The Oklahoma Bar Journal August 2023

B ar F oundation N ews

CASA of Canadian County: Michelle’s Story

classes. Laurie supervised visits between Michelle and her mother until Michelle felt safe with her mom again. Laurie helped them start family coun seling to process what they had been through. After almost a year of many hardships and difficult conversations, Michelle was excited to go home and live with her mother. Laurie still checks in with Michelle, and Michelle calls Laurie anytime she needs to talk. CASA volunteers talk to children, foster parents, service providers, educators, parents and relatives. All the information they gather through these contacts is compiled into a report that is pre sented to the judge presiding over the case. CASA volunteers serve as the “eyes and ears” of the court outside of the courtroom. Children say CASA volunteers:

Laurie worked with the Department of Human Services to get Michelle into counseling and on an individualized education program at school. She also helped Michelle obtain a victims protec tive order against her stepfather so that he could legally no longer have contact with her. At each stage of the court process, Laurie made sure Michelle was involved and under stood what was happening. During this time, Michelle’s mother took the appropriate steps to create a new relationship with her daughter, including divorcing Michelle’s stepfather and attending individual coun seling sessions and parenting

MICHELLE WAS ONLY 12 YEARS old when she told her doctor her stepfather abused her sexually. At the time, her mother had no idea, and her stepfather denied her claims. Michelle’s testimony and physical evidence, however, were undeniable, so she was removed from the home and placed with her grandmother. Michelle was then assigned to a Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volun teer named Laurie. Laurie met with Michelle several times a month, and soon they became very close. Michelle often called when she was upset or had flashbacks, and Laurie helped her process the trauma and calm down.

Listen to them Care about them Understand them

They give children a voice while representing their best interests. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation is currently funding six CASA organizations serving the follow ing Oklahoma counties: Canadian, Carter, Kay, Logan, Payne, Rogers, Delaware, Washington, Oklahoma,

Beckham, Custer, Washita, Muskogee, Osage and Tulsa.

86 | AUGUST 2023

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL