Dallas CASA Voice header

KAYLEE WAS NEGLECTED WHILE HER CAREGIVERS USED DRUGS 

CASA Stock Image 1

 

Kaylee came into protective care at age 3 undernourished and uncared for.    

  

She was developmentally and speech delayed. She was quiet and withdrawn because she was accustomed to being left alone for hours at a time with a couple large dogs as her only company. 

 

Shortly after her birth, Kaylee's mother had turned her daughter over to relatives because she couldn't care for her. Kaylee's dad was a routine drug user, and Mom had mental-health issues. Sadly, Kaylee's relatives didn't take care of her either, but it wasn't until her mother went to the hospital to have her second child that Child Protective Services became involved in Kaylee's life.

 

After removing her infant brother from their mother's care at the hospital, CPS learned of Kaylee's existence living in squalor with a distant relative. She'd been passed around and was frequently left by herself in a filthy house with no food while her caregivers were off using crack and marijuana.

 

Thankfully, CASA volunteer Jason was appointed to Kaylee's case. Kaylee and her brother were sent to live with Ruby, a family friend who worked with Kaylee to help her catch up with other children her age. Ruby provided a safe, nurturing home to both Kaylee and her brother.

 

Unfortunately, Ruby lacked adequate resources to care for the children, so Jason advocated for her to receive financial support through a program called Fostering Connections. Jason helped Ruby navigate the complicated paperwork and red tape needed to receive financial assistance.

 

During the two years that Kaylee was in protective care, the CPS caseworkers and attorneys assigned to the case changed frequently. However, Jason remained a consistent presence in her life. Today, Kaylee is in a preschool program and, with Ruby's help, has learned her ABCs, colors and shapes. She'll start kindergarten next year. Her withdrawn demeanor has disappeared, replaced by a bubbly, talkative child who loves to learn.

DALLAS SUPPORTS ABUSED CHILDREN SERVED BY CASA
get up and give
The North Texas community proved once again that everything really is bigger in Texas - including peoples' hearts - on North Texas Giving Day. 

 

On Sept. 19, more than 75,000 individuals gave, and more than $25,000,000 was raised to support Dallas-area charities. For the fifth year, Dallas CASA was privileged to participate in this community-wide celebration of giving.

 

In the days leading up to Giving Day, Dallas CASA conducted a strategic email marketing and social media campaign to recruit new friends. Throughout the day on Sept. 19, Dallas CASA staff members used social media to ask their friends to consider supporting abused and neglected children. As a result, Dallas CASA experienced a 38 percent increase in the number of individual gifts to support recruitment, training and supervision of CASA volunteers to speak for the best interests of our most vulnerable children. That translated into 281 gifts for a total of more than $110,000 in support, including $50,000 from the Hawn Foundation and $5,500 in matching gifts from Goldman Sachs Archon Division.

 

It costs just $2,142 to provide an abused child with an advocate for one year but to abused children, the value of having someone on their side throughout the court process is priceless. The Giving Day total covers the cost of providing volunteer advocates for 51 abused and neglected children. Thank you to everyone who so generously supported our children on this extraordinary day of community philanthropy. 

CHANGING THE WAY WE MANAGE CASEWORK INFORMATION
Dallas CASA this year instituted a new case management system that allows CASA supervisors to spend more time helping abused children. 

    

The recently developed Optima case management system provides us with a single set of case information shared by both advocates and supervisors. It allows supervisors to significantly cut back on the time spent reconciling separate databases and filling out manual reports. So far, about 200 volunteers have begun using Optima, and more come on board every day.

 

It's all part of our goal to help more abused and neglected children in the coming years. If you have questions about using the Optima case management system, please contact your CASA supervisor.

NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Dallas CASA is accepting applications for upcoming volunteer training sessions. The first step toward becoming a CASA volunteer is attending a new volunteer information session. 

 

Upcoming Info Sessions:

 

October 11, 12-1:00 p.m.

October 17, 6-7:00 p.m.

November 1, 12-1:00 p.m. 

 

Register online.  

SAVE THE DATE: CHAMPION OF CHILDREN AWARD DINNER NOV. 5

Coming soon!  

 

The Champion of Children Award Dinner recognizes a community partner for their generous work improving the lives of children in our community. 

 

Honoring
Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones

 

Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013

Ritz-Carlton, Dallas 

 

Honorary Chair
Kay Bailey Hutchison

Event Chairs
Robin and Bill Smith

For information about the 2013 Champion of Children Award Dinner or about event sponsorship opportunities, contact Stacy Lillis at 214-827-9603 x272 or [email protected].

VOLUNTEER HOURS

21,000 volunteer hours advocating for children in court so far in 2013!

 

Submit volunteer hours using Optima.

 

Submit volunteer hours using DallasCASA.org

ABOUT DALLAS CASA

When kids can't speak for themselves, CASA can.  

 

Dallas CASA is a nonprofit organization of community volunteers who serve as voices in court for abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers are trained and supervised to advocate for the best interests of abused children in protective care and to make recommendations that help judges decide what is best for each child. A CASA volunteer is often the one constant during a frightening, uncertain time in a child's life.

Sadly, Dallas CASA serves less than half of the children who need CASA volunteers. You can help. A child is waiting for your voice.

To learn more about helping abused children, please visit dallascasa.org.

facebook Twitter YouTube
CASA and Court Appointed Special Advocates are registered trademarks of the National CASA Association.