Texas CASA

CFE For All: Statewide Training
2025-07-17 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
We are excited to offer quarterly CFE For All virtual trainings – a training for those who are implementing CFE. Please join us where CASA, Child Protective Services and Community-Based Care staff will come together to learn about the fundamentals of CFE and have the opportunity for practical, hands-on application of the skills and tools presented.

The dates are November 21, 2024, February 20, 2025, May 15, 2025, July 17, 2025 and all times are 1-4 pm CT.

Weekly New ED Call
2025-07-23 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-30 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-06 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-13 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-27 09:00 - 10:00
Upcoming Topics:

October 9 – The More You Know Meetings

October 16 – Quarterly Legal Resources

January 15 – The More You Know Meetings

January 29 – Quarterly Legal Resources

March 26 – Quarterly Legal Resources

April 2 – The More You Know Meetings

July 16 – The More You Know Meetings

STAR Monthly Zoom
2025-07-28 12:00 - 13:00
Attention: July’s STAR Monthly Zoom will not be recorded due to HHSC policy. Please attend on July 28th or reach out for the shared resources afterwards.

Please join the STAR team in welcoming Stephanie Holmes on our July 28th STAR Monthly Zoom, for a presentation about Community Resource Coordination Groups (CRCGs). Stephanie is part of the HHSC CRCG team which is housed in the Children’s Mental Health section of HHSC’s Behavioral Health Services division.

CRCGs are county-based interagency coordination groups who work with parents, caregivers, children, youth, and adults with complex needs to identify and coordinate services and supports. The presentation will provide an overview of CRCGs, including their function, a brief history, review the CRCG process, and the benefits of inter-agency coordination. Stephanie will also share contact information for the different regions.

New Resource: We know how difficult it can be to identify local resources to meet each individual family’s needs, therefore in coordination with information on Community Resource Coordination Groups, we will also share our new resource: a Local Service Directory Template and ideas on how to create a living Local Service Directory for your program’s volunteers and families.

If you are not registered for STAR Monthly Zooms, please register here for a calendar invite and zoom link.

The STAR Monthly Zoom meetings will be held on the last Monday of the month unless otherwise announced in Inside CASA or on the STAR listserv.

P.F. Chang’s Dine to Donate supporting CASA
2025-08-06 00:00 - 23:59
Mark your calendars! Our wonderful friends at P.F. Chang’s are hosting a Dine to Donate day on Wednesday, August 6, at all locations in Texas, supporting Texas CASA and the local CASA programs in their area.

Enjoy incredible food and support our great cause! You can find the nearest P.F. Chang’s location HERE.

Court Reporting and Best Practices: Objective Documentation and Professional Presentation (Webinar)
2025-08-06 12:00 - 13:00
CASA volunteers play a vital role in shaping judicial perspectives through their court reports. This training will offer best practices for clear, objective, and impactful reporting, from initial observations to presenting findings in court. Volunteers will learn techniques for gathering information, documenting interactions, and presenting facts that highlight each child’s unique needs and best interests. This session also covers the importance of using non-violent communication to maintain professionalism in court settings and set boundaries when discussing sensitive topics. Volunteers will leave with tips for synthesizing observations into clear narratives that can inform judges’ decisions and strengthen the advocacy process.

HHSC Request for Reimbursement
2025-08-10 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-10 08:00 - 17:00

ED/PD Quarterly Meeting
2025-08-15 08:00 - 17:00

VOCA Request for Reimbursement
2025-08-15 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-15 08:00 - 17:00

STAR Monthly Zoom
2025-08-18 12:00 - 13:00
On August 18, STAR Zoom will join the Program Directors for a special presentation from CASA of Galveston County. They will share a new Bingo Game they created to support our youth to learn about their Rights in Foster Care! The program received a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, and one of their requests was that the resource be shared with the greater Texas CASA community. We are thrilled to help facilitate sending out this fantastic resource!

This meeting is for CASA Supervisors and Program Directors only.

Join the meeting on August 18th below:

Keep Calm and CASA On! Recruitment Zoom Chats
2025-08-20 13:15 - 14:15
Join the Texas CASA recruitment team and your fellow recruiters on the third Wednesday of each month for the Keep Calm and CASA On! recruitment Zoom calls. The calls will all be around general recruitment but each one will have a different topic of focus. You’ll hear updates from Texas CASA, learn from guest speakers, and have plenty of time to chat with other recruiters about what they are doing in the world of recruitment.

You don’t need to pre-register for the Zoom call. Just sign on when it’s time. All calls will start at 1:15 p.m. CST. Below is the Zoom link to join or or call in at 1-346-248-7799

Meeting ID: 890 4179 0555

CFE Searching Tools Webinar
2025-08-21 14:00 - 15:30
You’re invited to join the Texas CASA CFE Team for a webinar training to learn more about the different searching tools available to you through Collaborative Family Engagement. While we encourage starting with engagement, we recognize that there may be situations where searching may be necessary. The following tools will be discussed: Case/File Mining, Seneca Searches, Connect Our Kids, Non-U.S. Based Searches, Internet Searching and Social Media.

