Miami Herald - April 11, 2002
Jessica Allen, Herald Writer

Born with respiratory problems, he is in need of surgery and is in intensive care on a respirator.

His mother, who is HIV-positive and a crack addict, admitted to using drugs during her pregnancy. She left the baby at the hospital and cannot be reached. The father is in jail.

What will happen to Baby Boy J? Programs like Guardian Ad Litem have answers.

The nationwide program, which has had a chapter in South Florida since 1982, trains volunteers to represent children involved in judicial proceedings in which child abuse or neglect are alleged.

In court, these guardians are present at cases like Baby Boy J's - an advocate for the children's best interest by ensuring they are placed in a safe environment and receive medical or psychological assistance.

"Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of the children, and sometimes it may entail reunifying them with their parents or terminating a parent's rights so that the child may be adopted into a safer and nurturing environment," said Caesar Falcon, community relations coordinator at the Voices for Children Foundation Inc., which works with Guardian Ad Litem volunteers.

Last year, with the help of the program's 400 volunteers, Guardian Ad Litem locally served 4,880 children, ranging from infancy to 18 years of age, Falcon said.

Though the number of volunteers and the amount of time they donate are impressive, the need is greater, Falcon said.

"We are always in need of more volunteers because we don't represent all of the children," he said. Currently, about 30 percent of the children in need of services are without a guardian, he added. Because of that, some volunteers serve as advocates for several children.

Volunteers complete 30 hours of training during which they are instructed about their role, which includes producing periodic reports outlining the children's status, based on the information obtained from the children and those who are involved in their lives.

Volunteers must be at least 19, care about the best interest of children and cannot have a history of any crimes against children. Background checks are conducted, Falcon said.

Guardians are assigned to a case until a child has found a permanent safe home, usually within 12 months.

However, that is not always the case. Michelle Prescott, 40, a guardian volunteer, has been working on the same case since she began the program in October 1999.

"My guardian child has been through so many foster homes, but I am determined to see it through the end," said Prescott, a Miami Lakes resident. She says volunteering presents several challenges, including contacting all the parties involved in the case, but she remains committed.

"It is such a worthwhile endeavor and there is not a single day I regret taking this case," she said. "If you could make sure that one child is safe, it's the best use of your time."

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