Guardian ad Litem selects new director

Frank Prado has been selected to direct the Twentieth Judicial Circuit's Guardian ad Litem program for Southwest Florida.

The Guardian ad Litem Program advocates for the best interest of children who are alleged to be abused, neglected, or abandoned and who are involved in court proceedings.

Prado has been on the frontline, leading child abuse investigators. Now, he says, he wants to double child advocate volunteers in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties to enable 100 percent of abused children to have their voices heard in court and the community.

"Every day our Guardian ad Litem volunteers and program staff work to provide competent and proactive representation for abused children with the goal of moving a child out of a kind of 'personal limbo' in foster care and into a permanent family- as quickly as possible," Prado said.

Program representatives, including program staff, certified lay volunteers and pro bono attorneys, work as a team becoming familiar with the child and the child's case and making recommendations to the court to help ensure a safe, caring, stable and permanent environment for the child. Guardian ad Litem volunteers work with various community partners to ensure that the child is receiving the assistance and support needed to succeed.

"During the past year, we've doubled our Lee County volunteer child advocates," says Prado, married and father of two. "It's a start, but it's not enough. We still need to once again double our current volunteer numbers to serve 100 percent of abused children. But, while we're getting the word out that we need many volunteers, I am working to build an even stronger support staff for volunteers and better tools to help them be more effective."

Last week Alicia Guerra became the Managing Attorney for the Guardian ad Litem Program. Guerra, known for her aggressive representation of children with the Guardian ad Litem Program in Charlotte and Volusia Counties, reflects the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program's call within its own attorney ranks to take an even more proactive stance in representing children- and to begin recruiting pro bono attorneys to join the team.

And, it's a big job. In June and July alone, 149 children came into care in Lee County. Without a Guardian ad Litem volunteer to represent their best interests, half of these children won't have their voice heard in court or the community.

Anyone interested in volunteering, or more information, to call toll-free, statewide 1-866-341-1GAL to reach their local Guardian ad Litem office. ¦