CASA volunteer only constant for neglected child who has been in more than 24 placements

CASA volunteer Doug Myers

Doug Myers has been following the case of a child, James for more than eight years.

James is not the child’s real name — he is an abused or neglected child with an ongoing case in the family court system. In the years since his case opened, James’ home has changed more than two dozen times.

He has lived in foster homes, hospitals and residential facilities, among other places. He has seen all the adults in his life change — except for Myers.

“The only consistent person in his life has been me,” Myers said. “This allows me to best understand his needs and how they are or are not getting met.”

Myers is James’ CASA volunteer — a community member who completes a training class and is matched with an abused or neglected child who needs an adult focused exclusively on them and their needs.

CASA volunteers visit with their matched children monthly, learn about their lives, and advocate for whatever would be in their best interests.

Myers’ dedication to ensuring James and other children have brighter futures earned him the distinction of being a CASA Volunteer of the Month in CASA of Lexington’s seven-county region this April.

“Doug has been a steadfast advocate in every case he has been appointed to during his time with CASA of Lexington,” said his Volunteer Manager, Jenifer Bahr. “He has been especially dedicated in his most recent case, remaining a constant and positive support for a young man since the mid-2010s. Doug has been by his side through multiple life experiences and visited with him regularly, no matter where he was.”

Myers learned that CASA volunteering was an option more than a decade ago, but thought he needed to wait until he retired to have enough time.

“I thought I didn’t have the time to commit. Now, I wish I had volunteered with CASA earlier,” he said. “I overestimated the time commitment and underestimated the impact I could have in a child’s life.”

It takes about 5-10 hours a month to serve as a CASA volunteer, with the majority of those hours being scheduled by the volunteer at times that work for them.

“During my time as a CASA volunteer, there have been multiple things that I didn’t know how to handle, but the CASA of Lexington support team has always been available to answer my questions,” Myers said. “As a CASA volunteer, I can give back to my community, supporting children in need. Spending a little time with them each month really can make a world of difference to a child.”

If you would like to learn more about being a CASA volunteer, visit www.casaoflexington.org.