Child-welfare volunteer to receive national award

Barbara Himebaugh, 74, will be honored in Washington, D.C., on Sunday for her work on behalf of abused and neglected children through her service to the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, which provides a voice for children as they go through the court system.

Even though Pima County 26 years ago developed only the second of the nation's 900 special-advocates programs, an Arizonan has never before won the Child Advocate of the Year award.

In 21 consecutive years as a volunteer, Himebaugh has been an advocate for 40 children in the most difficult of circumstances as grown-ups decide whether it would be best to reunify them with their families, place them with foster families or free them for adoption.

The volunteers, who serve as fact-finders for the judge and who speak for the child in court proceedings, pledge to remain with their charges through the duration of the dependency case, which can take years. Himebaugh worked with one girl, who never found a permanent home, for 11 years straight.

A former elementary-school teacher who moved to Tucson in 1979, Himebaugh found the program after her own two children were grown and gone. She was intrigued at the idea of helping children suffering from the effects of drugs, mental illness and domestic violence. "I just love the kids. They tug at you. Their stories haunt you. Every child should have the benefit of a safe and permanent placement," she said.

The grandmother of four spends at least a few hours a week doing research on cases, checking in with providers, talking with teachers and watching parent-child interactions during visitations. Saturdays often find her visiting families or taking children to the movies or to restaurants to talk with them privately about what's happening. The kids nearly universally want to go home, she said. And sometimes, that's not a good idea. "I tell them that's not my decision to make, but I'll be there for you," she said.

She also is there to support families. Trish Biddix, the program supervisor for Pima County, remembers one grandmother who was furious that the state was intruding in what she considered private family struggles. She didn't want anything to do with Himebaugh or caseworkers or the justice system. But Himebaugh wore her down with compassion, Biddix said. "It took a while, but Barbara was able to win over that grandmother and help her understand that the children were the ones who were going to benefit or be penalized by all of this."

Biddix, who calls Himebaugh a "quiet hero," said she was the strongest contender for the national award as the local volunteer with the most cases serving the most children for the longest time.

And what Himebaugh has seen over all these years, she said, is that the child-welfare system truly does not have enough resources. Caseworkers are committed but strained. It's hard for families to find the drug treatment and mental-health services they need.

In her home, she keeps a small collection of letters and drawings and photos that encapsulate the work she's done over the years. One she treasures in particular came from a sweet little blond boy, adopted at 10, who wrote a letter, ending with, "I'll have a good life."

So yes, she said, families are often angry. And yes, she sees children who are hurt. But that potential for a better life is there. And while the award is certainly appreciated, she said, that last line of that letter is why she does the work she does.

volunteering

There are 3,000 children in the dependency system in Pima County and only 241 volunteers who represent those children in court.

The children are appointed an attorney as well, and of course have a case manager through Child Protective Services, but CASA Program Supervisor Trish Biddix said the child-welfare system is overburdened and there's a high amount of turnover. CASA volunteers help provide consistency and a resource for those children and serve as the "eyes and ears" of the judge.

Volunteers must be at least 21, must pass background checks and must complete 30 hours of training.

For more information about volunteer opportunities, go to www.pimacountycasa.org or call 740-2060.