June 2013  

CASA of Central Texas

Mission  

CASA of Central Texas advocates for abused and neglected
children in the court system by recruiting, training and
supporting community volunteers. 

Nicole and her CASA Volunteer Karin Crane.

     When advocating for

children, CASA's goal is

to see them placed

in safe, permanent homes. This can mean reunification with family or seeing them adopted into a new and loving family. When neither of these options is possible, there is, sadly, another outcome: remaining in foster care until age 18. In this situation, the CASA volunteer serves a unique and important role by helping prepare these young people to become self-sufficient members of the community. 

Dakota and his CASA Volunteer Lorie Donley.

     If you were raised by loving parents, think of everything your parents did to prepare you to be on your own.  They probably took you to get your ID or driver's license and made sure you had your Social Security card so you could become employed.  They maybe helped you find your first job. They might have helped you open a savings or checking account or taught you how to responsibly manage a credit card.  They visited college campuses with you and helped you apply for scholarships. They might have guided you towards a trade school or taught you about the benefits of joining the military.

Alex and his diploma.

      For the children CASA works with, there is often no stable voice of encouragement. These young people have grown up just trying to survive their current circumstances.  They have had little time or guidance to prepare for their future. How can we now expect them to be ready to live on their own and know how to survive in our vast world?

       This is where CASA can help. The CASA volunteer not only 

provides these young adults with the necessary emotional encouragement to believe they can succeed, but also gives them guidance while developing from teenager to young adult and seeks out tools and skills-building resources that will increase the chances for a positive future.

Ben and his CASA Supervisor Tim Judkins.

       We are very proud of our five CASA youth who successfully completed their high school education this Spring. High school graduation is an achievement for all youth but especially for ours, any one of whom has many excuses to fail. This is proof that they will not let their circumstances hold them back. Our sincerest  congratulations to every one - Alex, Ben, Dakota, Luke and Nicole!

     I would also like to thank our advocates who work with these older youth. I truly believe that as our volunteers are providing critically needed support, they are in turn bettering our community

Sincerely,

Norma Castilla-Blackwell 

Nancy Deckard CASA of Central Texas Advocate since 2005

     New Braunfels CASA office

July 16th to August 13th

Tuesdays

4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

San Marcos CASA office

To learn more about training sessions, contact Training Coordinator Debbie Haynes at 512-392-3578 or by e-mail. More on becoming a volunteer here.

What is a CASA volunteer?  Watch this video to see how we speak up for children.

CASA of Central Texas held a training June 25th  to educate volunteers about Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Services.

Many of the children CASA works with leave foster care when they turn 18 and it is often the CASA volunteer who helps with the transition to independent living.

Thank you to Kasandra Link-Charles, Child Protective Services PAL Caseworker (pictured), and CPS Youth Specialist Jennifer Elizalde for sharing their information.

     CASA of Central Texas is looking for more volunteers and you can help.

      Broadway Bank in New Braunfels displays our CASA brochure in their entryway. 

     If you can display our CASA banner or brochures in your place of business to help recruit more volunteers, please contact Community Relations Coordinator Eloise Hudson at (830) 626-2272 or by email.

     CASA programs across the state have created Legislative Advocacy Teams to communicate with our law makers. With input from these teams, the Texas Legislature recently passed bills that will affect CASA and the children we serve. These bills create more efficient information sharing between CASA and the Department of Family and Protective Services, strengthen the oversight of psychotropic medication for foster children and improve educational outcomes for children in CPS custody.

To see an example of Legislative Advocacy Teams in action, watch this video of CASA Day at the Capitol 2013.

      CASA of Central Texas would like to help in this effort, and we need someone to serve as our Legislative Advocacy Team Chair.

     The LAT Chair acts as a liaison between our local program and Texas CASA on legislative activities, information and advocacy and keeps both orginizations informed of local, statewide and nationwide legislative happenings and advocacy.

     The LAT Chair communicates with volunteers interested in legislative advocacy and coordinates their advocacy activities, including providing input to Texas CASA on public policy agenda items and ideas, contacts and meetings with legislators, testimony and capitol visits.

     If you are interested in serving as the CASA of Central Texas Legislative Advocacy Team Chair, please contact Eloise Hudson by email or at (830) 626-2272.

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