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February 2017 | In This Issue
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Foster Care Statistics 2014
This
fact-sheet
provides the most recent national statistical estimates for children and youth in foster care from fiscal year (FY) 2014 and also provides earlier data from FY 2005 to allow for some estimate of trends over time. Data was obtained from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), which collects information on (1) all children in foster care for whom State child welfare agencies have responsibility for placement, care, or supervision and (2) all children who are adopted with public child welfare agency involvement.
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Remember to keep your CASA Volunteer file up-to-date with your current
auto insurance card, driver's license, and contact information.
And remember to visit your CASA child face-to-face at least
once a month.
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(CASA) Court Appointed Special Advocates provides a voice for children as
they navigate through the court system to help them reach a safe and
permanent home. Be the 1. Be A CASA. Volunteer Today!
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CASA VOLUNTEER TRAININGS STARTING SOON !!
St. Charles & St. John - Feb. 6
Ascension, Assumption & St. James - Feb. 13
Livingston - Feb. 13
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Be A Voice
Julie Arton moved to Baton Rouge from the Lake Charles area with her husband to open a restaurant franchise. She and her husband now reside in Prairieville with their three sons. They enjoy traveling, attending sporting events, and outdoor activities. Click on the video to see how becoming a CASA volunteer has made a difference in her life.
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"CASA is a great volunteer opportunity for college students."
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Happy Anniversary!
Thank You For Your Dedication and Commitment to CAS!
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Barbara M. - 5 years
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Terry C. - 5 years
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Kevin B. - 4 years
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| Abigail D. - 1 year |
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Congratulations and best wishes to The Browns on their new addition to their family.
Thank you CASA Advocate Dawn O. and Judge Jasmine in St. John Parish
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East & West Feliciana (
20th JDC
)
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Tangipahoa, St. Helena & Livingston (21st JDC)
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Susie P. for working so hard to advocate for the best interest of her CASA children.
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Debra P. for making a difference in a CASA child's life.
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Connie L. for advocating for the safety of her CASA children and the countless hours she has worked on this case.
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Anne W. and Glen D. for the many hours they spend advocating for their CASA children.
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Linda W. for always being able to help and show support for her CASA children.
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Victoria S. for providing great advocacy.
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Sandra L. for taking a second case.
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Norene P. and Kriston P. for accepting another case.
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Amanda B. for providing great advocacy on both of her CASA cases.
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Kathy H. for outstanding advocacy.
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Shauna S. for accepting another case.
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Tami L. for advocating for the best interest for her child.
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Krystal B. for advocating strongly for her CASA children regarding their placement.
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Destanee W. for her first court report and advocating for best interest.
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Jeffery J. for advocating for best interest.
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Renee K. for advocating for her CASA child in court.
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Rob P. for advocating for permanence for his CASA children.
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Thank you and congratulations to
Barbara M. for working so hard for her two CASA kids and on attending their adoption this month, and for taking on a new case assignment.
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Thank you
Kevin B. for attending court almost every week in January for your CASA kids.
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Thank you to Sandra L. for taking a 2nd CASA case.
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Ascension, St. James & Assumption (23rd JDC)
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Crystal G.
for advocating for family reunification in court.
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Lynda P. and Debra S. for accepting new cases - we appreciate YOU!
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Suzie B. for sticking it out in a long day at court advocating on behalf of her CASA child!
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Beth A. for seeing her CASA child through to closing.
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Karl T. for his dedication to his CASA teen.
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Melinda R. for her continue advocacy on behalf of her CASA kids.
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Pat G., Debbie C., and Sandra R. for seeing their CASA children through to adoption with their forever families.
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Donna S. for committing 10 years of consistent advocacy for children in foster care.
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St. Charles (29th JDC)
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Thank you to
Stevie S
. for several long years of advocacy that resulted in her CASA child being adopted this month!
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Thank you to
Rosemary S.
and
Elma S.
for staying on their case for over two years and continuing to be such strong advocates for two little boys!
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Marlo N.
for taking her first case and hitting the ground running.
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Melissa M. for doing great advocacy and accepting two CASA children.
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Dawn O. for her commitment to her CASA child and seeing him through to adoption.
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Shanika B. for caring for your CASA kids.
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Savannah S. for working hard for her kids, always visiting, and being there for support during tough times.
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Sandra L. for advocating for her CASA child's best interest and making visits, even at a great distance.
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Ivy M. for always advocating for the best interest of her CASA child and telling personal community contacts about the need for volunteers in St. John Parish.
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Latoshia F. for putting the best interest of her CASA child first and always making her visits to the home.
