On November 17, 2017, L. was officially brought into foster care. Her family was cooking methamphetamine in their backyard while she was sleeping alone in the yard with dogs. At two years of age, she had enough will to survive to make her way through the woods and crawl through a doggie door into the warmth and safety of a stranger’s kitchen. When she was discovered on the kitchen floor, she was cold, hungry, dirty, had matted hair, and covered in ant bites. Her home was deemed hazardous and unfit for a child to remain; covered in trash, feces, and debris. Her mother tested positive for methamphetamine and was taken to jail. After being released from jail, Mom worked hard on becoming drug-free, completing individual therapy and parenting classes, and taking accountability for her actions. She obtained stable employment, found clean and suitable housing for her and her daughter, and secured reliable transportation.
She took an active role in her child’s life and maintained a healthy bond with her. She developed a relapse prevention plan and has maintained her sobriety for over two years. While Mom focused on her case plan and preparing for her daughter’s safe return, L. had a dedicated CASA from the beginning of her journey who believed this family should stay together. CASA advocated for L. to receive play therapy to process the trauma she experienced, as well as, supervised visits after mom was released from jail which eventually evolved to supervised visits and later to overnight visits. CASA was a constant support for L. and mom, encouraging both of them to stay positive and trust the process without losing sight of a brighter future. After almost 2 years of hard work and heartfelt advocacy, L. was reunified with her mother on August 15, 2019.
Chattahoochee CASA is currently in need of more adults like you, who will receive training to become a vital part of keeping children safe and in stable homes. You can make a difference in the life of a child by saying YES to becoming a CASA! To learn more, please contact Bailey Bishop at bbishop@twincedars.org. We need you!