Because of You Our Hearts Are Full
Estimado amigos,
First and foremost, on behalf of myself, the Texas CASA Board of Directors and staff, I want to give a wholehearted thank you to all of those who attended the Texas CASA conference a few weeks ago. The amazing sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and attendees truly made this event unforgettable. Your passion, insights and support have been incredibly inspiring, and we couldn’t be more grateful for your contributions and attendance. We are so honored that our conference had guests from all over the state and nation with representatives from 65 local CASA programs in Texas, and 22 programs from outside of Texas including folks from Oklahoma, New Mexico, Illinois, Louisiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Nevada and Arkansas. Wow! Your attendance is truly an investment in better futures for Texas children and families.
Furthermore, I am excited to share some of our achievements in 2024. I’m sure all of you can agree that this year has been busy and full of change and growth. I’m thrilled to officially announce that Texas CASA welcomed a new CASA program to the statewide network, CASA of Val Verde County. This program is in the good hands of Executive Director Megan Martinez who comes from a background of 17 years with Child Protective Services (CPS).
This year we worked to expand the resources of the CASA Anti-Child Trafficking framework, known as CASA ACT, with new critical resources that focus on children in foster care who have been trafficked or are at risk of being trafficked. In addition to expanding CASA ACT, we supported the expansion of a court-ordered services pilot program, and now, 10 programs across the state are participating. These programs are serving 100% of the CPS cases in their area and are now being appointed to help parents and children stay out of foster care if possible. Texas CASA developed resources for these programs such as the Family Visit Guide and a customizable Parent Brochure.
We also supported Child Advocates of Montgomery County in developing a new pilot program for justice-involved youth to explore what CASA’s role in juvenile cases could look like. We are excited to spend the next year in thoughtful partnership with our local programs to consider how CASA’s role could evolve as the child welfare system continues to change.
As always, the Texas CASA Public Policy team has also been on the move. They recently wrapped up their last of 9 pre-session trainings in preparation for the 89th session this spring. Also, after surveying local CASA staff and volunteers, the policy team helped finalize our four primary Policy Priorities for the legislative session. We’ll be in good hands at the Capitol, and we’re excited to continue our legislative advocacy work in partnership with many of you.
We know that only with your support are we able to continue the work we do. We are motivated by the vision of a Texas where it is safe for all children to grow up and fulfill their brightest potential and we need your help to get there. You make our success possible, and I am deeply grateful for your commitment to our work and mission. Because of YOU our hearts are full. Thank you for your steadfast support and for your commitment to a safe, positive future for all Texas children and families.
Cordialmente,
