It’s time to end child abuse

Letter to the Editor / Published: November 20, 2017

No one should simply shake their head and sadly lament the horrific stories of child abuse that we read about in our own community. Instead of passive despair, let these tragic incidents serve as a galvanizing call to action for us all to commit to ending abuse and securing the safety and future of every child in Luzerne County.

Yes, we can end child abuse. We can end it when we all become advocates for children,

For some of us, that advocacy comes in a formal role. Teachers, child care workers, health care providers and others who come into daily contact with children can be vigilant for signs of abuse and neglect. Their actions to report suspected abuse or to offer extra time and attention to fragile children can do more than make a difference. It can save lives.

CASA volunteers — court-appointed special advocates — also put their passion for the well-being of children into action. Assigned to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, CASA volunteers make sure kids don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service systems or languish in foster care. Volunteers stay with children until their court case is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.

For many abused children, their CASA volunteer is the one constant adult presence in their lives.

Are you interested in becoming a CASA volunteer? Take the first step by attending an info session. You’ll learn about the mission of CASA of Luzerne County and how you can lift up a child’s voice, a child’s life. You will also have the opportunity to witness audiovisual testimony from former CASAs and foster youth.

NEXT INFO SESSION:

Dec. 5 from 6 to 7 p.m. at CASA of Luzerne County, 667 S. River St., Plains Twp., Pa., 18705.

Call 570-855-2247 to reserve your seat.

Here are a few more steps you can take to make our community safer for our children,

• Be mindful of the signs of abuse and neglect in children, many of which appear before an obvious physical mark: lack of adult supervision, extreme passivity or aggression, poor hygiene, or watchfulness, as if waiting for something bad to happen.
• Also be aware of warning signs in parents: showing indifference or rarely touching or looking at their child, constant verbal criticism, demands for perfection, blaming the child for family problems, or other irrational behaviors,
• If you think a child is in immediate danger, don’t hesitate. Call 911.
• if you think a child is being abused or neglected, report your suspicions confidentially to Pennsylvania’s toll-free child abuse hotline, ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.
• Take new or stressed-out parents under your wing. Offer to baby-sit, run an errand, or share your own challenges and insights about being a parent.
• Volunteer your time and/or donate to community programs that support children and families.

Your advocacy for children not only will help end child abuse, it will improve our community for everyone who lives here. Children who are abused and do not get the support they need to heal are more likely than other kids to drop out of school, end up homeless, turn to crime, and rely as adults on social welfare programs. When we work together to protect vulnerable children, it saves lives and tax dollars.

There are many life-threatening and incurable diseases that sadly afflict children. But we have the cure to child abuse. It lies within each of us. Now is the time to act.

CASA holds themed fund-raiser at F.M. Kirby Center to aid advocacy efforts

By Mary Therese Biebel - mbiebel@timesleader.com | October 1st, 2017 11:18 am

WILKES-BARRE — When fans of the 1942 film “Casablanca” stepped into the Kirby Center lobby on Thursday evening, they may have felt as if they really had entered Rick’s Cafe Americain.

Images of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman decorated the space, along with Moroccan-style lanterns, vintage suitcases, sumptuous food and drink, and, of course, gaming tables.

Emcee Rabbi Larry Kaplan even led guests in singing a few lines from “As Time Goes By,” the song Sam the pianist famously plays in the movie.

But there was a more serious similarity too.

Behind the “gin-joint” exterior of his cafe, the classic film’s seemingly cynical American expatriate, Rick, quietly made sure refugees would obtain the exit visas or letters of transit they needed to escape the horrors of World War II.

And, behind the convivial atmosphere, roulette table and craps games of Thursday’s $95-per-ticket event, supporters of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children were eager to help local children escape the horrors of abuse and neglect.

Addressing the crowd of about 300, CASA volunteer Anne Ellis, of Clarks Summit, told the story of a 9-year-old boy who had been beaten so badly by a family member that his teacher called 911 when he came to school.

When Ellis first met the boy, she said, he had no reason to trust her or like her.

“He would do a backward handstand on a couch just so he wouldn’t have to make eye contact,” she said.

But she eventually gained his trust and, during the past few years of visiting with him at least once a month, she has watched him blossom.

“He knows if I say I will be there, I will,” she said. “If he calls, I will answer.”

Ellis has spent time with the boy to get to know him, and she has been his advocate, looking out for his best interests as she consulted with his teachers, caseworker and therapist.

As she watched him play baseball, she recalled seeing him encounter a wild turkey in the outfield and chase it as any carefree child might.

“That’s it!” she told herself, realizing this was a sign of success. “He’s happy!”

Ellis said she expects the youngster will soon be adopted “by his very loving foster mother” and then Ellis will become an advocate for another child — one of the many who need an adult to speak on their behalf.

Thanking those who already support CASA, executive director John Aciukewicz said there is a great need for more advocates.

According to statistics published on the program, the local CASA has provided advocates for 120 children since 2013, and there are approximately 400 children in foster care in Luzerne Count who still need them.

Anyone interested in learning more about an upcoming training program can call the CASA office at 570-855-2247. An information session is planned for Oct. 11.

“I believe we all can make a difference,” said CASA volunteer Karen Holcomb, of Kingston, who is an advocate watching out for a local 3-year-old and 5-year-old.

Holcomb is a therapist and social worker, but stressed people from all occupations and walks of life can become advocates.

If you don’t feel called to become an advocate, Ellis said, there are other ways to help — from volunteer office work to inviting a CASA representative to speak to your organization to giving your employees the latitude to devote time to advocacy. She thanked her own employer, attorney Eugene D. Sperazza, for whom she works as paralegal and office manager, for giving her that flexibility.