UPCOMING EVENTS

SFCASA Fostering Change Gala 2023

We hope you can join us for our Fostering Change Gala on Friday, April 28th, 2023. As an advocate, you’re entitled to 50% off on up to 2 tickets. Just use the code CASALOVE50 at www.sfcasa.org/gala to reserve your tickets. Please contact Maggie Swanson at [email protected] if you’d like to reserve more than 2 tickets. Please note this will be the last week to buy tickets for the Gala!

CASA Summer Activities 2023

MeWater

CASAs and their youth will enjoy a fun beach day in Half Moon Bay. They will get the opportunity to try surfing if they want to try and learn and/or participate in the surfing activity. The MeWater volunteers also have non water activities for those who do not want to get in the water, so non-swimmers are most welcome! SFCASA will provide the lunch for those participating. There is no limit to how many people who can participate in this activity.

MeWater Foundation is a nonprofit organization run by surfers and mental health professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. They provide day and overnight surf camps to youth, families, and groups, with a mental health approach to mindfulness, empowerment, and exposure to the ocean and the great outdoors.

The dates for the MeWater events will be May 27th and July 29th.

If you are interested please email [email protected]. More details to follow closser to the event.

BlueWater

CASAs and youth will enjoy afternoon morning learning how to sail, and afterwards will be treated to a yummy lunch on the docks (also provided by SFCASA). BlueWater has one boat docked in Berkeley Marina which will hold 12 people. We ideally would want 6 pairs of CASAs and their youth. This activity will held on June 24th and will be a first come first serve opportunity.

Bluewater is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to bringing the joys and challenges of sailing to San Francisco Bay Area under-served youths.

If you are interested please email [email protected].

* Advocate Spotlight *

Puppet Mills

Puppet was sworn in as a CASA in August 2013 and was assigned to a teenager just over a month later. This assignment lasted six years with Puppet not only going to the gym with her and enjoying meals at Brazilian restaurants but also supporting her in navigating the system as a non-minor dependent, particularly when it came to placements and jobs. When that assignment ended due to emancipation, Puppet remained in touch with her and continues to be to this day. Between assignments, Puppet supported SFCASA by hosting a “lunch and learn” with her employer and attends the gala each year. She was recently assigned to another teen who up until recently was living at home.

Puppet has supported this current young person through challenges at home and at school. She has supported him in exploring placements outside of home in addition to less traditional paths toward high school graduation. Puppet has been integral to finding him a way to advance academically when he had not been attending school at all before. Their visits together have included touring placements but also fun activities such as playing pinball. The youth continues to open up about feelings and concerns during their visits, particularly when it comes to familial relationships. As he is now a transitional age youth now, Puppet will be helping another young person as he looks toward adulthood while facing many changes.

Congratulations!

Winter 2023 Winter Cohort

Welcome our newest training class of CASAs sworn in a few weeks ago by the Honorable Braden Woods! We are excited to support you as you embark on your CASA journey. This was our first training of 2023! We are in awe of your commitment and feedback!

ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES FOR YOUTH

Mental Health Resources

Telehealth & FostrSpace

TeleHealth Project is a project to help improve relation ships between youth and their parents/guardians via video chat.

FostrSpace is a mental health web application co-designed by former foster youth that offers resource information, psychoeducation materials, peer facilitated resource support, navigation services (similar to case management), and access to mental health services from UCSF clinicians via telehealth.

Free Therapeutic Horse Riding Lessons

SFCASA has partnered with Brady Therapeutic Riding to offer low-key, safe and fun sessions learning about horses. Youth can come, hang out and decide what they want to do: volunteer-type activities (grooming, saddling horses, cleaning stalls) and/or get on the horse for a riding lesson, and/or a combination of the two! Brady Therapeutic Riding is located on the SF Zoo campus, and helps youth learn about being present, letting go of stories, and being aware of their body via relationships with gentle rescue horses. There are no foster youth labels or jargon at “Hanging with the Horses”, just a time and space to learn, grow and heal.

SFCASA covers the cost of sessions. Introductory sessions are on Sunday mornings, after which times can be scheduled on afternoons W-F, and Saturdays. Please contact Program Manager Sue Lockyer ([email protected]) for more information or to get started with “Hanging with the Horses”.

