COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT

COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASAS) ARE MATCHED WITH A FOSTER CHILD, ADVOCATING FORTHEM DURING THEIR CASE. CASAS PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS TO THE CHILD WELFARE JUDGE, AND MAKE SURE FOSTER CHILDREN HAVE THE MEDICAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND SERVICES THEY NEED.ABRIGO ADVOCATES IS A PREVENTION-ORIENTED PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHONEED EXTRA HELP. ABRIGOS PROVIDE PRACTICAL RESOURCES, CONNECTION, AND ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE UNHOUSED, IN KINSHIP GUARDIANSHIP PLACEMENTS, COULD BENEFIT FROM AN EXTRA SAFE ADULT IN THEIR CORNER, OR HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. ABRIGOS ALSO PROVIDE A WAY FOR CASAS TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO FOSTER CHILDREN AFTER THEIR CASE CLOSES.YOUTH AMBASSADORS PROVIDES VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY, AND LEADERSHIP BUILDING FOR YOUNGPEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM ARE CLIENTS. YOUTH AMBASSADORS PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLBUILDING WORKSHOPS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THE YA PROGRAM PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR YOUTH, BUILDING EMPATHY FOR PEERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HARDSHIPS.ALL THREE PROGRAMS GREW AND WE SERVED MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THIS YEAR. IN ADDITION TO BROADENING SUPPORTS FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WE OPENED A SATELLITE OFFICE IN ESPANOLA "CASITA DEL VALLE" TO BETTER SERVE FAMILIES IN THE REGION.HIGHLIGHTS OF FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 INCLUDE: 115 CHILDREN HAD A CASA ADVOCATE, (TOTAL CLIENTS SERVED WAS A 16% INCREASE FROM LASTYEAR) 47 CHILDREN HAD AN ABRIGO ADVOCATE (A 34% INCREASE) 40 YOUTH AMBASSADORS (A 33% INCREASE) 202 INFANTS, CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN ALL PROGRAMS 183 UNIQUE CLIENTS (19 YOUTH AMBASSADORS ARE ALSO CLIENTS) WE HOSTED 3 VOLUNTEER TRAINING CLASSES, (2 CASA TRAININGS, 1 ABRIGO TRAINING) WE SWORE IN 20 NEW CASA VOLUNTEERS CASA VOLUNTEERS WROTE AND FILED 210 COURT REPORTS AND ATTENDED 248 CHILD WELFARE COURT HEARINGS CASA ADVOCATES CONTRIBUTED A TOTAL OF 4078 VOLUNTEER HOURSWE ALSO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF OUR ADVOCACY THROUGH AN ANNUAL OUTCOMES QUESTIONNAIRE THAT OUR CASAS AND ABRIGO ADVOCATE CLIENTS COMPLETE. SOME MEASURES WE TRACK INCLUDE THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ARE SAFER BY VIRTUE OF THEIR ADVOCACY (92%), PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE A CARING ADULT IN THEIR LIVES (85%), PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN IN WHICH THEY ADVOCATED FOR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS (85%), AND PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN IN WHICH THEY ADVOCATED FOR THE EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS (93%) ON THEIR CASE.OUR ABRIGO CLIENTS ARE ALSO SURVEYED FOR FEEDBACK. LAST YEAR, 100% OF OUR CLIENTS REPORTED THAT BY VIRTUE OF HAVING AN ABRIGO ADVOCATE, THEY HAD A STRONGER SUPPORT SYSTEM.