the judicial system, not only in Washington County, but throughout the United States.

In 2013, Pennsylvania had 26,944 reports of suspected child abuse. More than 3,400 were substantiated, and 38 child deaths were reported. Today, Pennsylvania has 20 CASA programs in 22 jurisdictions. Washington County CASA for Kids was formed in 2003. Since then, it has advocated for more than 500 children.

The 31 volunteers with Washington County CASA are advocating for more than 60 children. Unfortunately, more than 16 children are on the waiting list for a volunteer. To that end, CASA is recruiting new advocates to complete its training program so more children in need can be helped.

Miller’s most memorable case began in 2013 when she was asked to advocate for several children in one family who were involved in a bad situation in their home. It took several years of work, but for the children, it resulted in finding a new adoptive family. It was only by the determination of the new family and Miller, plus some perfect timing, that the story had a happy ending.

The adoptive mother said that she and her husband of 30 years were about to send the last of their four sons off to school after high school graduation. They had always considered adopting another boy, she said, but the time had never seemed quite right. The couple had even considered adopting a pair of siblings, and began the necessary paperwork.

The couple turned down several offers to adopt an infant, but were open to adopting one or two children from the same family who were being removed from their abusive home environment through CASA. There were three girls and a boy who needed a caring family.

The couple welcomed the four children into their home, with Miller helping to coordinate the move and the children’s adjustment to their new home. The early transition included difficult times, but the three sisters adjusted. The boy moved in with another family.

In the past 12 years, CASA Jackie Yohe also has followed through on numerous cases, with her current case resulting in adoption. She has been working on the case, which involves four boys, for more than five years. Three were adopted by an aunt in West Virginia, and the adoption of the other boy is expected to be completed soon.

Yohe, who has two children of her own, became a CASA after some encouragement from a friend.

“I just fell in love with the idea of helping other kids,” she said. “I feel pride in helping (CASA) children. I talk to them (the children) weekly, and I feel connected to them. You develop an attachment to the children, and you really fall in love with them.”

Advocate Janice Blackwood, who became aware of Washington County CASA after attending golf outings to raise money for the organization in Beaver County, is working on her third case since becoming a CASA three years ago. Her first case closed successfully when the mother completed the services that were necessary to regain custody of her children, and the second was a teenager, whom Blackwood advocated for until she turned 18 last year.

“It was an opportunity to give a voice to the kids,” said Blackwood, a former volunteer at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. “They really need someone to advocate for them, and I thought it was a very good cause, and I always had a soft spot for children.

“I think is so important to be a CASA. You have the opportunity to make so much of a difference in a child’s life. What is so nice is that (advocates) have one family at a time. CASAs can devote a lot of time because they can make more visits, and the court system and the judges all place a very high value on the CASA’s report and observations.”

Gary Young, who, despite owning his own business, has found time to represent a young brother and sister with special needs. Both are living with foster families through his efforts to remove them from an abusive situation in their home.

He admits that being a male helped him in dealing with the children’s natural father. Young has been working on the case during the three years he has been a CASA, and he said it’s satisfying to see the children have found stability in their current homes.

“It’s seeing them get the surgeries and medical care they need, and to be part of getting them in a foster-care setting,” he said. “I don’t have any problem being confrontational with authority figures who are not doing what they should be doing. I think there are women CASAs who do that, too. It’s part of being a CASA.”

Earl Bugaile is a member of the board of directors of Court Appointed Special Advocates Inc.