- Onica J. for gathering important information to help advocate for best interest, teaching her CASA kids school activities to help with comprehension, and writing great reports.
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Lesia R. for traveling a great distance to make visits and her commitment to finding permanency for her CASA child.
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Amanda M. for advocating for her CASA child's best interest, even during challenging times.
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Brian S. for advocating in the best interest of his CASA child in court and staying child focused, even when faced with adversity.
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Lanissa S. for checking on her CASA child's emotional adjustment to new medication and keeping the child's best interest at the forefront.
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Congratulations
& Welcome To Our Newest Advocates !
Melanie S.
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Staying Motivated in a Challenging Child Welfare System
Being a CASA Volunteer is not for wimps! Advocates spend countless hours fighting for
good outcomes for children that have had some sad things happen to them. That in itself takes courage and perseverance! Many times we feel like we are also fighting a system that is supposed to be designed to have the same mission. It can be exhausting and discouraging. Advocate Supervisors share the same frustration and understand how hard it is for you as volunteers to keep fighting. Below are some of the more common dilemmas and some solutions that we have utilized to recharge and keep advocating for the kids we serve.
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Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children is a an award-winning revolutionary sexual abuse prevention training programs that educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. This program offers training on the 5 steps for Protecting Children on child sexual abuse. This program believes and teaches that child safety is an adult's job. Stewards of Children is designed for organizations
that serve children and youth. In addition to prevention training for individuals, the full program package includes tools for organizations that facilitate the development of policies and procedures for sexual abuse prevention. For more information, visit
www.darkness2light.org
. Please call us for more details at 800-798-1575.
Click the links below to register for any Darkness to Light Training.
Registration fee is $10 per person.
Thursday, March 2nd 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Friday, March 3rd 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Thursday, April 6th 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Teen Dating Violence (TDV) occurs when a dating partner uses physical, psychological, sexual, emotional, or economic violence within a dating relationship. These behaviors are intended to manipulate or gain control / power over their partner. Intimidation may be used (gestures, stares, or destruction of property) to coerce their partner into a more submissive role in the relationship. This can lead to isolation from social gatherings with friends and even family. TDV can even infiltrate the cyber world with use of the internet and social media platforms. A partner may try to use personal pictures in an effort to manage contact with others. Teens may feel pressured by their partner or peers to continue relationships or face rejection from their social groups. Unfortunately, TDV may be an issue that many parents do not know their children are facing. This lack of awareness leads to 1 in 3 adolescents experiencing some form of dating abuse/violence.
Next Month's Topic:
The Weather & Our Emotions. If you have questions you want answered or topics you'd like covered, please contact either Angela Golden
[email protected]
or Ashleigh Fuller
[email protected].
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Join us for our 6th Annual
Voices for Children Football Tournament!
S
aturday, March 18, 2017 is Child Advocacy Services' Sixth Annual Voices for Children Bowl at Chappapeela Sports Park in Hammond. This flag football tournament will challenge law enforcement, firefighter, corporate, and private teams to compete for bragging rights while benefiting and supporting services for children. The Voices for Children Bowl started in 2011 and was formed to bring together teams of law enforcement personnel in a fun and family friendly challenge. The money raised through this event directly benefits the Children's Advocacy Center which offers support to the services provided on child abuse cases. The mission of the event is to provide awareness to the Children's Advocacy Center which will allow for expansion of services to children. Now, with "Voices" in its sixth year, the tournament has grown to include teams from several different police and firefighter groups as well as many businesses and individually formed teams.
Groups that are interested in being involved in the 2017 Voices for Children Bowl Flag Football Tournament can contact Child Advocacy Services. Teams are forming and multi-level sponsorships are available now. P
lease call 1-800-798
-1575 or e-mail Ginger Cangelosi @
[email protected]
to learn more.
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Brave children tell their stories. Courageous adults help these children through their trauma and assist them in finding a safe future.
Buttons of Bravery represent the journey of one child for a year under the care of Child Advocacy Services.
Help hold them together through their experience by participating in the Buttons of Bravery Child Sponsorship Program.
- Bracy's Nursery, LLC
- Epic
We would like to extend our appreciation to our ongoing and renewing sponsors that continue to support Child Advocacy Services through continued giving for our Buttons of Bravery Child Sponsorship Program.
Please consider becoming a 1541 Button of Bravery Child Sponsor.
The smallest members of our society need to know that there is hope.
IT CAN BEGIN WITH YOU!
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Be the thread of hope for a child!
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To report Child Abuse or
Neglect
, call:
1-855-4LA-KIDS
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