Foster Youth Benefits Eligibility Tool

With funding support from the Office of Child Protection and the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, and in partnership with Alliance for Children’s Rights, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has launched an online tool to provide a customized informative report on resources for youth ages 14–26 who are currently or formerly in foster care and on probation and their caregivers, helping them access critical supports they need to thrive. The online tool, accessible on the DCFS website, allows users to filter eligibility results based on age and on education and employment status.

Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services

Rec and Park's summer day camp registration is right around the corner, with general registration beginning on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. and priority registration beginning on Monday, March 13. Use this link to apply.

Fostering Parenthood

Fostering Parenthood is the newest podcast to support your foster care journey. Caregivers need resources that help them support youth through their sexual health journeys–and allow them to feel good about themselves while doing so. Traditional training doesn’t always go far enough or fit caregivers’ complicated, busy lives. This podcast was derived from a multitude of caregivers who gave their insight on relevant topics, episode structure, tangible resources, and effective communication strategies. Check out the podcast here.

Free Tax Filing Support for Foster Youth!

Support current and former foster youth to file their tax returns for free! This is the first year of the new CA state tax credit for foster youth, and SFCASA will serve as an IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site in partnership with John Burton Advocates for Youth and United Way Bay Area. Learn more here on the SFCASA website (including a link to an interest form for prospective clients to complete). April is the final month of the clinic, so please support youth to access this valuable resource that has resulted an average refund of nearly $1300 for clients. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge

T-Mobile, the T-Mobile Foundation, and Ashoka are teaming up for the fifth Changemaker Challenge, a nationwide contest that gives young leaders the opportunity to take their ideas for creating a more connected, equitable, and sustainable future to the next level. Now, through May 18, 2023 (8:59 pm PT / 11:59 pm ET) anyone ages 13-18 located in the U.S. or Puerto Rico with bold ideas for driving digital empowerment, putting equity into action, and supporting a thriving planet can enter the Changemaker Challenge. Fifteen finalists will be selected to win up to $15,000 in seed funding and an all-expenses-paid trip to T-Mobile headquarters to participate in the Changemaker Lab later this year.* Additionally, each of the fifteen finalists will receive ongoing mentorship and skills development.

CSEC Prevention Curriculum Offered

San Francisco HSA-FCS is offering a survivor-led CSEC Prevention Curriculum for young people showing signs of vulnerability of being sexually exploited. Please talk with your Case Supervisor about The Cool Aunt Series if you think the youth you serve could benefit. Learning about CSEC before it happens can dramatically increase safety!

Free Tickets to CuriOdyssey

CuriOdyssey has graciously offered SFCASA unlimited tickets for CASAs and their youth to go and enjoy their museum in San Mateo. CuriOdyssey is a non-profit science museum and zoo, that gives kids the opportunity to observe wild animals, experiment with scientific phenomena and let the natural world answer their questions. If you and your youth are interested in this experience please email [email protected] and we will get you set up on how to attend CurisOdyssey with your youth.

Cakes4Kids

Cake4Kids is a volunteer-based nonprofit that provides customized baked goods for birthdays, graduations, and other special events to our foster youth (or even just because!). If you are interested in requesting a cake, brownies, or cookies for your youth, please contact [email protected] to submit a request. Please note that Cake4Kids requires that requests be submitted at least two weeks before the dessert is needed.

San Francisco Smart Money

Coaching Program

The Office of Financial Empowerment's Smart Money Coaching provides free, confidential, one-on-one financial guidance. The program is available to anyone living, working, or receiving services in San Francisco, regardless of citizenship status. Coaches are available fluent in Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with additional translation services as requested.

Schedule a free appointment with a financial coach here.

Educational Advocacy

SOAR Program

There is an exciting program, SOAR (Support, Opportunities, And Rapport), that supports foster youth with graduating from high school, attending college, and achieving their academic goals. We are gifting $25 Target gift cards to all applicants.The deadline to apply is April 29, 2023. The eligibility requirements are as follows:

Entering grades 7-9 in fall 2023
A Bay Area resident (Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Solano counties – exceptions have been made for youth outside of this area)
Have a C or better grade average
Adaptable/comfortable in group settings
Motivated to Learn Academically and Self-Learn during Summer
County social worker or CASA apply with recommendation

If you think your youth would benefit from participating in SOAR, please download the application and contact your Case Supervisor.

