program spotlight: casa of westchester county

As featured in the April 2021 issue of the CASANYS Newsletter

Since 1989, Mental Health Association of Westchester’s CASA Program has been using extensively trained and professionally supervised Volunteer Advocates to monitor and report on the physical health, behavioral health and educational needs of children who are involved in the child welfare system.

In 2020, CASA of Westchester had 51 dedicated Volunteer Advocates serve 133 children and trained sixteen new Volunteer Advocates available to serve children. In April 2021, CASA of Westchester’s Volunteer Advocates was the recipient of the Volunteer New York Social Advocacy Award at the 41st annual Volunteer Spirit Awards — a worthy recognition for an incredibly dedicated group of CASA Volunteers.

CASA Volunteer Advocates receive extensive training and support from the dedicated staff at CASA of Westchester. Michaele McIlnay, LCSW serves as the Program Director and has ten years of experience working in child welfare. Benita Marks serves as an Advocate Supervisor. Ms. Marks began her journey with CASA as a Volunteer Advocate for 6 years and has served as an Advocate Supervisor for 21 years. Similarly, Barbara Morgen, after practicing law for twenty years, signed on as a Volunteer Advocate in 2004, and has served as an Advocate Supervisor for the last fifteen years. Patrice Monaghan, LCSW who bring over twenty years of clinical social work experience has served as an Advocate Supervisor since 2017.

During the COVID-19 crisis, CASA Volunteer Advocates and staff have worked diligently to maintain virtual contact with the children they are assigned to and have continued to advocate to ensure that these children have their needs met during this unprecedented time. These advocacy efforts have included ensuring that parents and foster parents have support during this crisis to meet children’s needs, and advocating for children to have the technological devices needed to do their school work and maintain connections to parents and other family members.

CASA Volunteer Advocates receive extensive training and support from the dedicated staff at CASA of Westchester. Michaele McIlnay, LCSW serves as the Program Director and has ten years of experience working in child welfare. Benita Marks serves as an Advocate Supervisor. Ms. Marks began her journey with CASA as a Volunteer Advocate for 6 years and has served as an Advocate Supervisor for 21 years. Similarly, Barbara Morgen, after practicing law for twenty years, signed on as a Volunteer Advocate in 2004, and has served as an Advocate Supervisor for the last fifteen years. Patrice Monaghan, LCSW who bring over twenty years of clinical social work experience has served as an Advocate Supervisor since 2017. During the COVID-19 crisis, CASA Volunteer Advocates and staff have worked diligently to maintain virtual contact with the children they are assigned to and have continued to advocate to ensure that these children have their needs met during this unprecedented time. These advocacy efforts have included ensuring that parents and foster parents have support during this crisis to meet children’s needs, and advocating for children to have the technological devices needed to do their school work and maintain connections to parents and other family members.

For more information about visit CASA of Westchester County on the MHA website.