MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2017
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE MIAMI HERALD
BB15
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteers Empower Abused, Abandoned, Neglected Youth
By Zach Rinkins
Imagine yourself as a child waking one
night to a domes�c alterca�on between
your parents. You leave your bed to
inves�gate the details. Your father is
throwing an object at your mother. You
jump in the way to protect her. She runs for
cover. The object hits then cuts you.
This situa�on was not fic�on for Natasha
Minzie. “I was in the foster system since I
was four-years old and aged out of it when I
was 18,” shared Minzie, now 32.
Minzie was one of the more than 33,000
children who, according to Court Appointed
Special Advocates for Children (CASA) data,
are in Florida’s foster care and family court
system. Minzie explained that during her
childhood she endured many challenges
including surviving an unstable household,
coping with a sibling’s death from AIDS
complica�ons, and finding another sibling’s
body inside a pool.
“As I grew older, I no�ced that I did not
have a normal childhood,” she remembered.
“I was the oldest child. I had to be more
responsible, compassionate and nurturing. I
went through 13 different foster homes.”
Minzie says having a Guardian ad Litem
(GAL) volunteer brought hope and support
to her life.
“Having a guardian made a difference in
my life,” Minzie reveals. “They helped by
assis�ng my case worker. My mother died
and my father was not consistently
following the case plan. My guardian helped
terminate his rights. They made sure I
a�ended school and got the proper
treatment through counseling and services.”
There are 21 GAL programs across the
state aimed at empowering voiceless
children. Florida’s GAL program is a network
of professional staff and volunteers.
“GAL was established 36 years ago to
create a support system through the
children’s court,” shared Rona Sco�, GAL’s
volunteer recruiter with the 11th Judicial
Circuit (Miami-Dade). “It advocates for the
best interests of children who are removed
from their homes due to abuse,
abandonment or neglect.”
According to CASA, 25,000 abused and
neglected children benefi�ed from having
an advocate last year. Conversely, 6,700
children are wai�ng for a GAL volunteer to
help them find a suppor�ve permanent
home. Sco� said this disparity fuels her and
her Broward County counterpart’s
recruitment efforts.
“Nearly 50 percent of our children have a
guardian,” explained Kerry-Ann Brown,
GAL’s volunteer recruiter with the 17th
Judicial Circuit (Broward). “We would like to
see 100 percent representa�on.”
Brown noted that children with
guardians earn higher grades, are less likely
to be moved to different foster homes, and
benefit from having consistent champions
advoca�ng on their behalf.
With nearly 50 percent of the 3,000 children
removed from Miami homes being African
American, Sco� emphasized the importance
of having more Black volunteers to help
children coming from the city’s Black
community.
“The court appointed GAL with the
responsibility for 80 percent of those cases,”
Brown explained. “Unfortunately, in Miami,
we only have 17 percent Black volunteers,
with 13 percent being women and 4 percent
men.”
Minzie, now a celebrity stylist and GAL
volunteer, said giving back to the program
that made a difference in her life is a
priority. “Self-esteem affects children,” said
Minzie, who offers free back-to-school and
prom services to children in the GAL
program who meet grade and conduct
requirements. “I was once in their situa�on.
I wanted to help build their self-esteem. I
wanted to give back."
GAL offers many service opportuni�es
including non-case support, case-based
volunteers, financial and in-kind dona�ons.
Discover more about the program at
www.GuardianadLitem.org.
RL_Aug.qxp_Layout 1 8/24/17 10:22 AM Page 1
On behalf of Rubenstein Law, P.A., we salute you for
your unwavering commitment to the community.
We’ve Got Your Back!
Congratulations Myya Passmore
2017 Legacy Magazine 40 Under 40
from Robert Rubenstein and the
Rubenstein Law family