FAFSA

The FAFSA deadline is June 30^th at 10p PST. Students in 11^th and 12^th grade, and all college students are required to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for financial aid. Completion of this application is an important step for students to receive funding for higher education. If you have questions and/or need support around completing the FAFSA, click here and/or contact your Case Supervisor. Please work with your youth’s team to get a copy of their IEP, 504 plan, progress reports and/or transcripts to AL. This will strengthen our educational advocacy. Oftentimes, districts do not submit the documentation in a timely fashion. We can eliminate this obstacle if we already have these documents in our database.

Summer Activities

The last day of school is approaching! Please take a look at the summer camp and internship information and partner with resource parents or older teens to plan for summer activities.

Transitional Age Youth (TAY)

Corner

CCSF Open House and Resource Fair

SFCASA Peer to Peer Grants

SFCASA’s Peer to Peer Grant Program is now open! Grant applications are accepted from the 1^st of EVERY month to the 15^th of EVERY month up until April 2023! Grant award amounts are between $500-$2500 for system-impacted youth throughout the Bay Area to address needs such as education, transportation, housing, and more! Those who identify as Black or Black/multi ethnic are encouraged to apply.

Young people MUST apply on their own (advocates, PSWs, etc. are welcome to support but can NOT apply on the young person’s behalf! )
Two paragraphs MUST be submitted in the young person’s application or it will be denied
ALL submitted applications MUST have an invoice to support the amount being requested as youth will NOT be receiving the grant money directly. SFCASA will be paying vendors directly. This means that we will not accept grant applications for smaller requests such as toiletries, clothing, etc. as the funding is a ONE time support and not ongoing.

To access the application please visit the link HERE. Please reach out to TAY Coordinator and Case Supervisor, Theodora at [email protected] or 628.867.7373 with any questions!

Black Economic Equity Movement

The Black Economic Equity Movement (BEEM) is a Guaranteed Income project for young Black people ages 18 – 24 in certain areas in San Francisco and Oakland. The BEEM project is looking at whether providing Guaranteed Income and financial supports improves the emotional, physical, and financial well-being of Black young people. Participants will be randomly selected from a pool of eligible people, and the project will include 300 people over the course of 2 years. If your youth qualifies, please help them apply HERE.

Resources for Advocates

Continuing Education for Advocates

WORKING WITH FAMILIES with Dr. Natalia Estassi

Monday, April 17, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM via Zoom (2 CE credits)

Experienced CASAs know that establishing and maintaining positive relationships with the family and caregivers of youth is key to supporting stable placements and relationships for youth. For most children, relationships with family members, previous caregivers, friends and others are valued. Contact can be very important in helping children develop their sense of identity and understand their lives. Research says that maintaining links between a child and their families increases the possibility of them returning to their family home. This training will provide strategies and discussion of ways to provide consistency, stability and safety (a child needs to feel safe and trust) and have good boundaries with families and care givers.

Register HERE

HARM REDUCTION FOCUSING ON TAY AND NMD YOUTH and YOUNG ADULTS

Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM via Zoom (2 CE credits)

Please join us for an evening of learning with Harm Reduction specialist, Joey Hess. This CE offering will focus on understanding and utilizing harm reduction in practice when working with transitional age (TAY) and non-minor dependent (NMD) youth and young adults. There will also be time for case-specific questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

CCN - CASA COMMUNITY NETWORK HUDDLE APRIL GET TOGETHER

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in person at 2533 Mission St. (Training Annex) (2 CE credits)

The CASA Community Network (CCN) is a network for CASAs, organized by CASAs and hosted by CASAs. We share, lean in and on, and support each other through events, such as The Huddle. Sometimes we learn from expert guest speakers in continuing education sessions. In The Huddle we learn from experts – ourselves – we have collective years of expertise among us. We are a network of support – who better understands the ups, the downs, the joys, the challenges than we do.

We have heard your recommendations regarding meeting and sharing time with other volunteers. For the month of April the CCN Huddle wants to do something special. On Tuesday, April 25th, we will meet in person to share time together. Please register if you would like to participate. We only have 24 spots. Please join us for drinks, arts and crafts, snacks, and to meet other volunteers.

