CLEVELAND — For Juliana Sadock Savino, being a bright spot in a child's life has become one of the most rewarding parts of her day.
"I'm very aware that I've had it good and I have the head space and heart space to hold what they're going through," Sadock Savino said.
Sadock Savino is a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, volunteer. She works with kids in the foster care system who have been victims of trauma and need someone on their side to speak on their behalf in court and act as a mentor and constant presence during the whirlwind of changes.
"I'm a public eye on this process and on this need in the county, and I think that's why having volunteers as well as paid people is important," Sadock Savino told 3News.
According to CASA of Cuyahoga County, there are currently 2,500 area children in foster care or under county supervision. Many of the cases involve abuse or neglect.
"It's a fine line between poverty and neglect," Tricia Kuivinen, CASA of Cuyahoga County's executive director, said. "If you don't have money for laundry soap, if your water is turned off because you cant pay the bill, if you cant give your kids a bath, I mean, those are the kinds of things we see manifesting in neglect, and those are things that can be more easily addressed giving parents resources."
Kuivinen says family struggles like addiction, poverty, or abusive relationships can lead to these tough situations, but the volunteers work hard to help mend and plan for a brighter future when it can be so easy to turn to crime, drop out of school, or end up homeless.
"I think when teens know that someone is in their corner and is willing to be their advocate and be an example for them consistently, visit them consistently, care, and be invested in how they're doing, I think that makes all the difference in the world for our teenagers," Kuivinen explained.
A recent study showed the positive impact CASA volunteers have on the children they serve, with children being more likely to reunify with family, enter a permanent placement, spend less time in an out-of-home placement, and less likely to reenter an out-of-home placement following discharge.
Currently, there are about 100 volunteers for CASA of Cuyahoga County, and the organization is looking for more. To be a volunteer, you must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, and complete a 30-hour child welfare training course that CASA provides.
You can learn more about volunteering or others ways to get involved on the organization's website.