Franciscan Health’s partnership with the Lake County Courts to provide volunteer advocates for elderly and incapacitated adults who are unable to represent themselves now has four new members.

Lake Superior Court Probate Commissioner Ben Ballou earlier this month swore in a class of four Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults (VASIA) during a courtroom ceremony. The new advocates are Bridgette LaShawn Peppers of Hobart, Tyler Lucas Rodriguez of Schererville, Lexi Nicole Taylor of Orland Park, Ill. and Angelique N. Gray Thompson of Gary.

The court collaborates with Franciscan Health to provide trained, supervised volunteers to serve as court-appointed agents to assist elderly and incapacitated adults. The program, now in its 25th year, partners with programs serving elderly and incapacitated adults across Lake County to develop a continuum of elder law advocacy and guardianship services.

Volunteers are vetted through an application screening process. Once approved, volunteers must complete 30 hours of initial training and 12 hours of continuing education annually by legal, social service, health and mental health experts. Advocates serve as agents of the program, one case at a time

“We are very honored and blessed to swear in four fantastic people who will be adding their creativity and expertise to what we do,” said VASIA Director LaVonne Jarrett, BS, MS, NCG. “We’ve been doing this for 25 years and every class is different and is always what is needed in that season for the program.”

“We see a lot of individuals who are being taken advantage of, abused, neglected,” Ballou said. “The court thanks you for taking the time out of your busy schedules. The service you’re providing is vital. There are so many individuals who do not have an advocate you can speak on their behalf.”

Two of the new volunteers, Rodriguez and Taylor, are nursing students. VASIA Volunteer Coordinator Francisca Mendoza said they are inspiring.

“We have young adults here wanting to make a difference in life but we also have more experienced adults who bring their life experience to the table,” she said.

Mendoza said the time the volunteers spend with those they serve is precious.

“You’re telling them they matter,” she said. “You’re telling them they matter to you personally simply by being there.”

Longtime VASIA volunteer Geneva Osawe, PhD, encouraged the new volunteers to bring others on board.

“It is a wonderful program but it cannot grow without referrals,” she said.

The VASIA program is partially funded by grants from the Indiana Supreme Court, Legacy Foundation, Inc. and other local, state and national funders as well as individual donors to the Franciscan Health Foundation. To donate to support VASIA’s efforts, go to FranciscanHealthFoundation.org or call (219) 661-3401. To learn more about the program and how to become a volunteer, visit www.franciscanhealth.org/VASIA.