Upcoming STAR Monthly Zoom: Overview of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Cases
STAR Zoom has a new date and time for April! Please join us on Wednesday, April 22, at 9:00 a.m., when we welcome Renee Castillo-De La Cruz of the Children’s Commission to talk about the Indian Child Welfare Act. During the hour Zoom call, participants will receive an overview of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) cases, their elevated burdens of proof, required findings, and requirements for the use of qualified expert witnesses (QEWs) at certain hearings. Best practices related to the application of ICWA and the effects on permanency when ICWA is not properly applied will also be discussed. Ms. Castillo-De La Cruz will also answer questions from the CASA network related to CASA Advocacy and ICWA.
You won’t want to miss the opportunity! Renée Castillo-De La Cruz is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth, and Families (Children’s Commission). She joined the Children’s Commission in November 2019 and oversees projects that fall under the Training and Legal Practice and Process Committees.
Renée began her legal career in 2009 in private practice, primarily focusing on the representation of children and youth before the juvenile justice system and children, youth, and parents involved with the child welfare system. She joined the Caldwell County District Attorney’s Office in Lockhart, Texas in 2015, where she served as an Assistant District Attorney assigned to the child welfare docket and dedicated four years to the service of the children, youth, and families of Caldwell County. Renée earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin, a Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law, and she is board certified in Child Welfare Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas Child Protection Law Section (CPL) and serves on the section’s CLE Committee. Renée also serves on the Exam Commission for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the specialty area of Child Welfare Law.
The special Zoom link for this presentation will go out in the Supervisor listserv the week before the presentation. All CASA staff are welcome to join this call to hear about ICWA & CASA Advocacy for families.
If you have any questions or need the Zoom link, please email amelancon@texascasa.org or cprather@texascasa.org.
