First and foremost, on behalf of myself, the Texas CASA Board of Directors and staff, I want to give a wholehearted thank you to all of those who attended the Texas CASA Conference. The amazing sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and attendees truly made this event unforgettable. Your passion, insights and support have been incredibly inspiring, and we couldn’t be more grateful for your contributions and attendance. We are so honored that our conference had guests from all over the state and nation with representatives from 65 local CASA programs in Texas, and 22 programs from outside of Texas including folks from Oklahoma, New Mexico, Illinois, Louisiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Nevada and Arkansas. Wow! Your attendance is truly an investment in better futures for Texas children and families.

Texas CASA Awards Lawmakers John Lujan and John Cornyn for Commitment to Children and Families

Texas CASA honored State Representative John Lujan and U.S. Senator John Cornyn with the 2024 Big Voices for Little Texans award during the annual Texas CASA Conference. After every Texas legislative session, Texas CASA determines which legislators played the most significant role in advancing the interests of children in foster care. The Big Voices for Little Texans award honors these legislators, and this year, our award expanded to the U.S. Congress to celebrate Senator Cornyn’s policy efforts at the national level. 

Judge Laurie Blake Recognized by Texas CASA for Her Outstanding Work in Child Welfare Cases

Texas CASA honored Judge Laurie Blake with the Judicial Innovation and Leadership Award for her decades of work on child welfare cases. Texas CASA CEO Vicki Spriggs presented the award at the Judicial Reception of the annual Child Welfare Judges Conference hosted by the Children’s Commission and Office of Court Administration on Monday, October 21 in Georgetown, Texas. Judge Blake serves as Chairman of the Fannin County Juvenile Board, which oversees the Fannin County Juvenile Services Department and was a founding board member of the Grayson County Children’s Advocacy Center.

Texans Donated $4M to Cover Driver's Ed for Foster, Homeless Youth. Few People Know It's Available.

A new state program will pay for the cost of driver’s education for qualifying youth, but many young people — and driving schools — don’t know it exists! In July, the Texas Workforce Commission opened applications for its Driver’s Education Funding program, which covers the cost of driver’s education for foster youth, homeless youth, victims of family violence and children of victims. The program is funded through donations by Texans when they apply for or renew their driver’s licenses. As of August, the fund had taken in more than $4.3 million in donations, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Save the Date for Giving Tuesday

Save the date for Giving Tuesday on December 3, 2024! Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a global day of generosity dedicated to inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. As we get ready for 2025, your support helps us provide the tools, resources and training for a growing CASA network. Follow us on Facebook,  Instagram and LinkedIn as we get closer to Giving Tuesday to learn more about our work.

New Continuing Education Podcast Highlights Advocacy for Kinship Caregivers

This new episode of CASA on the Go features the powerhouse team Dr. Heather Fox and Dr. Cady Landa sharing takeaways from a study on kinship guardianship for children and youth in foster care. Their research offers insights on the benefits and challenges of kinship guardianship (sometimes called PMC to a relative) as well as ways advocates can strive to support kinship caregivers. Dr. Fox and Dr. Landa also discuss disparities in permanency timelines and outcomes, offering important recommendations for CASA volunteers.

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