November 2019 | In This Issue
Youth and Adolescent Connectedness



Connectedness is an important protective factor for youth that can reduce the likelihood of a variety of health risk behaviors. Connectedness refers to a sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging, and can be centered on feeling connected to  school, family (i.e. parents and caregivers), or other important people and organizations in their lives. Youth who feel connected at school and home are less likely to experience negative health outcomes related to  sexual risk,  substance use, violence, and mental health.
In addition, school connectedness (i.e. the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about them as individuals) has been shown to have positive effects on  academic achievement, including having higher grades and test scores, having better school attendance, and staying in school longer.


Change for Children!


Thank you to everyone who supported the Louisiana's 1st Choice Auto Auction 10th Annual Golf Tournament! Your generosity supports services for children!

  

168 CASA volunteers served 347 children in October and helped find safe, permanent homes for 22 of those children. 144 children are still waiting for someone to be their voice.


Upcoming Training Dates will be available in 2020.



Congratulations to our newest CASA Volunteers!

Lacey Gautreau and Cheryl Lott were recently sworn in by Judge Tess Stromberg 
in the 23rd JDC (left photo). Amanda Tallia was recently sworn into the 21st JDC by Judge Blair Edwards (right photo).

  
Courtney Foster  and Nicholas Welch were recently sworn into the 21st JDC by Judge Blair Edwards.

Florida Parishes Volunteer
Virginia "Ann" Wilson

This month, we recognize Virginia "Ann" Wilson for her outstanding advocacy and commitment to the children she serves. Ms. Ann has been a CASA Volunteer since 2018. She has served on 4 cases since her swearing in last year. She is currently serving on a family services case and has just accepted another case as of this month. Ms. Ann has made a lasting impression on the children and families she has served with her warm personality and bright spirit. She always tells her supervisor that she wants to do more and makes every effort to see her CASA kids more than once a month.
 
When Ms. Ann was asked why she became a CASA Volunteer, she stated "I have always wanted to be a CASA. I am retired (as a registered nurse) now and knew it was time for me to be a voice for children." Ms. Ann says it is an honor to advocate for the children. She says that there is always hope for healing and being a voice for children is helping to make a difference in a child's life. We are thankful to have Ms. Ann as a CASA Advocate. Thank you, Ms. Ann , for your dedication to change lives for the better.
 
 River Parishes Volunteer
Susan Pritchard

The 23rd JDC would like to recognize Susan Pritchard for her exceptional advocacy for the children and families she has served and is currently serving from St. James to Ascension Parishes. Susan was sworn in on June 9, 2016 and has served multiple sibling groups with a special emphasis on the educational and developmental needs of each child. As a retired educator, Susan knows all the right questions to ask and always establishes a supportive rapport with teachers to ensure the children have as much support in and out of the classroom as needed. With all of her wisdom as an educator, Susan has a teachable spirit that makes her a delight to work with from family to family. It is evident in her captivating contact logs that she sees hope, promise, and wants the best for every child. Susan has a way of capturing each communication within her families in a way that creates a vicarious experience for me as her supervisor and for that I am extremely proud to work with her.
 
For Susan, it was a random day of walking through the mall and seeing a sign "BE A VOICE FOR A CHILD" that resonated and spoke to her heart. Over three years later, this is what Susan has to say, "The experience has made me look at our children and understand how much they need us." We are so grateful that she understands her value in the lives of the children and families she serves. We salute Susan for her continued commitment to make a difference because she followed the echo to BE A VOICE FOR A CHILD!   


Advocating With A Purpose

CASA volunteers wear so many hats and do so many things for their CASA children and their own families! Sometimes the juggling act of scheduling visits, completing Optima Contact Logs, completing court reports, attending Family Team Meetings, checking school attendance, talking to counselors, checking in on the parents' case plan compliance, and going to court hearings cause advocates to forget the purpose of that work. The purpose of our work is always to help the children that we serve have a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible. What a huge task!
We do realize that we ask a lot from our advocates, but we know your hearts and we know that you want to do the best job possible in being the voice of your CASA child. Remember that a child's CASA is the only person in the court room that is advocating exclusively for their best interest. Click below to see the PURPOSE behind every task.


 


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.


Stewards of Children is a revolutionary sexual abuse prevention training program that educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program believes and teaches that child safety is an adult's job. Stewards of Children is designed for organizations that serve children and youth. Child Advocacy Services has trained facilitators that can offer this course to your organization for only $10.00 per individual. This fee includes your materials, certificate for 2 hours of continuing education, and assists CAS in continuing our services for children through our CASA and CAC Programs.

Contact us at 800-798-1575 for information on scheduling a training.

Note to our CASA Volunteers: This training is offered to all CASAs free of charge. When registering online, please select "pay at door." You will receive your materials at the door.


 

Not a #Number is an interactive, five-module prevention curriculum designed to teach youth how to protect themselves from human trafficking and exploitation through information, critical thinking, and skill development. Not a #Number uses a holistic approach focusing on respect, empathy, individual strengths, and the relationship between personal and societal pressures that create or increase vulnerabilities. Appropriate for ages 12-18.
 
