Vermont Division Director |
Nita C. Lescher
Prior to joining Casey Family Services as the Vermont Division’s director, Nita C. Lescher worked with Casey as a consultant through the American Humane Association. The chance to lead a full range of permanency services in one of the nation’s most beautiful states led her to relocate from Washington, D.C., to the Green Mountain State. Through its service delivery and its partnerships with other providers, the division is a key player in promoting families for life for children in the state’s child welfare system.
In a state with only 65 people per square mile, what is it like to provide services?
Service providers in Vermont believe in and practice collaboration; it’s a wonderful environment in which to do our work. Relative to other states, there are fewer players, so providers tend to know each other and each other’s work. We cross paths a lot professionally and in the community, so there’s a sense of accountability.
I’ve found that it’s not uncommon for people in prominent positions, such as judges and agency directors, to sit on committees with social workers and consumers. Even the policymakers are accessible. The people here feel involved in the workings of their state government and believe that they can make a difference.
The Vermont Division relocated its Waterbury office to Winooski. Why was this community selected?
Casey has worked in many communities throughout Vermont for 22 years. The town of Waterbury is an entirely different environment from Winooski, which abuts Burlington–the largest city in the state. Winooski has a long, rich history as a working class, immigrant community of Irish and French Canadians. It now has the largest, most diverse refugee population in the state. Situated on the Winooski River, it was once a thriving mill town. That industry failed in the 1950s, and the city has struggled economically ever since. In Winooski, we are part of a larger community of service providers that support the area’s children and families. Twenty-five percent of the children and families served by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) live in Chittenden County. With an office in Winooski, we are more accessible to that population and have a better chance of reaching the neediest of the state’s residents.
What is it like to lead two offices in distinctly different communities?
We offer a continuum of permanency services in both of our offices, which presents some interesting challenges, not the least of which is scheduling face-to-face meetings.
For about 18 years, the White River Junction office served as division headquarters and housed the bulk of the staff. Now the Winooski site, which is 100 miles north, is the designated headquarters, and staff are divided evenly between the two locations, serving families in communities almost as far south as the Massachusetts border and almost as far north as the Canadian border. Staff members always have been a tightly knit group, and we are working hard to maintain a sense of connectedness across those miles.
One of the other challenges is providing services that meet the needs of the different regions we serve. White River Junction is in Windsor County, which is far less populated than Chittenden, the home of the Winooski office. Across the division, staff members are incredibly committed to the children and families of Vermont, so they forge ahead, adjusting to location and programmatic changes with creativity.
As Casey moves to emphasize the importance of lifelong family relationships, how has the Vermont Division responded?
Very positively. While the move to greater permanence brings with it some changes in practice, everyone is enthusiastic about its driving principles. I just cannot imagine that anyone in the field would disagree that it is critical for foster children – many of whom have spent their lives in transition – to know that they belong to a dependable family, that they can let down their guard and experience the unconditional love that comes with family membership.
In the Vermont Division, Casey staff members are known for making sure children and youth stay connected to their birth families, which has eased the transition to more permanence-focused work. When appropriate, we include birth family members on planning teams, and foster parents know that they will need to support birth family relationships.