FY 27-29 Strategic Plan
Texas CASA is excited to launch our FY27-29 Strategic Plan, a three-year roadmap designed to strengthen the Texas CASA network and move closer to our shared vision that every child in the child welfare system has a CASA volunteer solely focused on advocating for their best interests.
Developed by our Board of Directors with input from Texas CASA staff and local CASA programs, the Strategic Plan is built around six key priorities. Each priority below reflects a piece of that vision and the strategies that will guide our work.
Priority 1: Expand Statewide Access to CASA Advocates
Every Texas child impacted by the child welfare system deserves a CASA volunteer advocate to help them navigate one of the most challenging times in their lives – no matter where they live. Due to capacity challenges and the vastness of our state, over 10,000 children and youth in foster care don’t have an advocate. Texas CASA will work to make sure Texans are aware of meaningful volunteer opportunities and identify ways for neighboring CASA programs to support each other and unserved children. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
Priority 2: Advance Effective Best-Interest Advocacy
Almost 7,000 CASA volunteers change the lives of over 17,000 children and youth in the Texas foster care system every year. They are the one constant in an ever-changing, strained child welfare system where children face more complex challenges than ever before. Texas CASA will work to make sure child welfare partners and professionals understand the importance of CASA’s role, identify best practices across child advocacy and family engagement, and provide continuous learning opportunities for programs. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
The strategic plan’s focus on statewide outreach efforts, a collaborative network of programs, and strong internal support for the work that CASA volunteers do is paramount to our ability to recruit, train, and retain our volunteers.
Kevin Kyle, CASA of Bell and Coryell Counties Executive Director
Priority 3: Strengthen a Stable, Adaptable, and Collaborative Network
Behind every CASA volunteer is a strong network of over 70 local programs serving counties across most of Texas. They recruit, train, and supervise volunteers in their communities. Their efforts help ensure that the voices of over 17,000 children and youth in foster care are amplified and heard. Texas CASA will work to ensure programs have the resources they need to support their volunteers, provide learning opportunities to strengthen program capacity, and create opportunities for skill building, leadership development, and collaboration across programs. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
Priority 4: Shape Public Understanding and Policy Conversations
Texas ranks second in the nation for the highest number of children in foster care. Over 27,000 children are impacted – children removed from traumatic environments and everything that feels like home. To improve outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system, it is essential to understand their needs. Texas CASA will work to educate policymakers, partners, and the public about CASA’s critical role and impact in a complex system and build relationships across Texas that improve outcomes for children in foster care. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
Texas CASA’s focus on uplifting the stories of local programs is a critical part of our strategic plan to ensure communities are aware of the realities of what it’s like for children in foster care.
Ana O’Quin, Texas CASA Public Policy Director
A strategic plan centered on strengthening and supporting local programs demonstrates an understanding that meaningful change happens at the community level.
James Hamilton, CASA of Grayson County Executive Director
Priority 5: Equip and Sustain a Prepared CASA Advocate Network Focusing on Retention
When a child’s world is flipped upside down, a CASA volunteer is an unwavering source of stability. They show up in an overburdened child welfare system filled with rapid transitions and administrative roadblocks they must navigate while supporting children in need. Texas CASA will work to ensure programs have the tools they need to train volunteers, including resources that support children who have experienced complex trauma, provide ongoing support volunteers need, and share meaningful stories to inspire others to make a difference in a child’s life. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
Priority 6: Strengthen the Texas CASA Infrastructure
For 37 years, Texas CASA has supported a growing statewide network of local CASA programs advocating for children in foster care. What began as a network of 13 programs has grown to over 70, extending CASA’s reach across most of the state. As the child welfare system grows more complex and children face deeper trauma, the infrastructure behind the mission must keep pace. Texas CASA will work to strengthen its foundation and build a more efficient organization through the intentional use of technology and by diversifying funding sources for long-term sustainability. When Texas CASA is strong, local programs have the resources they need to make sure every child gets a chance at a brighter future. To advance this priority, Texas CASA will:
As a former CASA volunteer and local program employee, it means everything to me that Texas CASA’s strategic plan invests in local programs. We are helping ensure that life-changing advocacy continues for the children who need it most.
Taylor Merrill, Texas CASA CFE Coach
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