FY25 Texas CASA Annual Program Survey

Evaluation of the services provided by Texas CASA informs our understanding, organizational planning, designation of resources and helps to identify areas for improvement. Please take a moment (average of 6 to 9 minutes) to complete the Texas CASA Annual Program Survey. Your input is greatly valued, and each comment is reviewed by Texas CASA leadership.

Please complete the survey by Friday, October 31. All responses will remain anonymous. After completing the survey, your program can be entered for a chance to win one of two complimentary registrations to the Texas CASA Conference next fall. Learn more at the link below.

TBRI^® Cohort for CASA Programs: Application Open Until November 14

Texas CASA is excited to invite 10 local CASA programs to join the second Trust-Based Relational Intervention^® (TBRI^®) for CASA cohort, offered by the TBRI^® Ambassador Program at Child Advocates of Montgomery County. This opportunity will help participating programs integrate TBRI^® into their advocacy and communities, ensuring that children and youth served by CASA and their families are met with greater understanding of trauma, and the skills for empowering, connecting and correcting. The cohort includes an 8-month commitment, with both in-person and virtual activities. Programs should review the requirements and submit their application by Friday, November 14.

Children's Commission Pre-Petition Legal Representation Survey Open until October 15

In partnership with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, the Children’s Commission Legal Representation Committee developed a survey to gather information about the availability and need for pre-petition legal representation in Texas. The purpose of this survey is to better understand the landscape of pre-petition legal representation services for Texas children and families who are at risk of involvement with the Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS). This survey is intended for judges, parent and child attorneys, service providers, etc., and the survey will close on Wednesday, October 15.

CFE 101 Virtual Training

CFE 101 is a virtual training for those implementing Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE). This three-hour session covers the fundamentals of CFE and includes hands-on practice with core tools and skills. CASA, CPS and Community-Based Care staff are all encouraged to attend. The training will be offered twice during the year, on October 16, 2025, and May 14, 2026. Both sessions take place from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central Time. Each session includes the same content, and you are welcome to attend either one.

Join the STAR Team for a Panel Discussion on New Missing from Care Protocols

Every year, children and youth in foster care, kinship placements or residential settings run away or otherwise go missing. These incidents not only put young people at risk, but also create urgent challenges for caregivers, caseworkers and the child welfare systems to respond effectively. Join the STAR team on Monday, October 27 from 12:00 - 1:00p.m. for a discussion on Missing from Care Protocols. We will have DFPS presenting new protocols that went into effect October 1, 2025, and you will have the opportunity to hear from local CASA programs about how their volunteers support youth who are missing from care.

New Podcast Episode Featuring Shelton Pellum

In this episode, Margaret sits down with the deeply inspiring Shelton Pellum, who shares his lived experience in foster care — what it was like to navigate the system, the challenges he encountered and the strengths he cultivated along the way. Together, we talk about why youth voices matter in decision-making, what true belonging and connectedness mean for youth in care and how advocates can be strong supporters of academic success. Tune in for Shelly's powerful insights into what young people need most from the adults who walk alongside them. CASA on the Go is now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

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