Hometown Hero: The woman who brought CASA to New Hampshire

By: David Brooks (Concord Monitor)

Many people have helped a child or a few children in their lives. Marty Sink has helped thousands.

As the person who spearheaded the drive that brought Court Appointed Special Advocates to New Hampshire’s court system almost four decades ago and has run it since, Marcia Sink, known to everybody as Marty, has been instrumental in shaping the difficult task of balancing a child’s needs with their wants when things go south in their family.

Sink, who will be retiring July 1 from her role as president of CASA for New Hampshire, says she got interested in the subject of helping minor children in family court because of her experience as a foster parent.

Back then, whenever New Hampshire courts dealt with families, any minor children were represented by a state-provided guardian ad litum or GAL, a role roughly similar to a public defender. The GAL’s role was to look out for the minor’s best interests, even when they might conflict with what the parents wanted, often when drugs or mental health issues were involved.

Sink says the GAL system was overwhelmed.

“The kids in my care never met or saw, nor did I ever hear from, a GAL who was going into court for them on a regular basis. I thought, ‘How can somebody do this? They haven’t spoken to me, I don’t even know who they are, yet they’re going into court making recommendations.'”

In her frustration she found out about the national CASA program, which began in Washington state in 1977 to train volunteers to act as advocates, and she brought it to New Hampshire in 1989.

“I don’t have a social work background, don’t have a legal background,” said Sink, who had worked in retail and restaurant management. “But it was the only way to get it here.”

Being an advocate, not an attorney

CASAs are brought in when there is a court case concerning whether, or how, minor children should stay with their family. The CASA meets with the children and family members, talks to other relevant people, such as potential foster homes, reviews court and law-enforcement documents and reaches an opinion about what would be best for the child or children during a case that can last a year or more.

The CASA presents arguments during hearings alongside presentations from the Division for Children, Youth and Families, or DCYF, and state prosecutors, with final decisions left up to the judge.

“Our sole responsiblity is the best interest of the child, nothing else,” Sink said.

The important point, Sink said, is that each CASA advocate handles just one or two cases at a time, allowing them to get to know the children and the families involved. As members of the community, they can bring special insight, similar to the way lay people are used as jurors in criminal trials.

The idea of CASA drew concern from the court system and the professionals in the state’s child-welfare system. Why would the court system allow barely trained amateurs to play a part in court hearings similar to that done by experienced attorneys or social workers?

Overcoming those concerns while creating a non-profit took a lot of effort by Sink and a host of concerned people.

“We worked about a year with two judges who agreed to give it a try,” Sink said.

The organization started with 10 volunteers in two courtrooms. Today, it has more than 450 active volunteer advocates throughout the state.

“We grew very slowly, carefully. There was a lot of grant writing, meeting with local foundations, trusts, and meeting with judges, convincing judges that it could be helpful. We started to develop a bit of history, and before long, it was judges telling each other the value of CASA in their courtroom and reaching out and saying, ‘When are you going to have volunteers available for my court?'”

It wasn’t easy for the volunteers, either. “I give so much credit to CASAs in the early days who were scrutinized by other stakeholders, other professionals.”

Some things change, some things don’t

Sink says that while there have been changes in the cases that get CASA appointees — the opioid epidemic increased the caseload “dramatically” starting in 2015, and the pandemic posed another struggle — the program is “still the same in so many ways. There’s still severe alcoholism or substance abuse, still significant mental health issues.”

She pointed to one unfortunate difference she has seen over the decades: “Poverty has become more pronounced over the years. We’re seeing a larger population of folks who suffer from poverty and how that impacts their ability to look after the children.”

And also one unfortunate similarity: “One thing that hasn’t changed is our lack of resources to serve these families and these children, to provide the necessary services they need to begin to change the trajectory of their existence.”

So far, she added, the Trump administration’s cuts to social service funding hasn’t directly affected CASA, although it has affected many of the families that they deal with in court.

Sink, who recently turned 70, said the decision to step down wasn’t triggered by anything in particular. The group’s board of directors has begun a search for a replacement.

“I think I just feel so good about the organization and where we’re at in this stage of development. Our team is solid from leadership to board, to all the staff and the CASAs themselves,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for someone new to step in an take over the reins.”

A longtime Manchester resident, Sink said she has no immediate plans for the future aside from spending more time with husband Russ and sons Adam, Sam and Benjamin, and other family members.

“I’m going to take some time off, do a little nothing,” she said.

These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative.Don’t just read this. Share it with one person who doesn’t usually follow local news — that’s how we make an impact. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.

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