As we move into May and begin to bring focus on National Foster Care Month, we want to first take the time to spotlight Texas CASA CEO Vicki Spriggs and the huge impact she has made in promoting a safer, more fruitful future for children and families experiencing the foster care system. Vicki has worked for almost 50 years in the child services arena. Known for her leadership on youth-related issues, Vicki is a national speaker, a decisive leader and a fierce believer in the rights of all children, especially the right to a safe, loving and permanent home. 

Mother's Day Spotlight: Honoring Celeste and Rebecca Prather

Celeste and Rebecca Prather are a mother/daughter duo who are working together for the CASA mission! As we approach Mother’s Day this month, we are honored to spotlight this tag team who are making huge contributions to bettering the lives of children and families experiencing the child welfare system. Celeste is the Program Operations Director at Texas CASA and Rebecca is the Advocacy Team Lead at CASA for Hunt County. Read their full story in the link below. 

Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation Day 

On Friday, April 5, the Texas CASA team gathered at the south steps of the Texas Capitol for #GoBlueDay and Child Abuse Prevention Proclamation Day. Texas CASA is grateful to have seen so many passionate child welfare stakeholders and advocates gather together in solidarity to help prevent child abuse and neglect. A Texas-sized thank you goes out to Kerrie Judice, Director of Policy and Advocacy at TexProtects for the invitation to attend the event and participate in this important advocacy. 

Clergy, CASA & Community Kickoff Meeting

The Clergy, CASA and Community (CCC) initiative continues to grow and thanks to the support from Blue Bell Creameries, Texas CASA recently hosted the 2024 CCC kickoff meeting at the Norris Center in Austin. The objectives of the meeting were to officially welcome ten new local programs to the initiative, expand learning on successful CCC implementation, provide a space for members to network and help them develop a personal vision for how their programs can be effective.

Texas Monthly Article: Child Abuse Prevention & Awareness with Court Appointed Special Advocates

No child deserves to experience abuse or neglect, and long-term support networks are needed to care for families, make reunification possible when safe and help break the cycle of abuse for the next generation. Our friends at Texas Monthly helped us spread awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month throughout April. Check out the article to learn more about our initiatives and what you can do as a volunteer to help directly support children and families in crisis.

New Continuing Education Podcast on Best Practices for Working with Parents' Attorneys

One of the Texas CASA guiding principles is respect for the parents we walk alongside, as well as respect for all parties involved in the case. This episode is brimming with insights from our guest Cindy Dyar, Director of the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid Family Defense Project on how we can approach collaboration with parents and their attorneys with an open mind and a commitment to understanding. Cindy has practiced family law for more than a decade and shares some powerful insights for CASA advocates. 

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