CASA Delaware Live!

In Episode #166, we listen to 3 amazing CASA Volunteers share their experiences from their foster parent journey to becoming child advocates. Peggy, Jill and Elvida all were foster (or resource) parents before becoming CASA Volunteers (well, Elvida actually started as a CASA first, then became a foster parent, then became a CASA again!). They share how their foster parent journey helped shape them as CASA Volunteers and how that experience helps them advocate for kids in care. Enjoy!

In Episode #165, we speak to Drs. Diehl and Saunders of the Consultation and Assessment Services Unit (known as the CAS Unit). Both doctors describe what a CAS evaluation is, when it's needed, what occurs during an evaluation and what happens after an evaluation has been completed. So many of our youth we work with might require a CAS evaluation, so it's helpful to know what one is. Enjoy!

In Episode #164, CASA Katie Wilkerson shares her experience advocating for children who are both in DFS custody and utilize special education services. She reviews several educational programs including the UGRAD program, Child Inc, Educational Surrogate Parent Program and the Parent Mentor Program. She mentions that upwards of 70% of children in foster care are eligible for special education and related services, compared to roughly 15% of their peers.  Additionally, disabilities of students in foster care are often not identified accurately or promptly. Being evaluated for disabilities through the school system can be a lengthy process, and without consistency, children often fall through the cracks, falling further and further behind. https://fosteringfamiliestoday.com/article/finding-the-sweet-spot/

Enjoy!

In this episode, we interview Domenica Personti who founded Impact Life, which is an innovative behavioral health organization whose mission it is to build a foundation of recovery through unique recovery housing options, harm reduction programs, peer support, and workforce development. Many of the families that CASA Volunteers work with have clients who are engaging with Impact Life so it might be helpful to learn about their programs. Enjoy!

Learn more about them: https://impactlifetoday.org/

In this Episode, we examine what is Minimum Sufficient Level of Care. More specifically, we explore ways to accept it, understand it, and advocate as a CASA. Can your CASA child's resource family offer more material items than the biological parents? Maybe. If that's the case, we really need to look at the strengths of the biological family, especially if they have completed their case plan. What does this family do well? What is in the best interest of the child? It's certainly hard sometimes, but listening to these two CASA coordinators (Clark Huffman and Courtney Penhollow) and two CASA Volunteers (Maria Schatzman and Laura Crozier) might help us understand just a bit better. Enjoy!

In this episode, we chat with Lori Sitler of Child, Inc. She chats with us about their programs and how these programs can benefit the children that CASA volunteers are working with. 

CHILD, Inc.’s mission is to be the leading advocate for Delaware’s children. Through our prevention, intervention, and treatment programs, CHILD, Inc. strives to positively impact the children and families we serve to enable them to live fulfilling lives free from violence. Our programs meet the changing needs of families. By protecting the victims and treating those responsible for acts of domestic violence, we help children heal.

https://childinc.com/

In Episode #160, we review some Dos and Don'ts of being a CASA. We review this during Pre-Service CASA Training but it never hurts to review it again. There are many things that a CASA can do but there are also many things that a CASA cannot do. So we just want to review some of them! Enjoy! 

In this episode, we meet our 4 Deputy Child Advocates through the Office of the Child Advocate: Renee Duval, Jennifer Kline, Casey Pav, and Claudia DeBonte! The purpose of this podcast is to introduce these four child advocates to all the CASA Volunteers so if and when a volunteer finds themselves working with one of these fine attorneys, they'll know them better! Enjoy!

In Episode #158, we chat about the difference between common terms and ideas. We cover 6 in total. They are:

• Team vs. Triad Meeting
• Best Interest Meeting (BIM) vs. Team Decision Making Meeting (TDM)
• DFS vs. YRS vs. PBH
• Contract Agencies vs. DFS Resource Homes
• Child in Care Plan vs. Safety Plan vs. Case Plan
• Extended Jurisdiction vs. Board Extension

Enjoy! We hope the description of these topics helps make things a bit clearer when CASAs advocate for their youth. 

In Episode #157, we interview Ashley Benedict who is a resource parent in Delaware. She and her husband have hosted a few youth in the past two years and Ashley shares her experience as a resource parent as well as what it has been like to work with CASA Volunteers. Enjoy!