Needy
children focus of new CASA director
Stewart Smith
Staff Reporter
Debbie Sapp,
the new executive director for CASA of Walker County, takes her work personally.
For 29 years, Sapp’s work has revolved around foster children, social work and
court advocacy, but her desire to help needy children stems back further than
her professional career.
As a child, Sapp was introduced to the notion of needy children when she
interacted with her uncle who she described as “developmentally delayed.”
“At the time, they didn’t even keep him in school,” Sapp said. “I saw in him the
potential to learn, and I saw the things that he could do. Even as a child I saw
that.
“He would attempt to write his name, but he would do it backwards. And I thought
that only if he were in school or if he had someone working with him he could be
so much more independent than he was.”
In addition to her most recent position as clinical director at Boys and Girls
Country, a nonprofit children’s home in Hockley, Sapp has also been a special
education teacher, a social worker and the director of a foster care program.
Sapp called her work a mission — a mission that has now brought her to Walker
County to help further the work of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
“As I began this work, I saw the gravity and extent of the abuse, so anything
that will help stop child abuse I will do it,” Sapp said. “That’s been my
direction.”
She may be new in town, but Sapp has already begun setting her priorities.
“We need foster homes locally,” she said. “Most of our children are placed out
of Walker County into a foster home: Willis, Conroe, Houston, Katy. So that
makes it very difficult for them to have visits by their parents.”
Additionally, Sapp said she aims to increase awareness of the needs of children
in Walker County and create a coalition of organizations that work with youths,
including Child Protective Services, Huntsville’s Promise and local churches.
“People need to know that so many children’s’ needs are not being met as far as
a safe, nurturing environment,” Sapp said. “When you don’t have that, it leads
to the bigger problems: dropping out of school, gangs. That’s what they turn to
if their needs are not being met.”
CASA’s court advocates are entirely volunteer-based.
For more information on becoming a volunteer, contact Sapp at (936) 291-6363.
Training for volunteers will begin between January and February 2007.
Huntsville Item, 12.11.06
Huntsville's Promise