Not a #Number Caregiver's Guide: This resource guide includes information to help you understand the reality of human trafficking, and most importantly, what you can do to safeguard your youth and others in your community. This resource guide can be given to caregivers or can be presented in a one hour presentation.

For more information on Not a #Number, contact Jordyn G'sell, Prevention Services Coordinator, at  (985) 785-5226 or [email protected]

In October , the Children's Advocacy Center provided advocacy and forensic interviews to 39 children. In the River Region, 17 children and families were provided 52 hours of counseling.

Child Advocacy Services Children's Advocacy Center Program 
is very proud to announce:
 
The following CACs are now seeking to hire the first eight of nine Regional Child and Youth Trafficking Coordinators. Each of the Coordinators will work on the Louisiana Child and Youth Trafficking Collaborative, a multi-year grant project administered by the Governor's Office and funded by the US Department of Justice to improve outcomes for child and youth victims of sex and labor trafficking. 
 
Jefferson Children's Advocacy Center | Orleans 
Children's Advocacy Network | Alexandria 
Children's Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana | Monroe 
Gingerbread House Children's Advocacy Center | Shreveport 
Child Advocacy Services | Covington Region (Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, and Washington Parishes)  
Hearts of Hope | Lafayette 
Baton Rouge Children's Advocacy Center | Baton Rouge 
Terrebonne Children's Advocacy Center | Thibodaux 
 
The posting and job description can be found here: https://www.lacacs.org/joblistings.
 
Interested persons can submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected] and specify the region / agency for which they are applying in the subject line. The hiring process will be completed locally and next steps will be conducted by the local hiring agency. 



Triple P:
The Power of Positive Parenting
Child Advocacy Services is offering Triple P - Positive Parenting Program Selected Seminar Series in St. Charles, St. John, and St. James Parishes.

"The Triple P - Positive Parenting Program®
is one of the world's most effective parenting programs. It is one of the few based on evidence from ongoing scientific research. Triple P works by giving parents the skills to raise confident, healthy children and teenagers, and to build stronger family relationships. It also helps parents manage misbehavior and prevent problems occurring in the first place."

Triple P:   Selected Seminars Series
is a "light touch" parenting information presentation to a group of parents who are generally coping well but have one or two concerns. There are three seminar topics with each taking around 90 minutes to complete. The series of seminars are designed for parents with children up to 12 years and are interested in general information about promoting their child's development. Parents are likely to benefit if their family is not complicated by significant behavior problems or family stress.

Seminar 1:
The Power of Positive Parenting - Parents learn the five key principles of positive parenting that form the basis of Triple P. These principles are: Ensuring a safe engaging environment, creating a positive learning environment, using assertive discipline, having reasonable expectatio n s, and looking after yourself as a parent.
Seminar 2:
Raising Confident, Competent Children - Parents are introduced to six core building blocks for children to become confident and successful at school and beyond. These competencies are: Showing respect to others, being considerate, having good communication and social skills, having healthy self-esteem,
being a good problem solver, and becoming independent.
Seminar 3:
Raising Resilient Children - Parents are introduced to six core building blocks for children to manage their feelings and become resilient in dealing with life stress. These competencies are: Recognizing and accepting feelings, expressing feelings appropriately, building a positive outlook, developing coping skills, dealing with negative feelings, and dealing with stressful life events.

Prevention Services Coordinator, Jordyn G'sell, was trained in the Selected Seminar Series in partnership with the Louisiana Parenting Education Network in September 2019. With this partnership, Jordyn is able to offer this program free to the community when requested.
Interested in a prevention training? Contact Jordyn G'sell by email [email protected]
for requests and scheduling!



We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be at every Southeastern Louisiana University home football game this season selling pizza! Child Advocacy Services received a portion of all pizza sales from this season to support services for children! Special thanks to Coach Frank Scelfo and Southeastern Louisiana University Football for supporting children in our community!
CASA Volunteers from Ascension, Assumption, and St. James Parishes gathered together on October 19, 2019 to train on how to better advocate for children in foster care.


Congratulations to our CEO!

Hammond Junior Auxiliary recently awarded Rob Carlisle, CEO of Child Advocacy Services, and  Sylvia Bush, Executive Director of Options, Man and Women of the Year. We are honored to have Rob as a distinguished leader in our community and as a champion for children.

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. 

Thank you to our new and/or continuing Buttons of Bravery Child Sponsors. 

Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Burns Estate Planning
Rob & Sally Carlisle *
CH Specialty *
Crossroads Behavioral Health, LLC *
Hancock Whitney Bank
Robert & Nancy Hyver
David & Judith Landry *
Celeste Layrisson
Louisiana's 1st Choice Auto Auction
Robert & Tara Peltier *
Becky Powell *
Shell Oil Company
Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Triad Electric - Chad and Kristen Beard
Valero St. Charles Refinery
Mary & Joseph Ware

* denotes a recurring monthly donor


Dear Community Supporter,

CAS served 550 children with 226 volunteers through our CASA program in 2018. Of those children, 188 were placed in safe and permanent homes. Additionally, we performed 738 forensic interviews and provided 490 hours of counseling to over 125 children and families through our CAC program. 



Child Advocacy Services, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. We appreciate your consideration to start or renew your child sponsorship for 2019.  Please remember your contribution is tax-deductible .
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