I will be legislatures know that if there is an opportunity we can expand faster than our five year plan to get to 100% of children represented. If the Legislature determines that program expansion is a funding priority, we can rapidly add staff to recruit and support additional volunteer and children.While we can exceed these standards, the quality of support will decline and this has a critical impact on attrition of volunteers and quality of services to children. We use National Court Appointed Special Advocate standards of 1 paid volunteer coordinator to 38 volunteers to calculate capacity. We project that by December 31, 2013, 12 of our 20 circuits will have reached their capacity to adequately supervise more volunteers.This is the highest number of case volunteers the GAL program has ever had. We currently have 8,215 case volunteers.
# Abramowitz Update on Volunteer Recruitment Statewide
"I am honored to part of our Guardian ad Litem Program and look forward to continuing to serve and advocate for the best interest of our abused, neglected and abandoned children." said Donovan-Lepanto.įor more information about how to become involved with the Guardian ad Litem Program, log on to our website, or contact us at (850) 922-7213. Throughout the Big Bend area, the Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program serves close to 500 abused, neglected and abandoned children under court supervision with the support of approximately 300 guardian ad litem volunteer advocates. In her new role as Supervising Child's Best Interest Attorney, Donovan-Lepanto will supervise legal staff and support the Program's primary mission: advocating for the best interests of children involved in the dependency court system. Donovan-Lepanto's strong advocacy for many children in our program these past six years I and look forward to continuing to work with her to move our program forward.ĭonovan-Lepanto has been with the Second Judicial Circuit program since January 2007. Donovan-Lepanto is committed and extremely knowledgeable about the dependency court system. Moore, Second Judicial Circuit Director stated, "Ms. Her experience and passion will ensure children in foster care have an independent voice fighting for them."
GUARDIAN AD LITEM ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF LORRAINE DONOVAN-LEPANTO AS NEW SUPERVISING ATTORNEYĪlan Abramowitz, Executive Director of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, announced today that Lorraine Donovan-Lepanto, currently the Senior Program Attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program, has been promoted to Supervising Child's Best Interest Attorney, effective February 20, 2013.Īs stated by Alan Abramowitz, "Children are fortunate that Lorraine is taking a leadership role as the Guardian ad Litem supervising attorney in the second circuit.