According to a report from Texans Care for Children, DFPS data from 2017 indicate that parental substance use is a contributing factor in 68 percent of child removals in Texas. On this episode of CASA on the Go, the Honorable Aurora Martinez Jones shares her expertise on trauma-informed advocacy strategies for working with families impacted by substance use disorder. Judge Martinez Jones leads the Travis County Family Drug Treatment Court, a specialty court that uses an empowerment-based, non-adversarial approach to working with parents involved with the child welfare system who are struggling with substance use disorder. Tune in and learn more about what CASA advocates can do to effectively support children and families in healing from substance abuse.

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Studies have found that one of the strongest indicators for child well-being is the number of committed adults in a child’s life. How can CASA volunteers use a connection-informed advocacy lens to actively and skillfully engage the children and youth we work with as well as their family and community? This episode features Candice Dosman, Director of Collaborative Family Engagement at Texas CASA and our resident expert on connection-informed care, sharing strategies for CASA volunteers on how to advocate for children and families to be surrounded by a dedicated support system that is meant to last long after CPS involvement ends.

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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact our communities here in Texas, many of us are experiencing a radical disruption in our normal everyday routines. What can these experiences of sudden discontinuity and increased social isolation teach us about the experiences of youth and children who are removed from their families, and the jarring loss of normalcy a child endures when they are placed into foster care? Listen to the latest episode of our CASA On the Go continuing education podcast for a discussion of how CASA volunteers can advocate for greater normalcy for children and youth in foster care. In this episode we're thrilled to feature advocacy tips and insights from Texas CASA's Senior Public Policy Associate and normalcy expert Sarah Crockett. 

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The CASA guiding principles emphasize the importance of understanding the impact of of disproportionality on children and families involved in the CPS system. In part two of this episode we talk with Tanya Rollins, CPS Disproportionality Manager with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, about how CASA volunteers can practice culturally responsive advocacy for children and families. 

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The CASA guiding principles emphasize the importance of understanding the impact of of disproportionality on children and families involved in the CPS system. In this two-part episode we talk with Tanya Rollins, CPS Disproportionality Manager with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Tune in as Tanya shares her expertise around disproportionality in the Texas child welfare system and discusses what CASA advocates can do to eliminate it. 

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According to a Texans Care for Children report citing data from 2015, teen girls in Texas foster care were almost five times more likely to become pregnant than their non-foster care peers. In this episode of CASA on the Go we're thrilled to host Kate Murphy, Senior Child Welfare Policy Associate with Texans Care for Children, sharing her expertise on the complex issues around teen pregnancy prevention for youth in foster care. Learn what CASA advocates can do to connect youth with education about healthy relationship dynamics, support the prevention of unplanned teen pregnancies and successfully advocate for the unique needs of pregnant and parenting youth in care. Other resources mentioned in this episode include sample scripts for talking with youth from When You Decide: A Judge's Guide to Pregnancy Prevention Among Foster Youth, loveisrespect and Jane's Due Process. 

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Join us for an engaging discussion on the importance of strong educational advocacy within the classroom and beyond! This episode features guest Jamie Bernstein, Assistant Director of the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission, sharing expert tips on the nuts and bolts of how CASA volunteers can advocate for a child's academic success. 

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