CFE: Family Meeting Workday (In Person)
2025-08-27 09:00 - 16:00
The CFE Family Meeting Workday is designed for professionals across CASA, CPS and SSCCs who support and facilitate family meetings. This in-person gathering will provide hands-on strategies, real-world examples, and skill-building activities that promote comprehensive and effective facilitation, ensuring every voice is heard and valued. Space is limited so this event is by invite only. Please reach out to the CFE Team if you have any questions.

Labor Day
2025-09-01 00:00 - 23:59

CASA ACT Day (Anti-Child Trafficking)
2025-09-10 09:30 - 16:00
CASA ACT Day (Anti-Child Trafficking) will be held on September 10th from 9:30-4 in Austin. This event is open to any program who is currently utilizing ACT Advocacy in some capacity. Join us for an information filled day where we learn from experts, share best practices and strengthen our CASA ACT Advocacy. Because of limited space, only one staff member per program is able to register. For questions, please contact Torey Tipton (casaacts@texascasa.org) or Anna McDonnell (amcdonell@texascasa.org).

Registration closes August 26, 2025

New Executive Director University (In Person)
2025-09-11 08:00 - 2025-09-12 17:00 | Texas CASA Office, 1501 W Anderson Ln. B2, Austin, Texas, 78757, United States

Program Director Monthly Meeting
2025-09-15 08:00 - 17:00

STAR Monthly Zoom: College Knowledge for CASA Advocacy
2025-09-16 12:00 - 13:00
Please mark your calendars for a special STAR Zoom on Tuesday, September 16 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., when we will welcome Jill Rivera from Lonestar College for a presentation on College Knowledge for CASA Advocacy. The presentation will cover college knowledge for youth in foster care, including timelines and financial assistance, as well as how to support youth in decision-making for a successful transition to college. This information is so important to CASA educational advocacy for older youth, so we are inviting all CASA staff and CASA Volunteers to this special presentation.

Keep Calm and CASA On! Recruitment Zoom Chats
2025-09-17 13:15 - 14:15
Join us for an exclusive training session on the How Heard tool on Wednesday, September 17, at 1:15 p.m. CST. This powerful tool within the Optima platform will help you streamline and track potential volunteers from the time they first hear about CASA to becoming a volunteer. Optima Consultant Rob Hahn will show you how to leverage this tool with Optima to efficiently capture and manage inquiries from prospective volunteers and move their information through the volunteer pipeline. You’ll learn how to get the most out of the How Heard tool, helping you know more about your volunteer pool and connect with the right candidates faster. Don’t miss this opportunity to take your recruitment efforts and volunteer tracking to the next level!

This training will take place during the regular September monthly Keep Calm and CASA On recruiter Zoom chat and is primarily for recruiters, but any CASA staff who tracks volunteers in Optima is welcome to join.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89041790555 (No need to register, just show up!)

CFE Community Call
2025-09-18 14:00 - 15:30
Join us for a learning and networking opportunity for those involved in CFE to come together and share ideas, strategies, and learnings- strengthening our statewide CFE community.

Texas CASA Post-Session & Leadership Tour of Texas Training Series
2025-09-19 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-29 10:30 - 13:30
This September and October, Texas CASA’s Leadership and the Public Policy Teams will be traveling across the state to provide Post-Session Trainings, general updates and to facilitate conversations about the future of CASA in Texas. These regional in-person sessions will provide CASA program volunteers, staff and board members with a deep dive into the new laws passed during the 89th Legislative Session and give local CASA program leaders a chance to catch up with the Leadership team from Texas CASA. The Public Policy Team’s portion of the training will be 3 hours and include lunch. Local program leadership will then be invited to stay for Texas CASA’s Leadership Team meeting.

2025 Tour of Texas Schedule:

September 19 – Georgetown – CASA of Williamson County

September 29 – Tyler – CASA for Kids of East Texas

September 30 – Dallas – Dallas CASA

October 1 – Amarillo – Amarillo Area CASA

October 13 – San Antonio – Child Advocates San Antonio

October 17 – Corpus Christi – CASA of the Coastal Bend

October 24 – Abilene – Big Country CASA

October 30 – Rosenberg – Child Advocates of Fort Bend

Please consider sending local program leaders to at least one event, but anyone from your program who may be interested in public policy and/or participating in advocacy during the interim is encouraged to attend. The Public Policy Team will be sending out invitations, but feel free to email publicpolicy@texascasa.org if you are interested in attending any of these trainings. We look forward to seeing you all in person!

HHSC Quarterly Performance Measures
2025-09-22 08:00 - 17:00

Weekly New ED Call
2025-09-24 09:00 - 10:00
