CASA Connection

053. Supporting Academic Success In Foster Care

This week, Tracey and Jeff discussed how we can support academic success in foster care. Our CASA program is proud that four of our CASA youth graduated high school this past school year, and two are going off to college! How can we continue to be a voice for youth and families through our education system, and what are some of those best practices? We discuss it in detail in this episode.

052. Respect for Parents

When we look at the foster care world as a whole, parents bear the brunt of so much. Whether they are dealing with internal struggles, addiction, or need more knowledge about what's best for children, we still need to have respect for parents. That's what this episode is about and coming to a greater understanding about what parents go through within the world of foster care.

051. Our Core Values at CASA

This week, Tracey and Jeff discussed CASA SHaW's core values: C.H.I.L.D. It's an acronym that's critical to the foundation and work of the CASA SHaW program. What does each letter stand for? At the end of the day, what do the core values mean to us and the children and families we serve?

050. Advocating For Babies In Foster Care

This week, one of our amazing CASA volunteers, Ashley K., joined us for a great discussion and dive into how to advocate for babies who are in foster care. Ashley's case was very unique. Not only did she navigate a system that wasn't always easy - especially when her CASA child couldn't speak - she learned a lot along the way. She provided some great insight on how to get through the challenges of advocating for a baby.

049. It's Pride Month! Let's Support Our LGBTQ+ Community!

It's Pride Month here in June! Jeff and Tracey talk about how we can support our LGBTQ+ friends and family members even more in the future. Plus, it's a great time to recognize, celebrate, and open up channels of communication to our LGBTQ+ community within our neighborhoods and beyond. While our society as a whole here in the United States has become more accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout our communities, we still can and must do a better job of providing inclusive support - especially in the foster care world.

048. What Does CASA Training Look Like?

Over the years, the CASA training model has evolved. This week, our Volunteer Trainer at CASA SHaW joined us to discuss our pre-service training program. What's the very first step folks need to take to become a CASA volunteer? What subject matters are focused on during the 30 hours of training? All of this and much more this week as we dove into one of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities in America.

047. Topical Shifts In Foster Care

As we recognize Foster Care Awareness Month, we dove into topical shifts in foster care. Programs like CASA have experienced changes within the foster care world since 2018 due to federal legislation and laws that were implemented. Has this benefitted children and families? What resources are available as we continue to witness the shifting landscape of foster care? Tracey and Jeff discussed it during this episode.

046. Sexual Assault Awareness, Part 2

We continued our discussion on this episode of what sexual assault look like for youth in our community as we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month here in April. Lauren Lia, Vice President of Clinical Services at Safe + Sound Somerset, joined us to talk about why is it important to talk about child sex abuse, even though it's so uncomfortable as well as red flags and resources that are available for children - and others - who have gone through sexual abuse trauma.

045. Sexual Assault Awareness, Part 1

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and a time for all of us to become more aware of this tragic phenomenon that permeates throughout our culture and society. We consistently see cases of sexual assault within the foster care world, and it's important to discuss why this happens, and how we can get better and curb this horrible action in our communities. This week, Joelle Piercy from Safe + Sound Somerset joined us for a discussion in this Part 1 podcast episode and provided great information for our community to digest.

044. How Can We Support LGBTQ+ Youth?

How can we better support LGBTQ+ youth in our homes and within our local communities? That's what we dove into on this episode. After the recent murder of a youth in Oklahoma and countless other less publicized incidents throughout our state and nation, it's important for our CASA program to continue letting our region know that we support inclusivity. Tracey and Jeff talked about how we can better understand LGBTQ+ youth, and how we can support this community.