BEHIND THE SCENES ADVOCACY: WHEN YOUR YOUTH IS NOT ENGAGED with Allison Roeser

Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

Do you wonder at times how to advocate when the youth you serve is away from placement, or not engaged with the team? Allison Roeser will support us learn from experienced CASAs sharing real-life examples of "behind the scenes" advocacy that can be done in these situations. We'll hear about what's worked well and ways that they've advocated for and supported their youth in non-traditional ways. We'll have the opportunity to speak with other CASAs about their experiences in small groups, and will leave with clear next steps of how to continue as a CASA when a youth is out of placement or not responsive.

NEW ADVOCATE SUPPORT GROUP CE

Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

Now that you have stepped into the CASA Role, this is an opportunity to reconnect

with your training cohort and support each other as you get started on your case. We will share learnings together about first steps on the case, relationship building with the youth and the professionals, court reports,logs, CEs and more. All new Advocates (sworn-in March 2023) are asked to attend.

TEAMING WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS WORKSHOP

Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 6-8 PM via Zoom (2 CE Credits) with Pamela Hawley of https://universalgiving.org/

The CASA focuses on how to support the youth through the support people around them. There are many varied support professionals who make a significant difference in our youths’ lives. We will define all the support people available to you and review their expertise roles. Part of our role is to engage and build this support system around the youth. In addition, hear from a panel of CASAs sharing their relationship building and community engagement efforts with their youth’s team of providers and how that enhances the youth’s life. This will be an opportunity to reflect upon and share your experiences as well.

COUNTER TRANSFERENCE AND SELF AWARENESS with Dr. Natalia Estassi

Monday, May 15, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Zoom. (2 CE Credits)

This training will discuss counter transference, a term Freud founded, and how it can both positively and negatively impact our work as providers. Discussed will be the many environmental and social stressors we are facing today, this includes the COVID-19 pandemic and the racism pandemic, which will impact us in various ways. As a CASA, in hearing the losses and hardships of your youth, one is often triggered, especially in these difficult times. Explore the importance of your own self-awareness to best guarantee one can remain effective as a provider. Learn ways to cultivate self-awareness and the importance of our own boundaries. Review the importance of self-care and barriers that can lead to burnout and vicarious trauma.

FOSTER YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 6p-8p on Zoom (2 CE credits)

Finding appropriate mental health services can be one of the biggest challenges for a youth in the foster system. Dr. Elaina Vederman from the SF Dept. of Public Health - Foster Youth Programs will join us to share about mental health resources available and address some of the challenges and roadblocks that make it difficult to access mental health. We will look at a few sample scenarios and explore how CASAs can best support access to mental health for the youth they serve.

HARM REDUCTION 101: MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING SKILLS AND PRACTICE

Thursday, June 8, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom (2 CE credits)

This interactive training will provide space for participants to reflect on their own experience in putting harm reduction philosophy into practice, taking a deeper look at how harm reduction can be applied in their work with youth. Participants will have the opportunity to hone harm reduction and motivational interviewing skills, to reflect on successes and challenges of the work, get feedback on clinical questions and concerns, and to review real life scenarios that are common when working with youth.

ENDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES with Dr. Natalia Estassi

Monday, June 12, 2023 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom (2 CE credits)

As providers, we will learn different techniques on how to develop empathetic, respectful, and engaging, and professional relationships with our clients and other providers to best support our youth and their overall success. This includes understanding mental health, cultural sensitivity, and effective communication techniques, in order to most effectively work with providers and the system. This also includes having effective terminations with our client’s and letting them know that healthy relationships, also end.

CORE TRAINING ADVOCATE REFRESH (for CASAs with 3 years+ experience)

Thursday, June 22, 2023 from 6p-8p on Zoom (2 CE credits)

We are pleased to offer the following learning opportunity for advocates who have been boots-on-the-ground these past years. Connect with other tenured Advocates as we explore: gratitude and appreciation, relationship maintenance, new SFCASA policies, Court report writing, activity logs (why do they matter?), CE’s, court hearing participation options, and more. If you have served with SFCASA for 3 or more years, please plan to attend.

Trainings are offered to inform your advocacy,

help you think creatively about your case,

and to build community.

SFCASA Advocates are required to earn 12 CE credits

per calendar year.

Please visit Additional Continuing Education Opportunities for alternative options.

Do you have ideas for future CEs? Let us know by emailing [email protected]

CASA Tip of the Month

SFCASA has free tickets!

SFCASA offers tickets for various museums in the Bay Area. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested.

Please comment on topics and features you'd like to see in the SFCASA Forum.