Online Tools to Strengthen Advocacy
Learn about online websites and apps that can assist you with your CASA Advocacy. Links and information to each of the online resources can be found here: https://allencountycasa.evrconnect.com/pages/onlin...
Mission: Motherhood. How postpartum depression effects child abuse and neglect.
Local CASA Volunteer and Mission: Motherhood founder, Jennifer Norris-Hale discusses the early and onset stages of postpartum, help for mothers and how postpartum can be an underlying cause for child abuse and neglect. Be sure to look at the files below for more information
Information on maternal mental health and childhood development.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/15/health/maternal-men...
Direct Mission: Motherhood websites:
Mission: Motherhood - Main site
https://www.missionmotherhoodfw.com/
MAMAS - collaboration with Courageous Healing, Inc.
https://www.courageoushealing.org/mamas
Just Between Mothers - collaboration with Associated Churches
https://www.associatedchurches.org/just-between-mo...
Substance Abuse: An Introduction to Substance Abuse as a Disorder (February 19, 2020)
While substance abuse is not a new phenomenon, widespread addiction to opioids has been making headlines across the country. Law enforcement, public health officials, and policy makers are working to stem the tide of overdose deaths and hold accountable those responsible for this nationwide public health crisis. Often overlooked are the tens of thousands of children who are coming into foster care every year as a result of the opioid crisis. Courts are struggling to cope with the influx of cases. Child welfare officials are managing record caseloads and budget shortages.
The goal of this training is to increase understanding of substance use disorder on children who have experienced abuse or neglect and their families so that they are served with a greater amount of knowledge and skill by CASA/GAL volunteers.
Topics covered include:
Presenter’s bio: Sarah Fox, MA Ms. Fox is a Program Associate for the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare at Children and Family Futures. She assists with research and evaluation, technical assistance, and the preparation of products for a national audience. Ms. Fox has over 10 years of extensive experience working in direct clinical practice serving individuals and families with specific settings to include private practice, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, inpatient substance use treatment, state funded community case management services and group living homes, active duty military, forensics, neuroscience research, and diagnostics. Ms. Fox has experience as an Associate Regional Director, Clinical Director, primary therapist and case manager for children, adolescents and adults. She received a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston, Victoria and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Winthrop University.
Advocating for Indian Children: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Role of CASA/GALs (March 17, 2020)
As part of our ongoing commitment to equip staff and volunteer advocates with the skills and knowledge to work with children and families from many cultures and experiences, the National CASA/GAL Association for Children hosted a webinar on ICWA and the role CASA/GAL staff and volunteer advocates can have in advocating for Indian children. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the purpose of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is "...to protect the best interest of Indian Children and to promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and families by the establishment of minimum Federal standards for the removal of Indian children and placement of such children in homes which will reflect the unique values of Indian culture... "(25 U.S. C. 1902). ICWA provides guidance to States regarding the handling of child abuse and neglect and adoption cases involving Native children and sets minimum standards for the handling of these cases.
By being grounded in foundational knowledge on the law, CASA/GALs can be a powerful voice in ICWA cases. Topics covered include:
What makes ICWA so important to CASA/GAL best interest advocacy efforts
Historical perspective of Indian policy decisions
A discussion of ICWA and the role CASA/GAL can play in increasing compliance
Presenter’s bio: Angela Fasana, JD
Ms. Fasana is a member of the Tribal Nation of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and currently serves as the Education Department Manager. Prior to her move the Education Department in October of 2019, she served as Court Administrator for the Grand Ronde Tribal Court for 19 years. The Tribal Court operates the only Tribal CASA Program in Oregon. Ms. Fasana also worked as a Legal Assistant in the Tribal Attorney’s Office for approximately three years, working primarily with the Tribe’s child welfare office and representing the Tribe in Tribal Court on dependency cases. Ms. Fasana received her Bachelor Degree from Portland State University in 1994, and a J.D. from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark in 1997.
How to be Resilient in a Pandemic and Beyond (April 16, 2020)
This webinar is focused on helping people from any background and any community manage the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the health and mental health impacts of social distancing.
The training will change the way participants understand resilience, from the old definition of surviving or “bouncing back” from challenges to a more modern focus on growing through challenges and thriving in the future. Participants will learn proven, practical strategies that they can start using immediately to increase theirresiliency during the pandemic, providing them with both personal and community strengths that will continue to benefit them after the pandemic recedes.
We will examine each of the key scientifically determined domains of resilience: vision, composure, reasoning, health, tenacity and connection. Within each domain, participants will explore both the impacts of the pandemic and key strategies to overcome those impacts. They will experience many of the microtasks that will help increase their strength in each domain.
Microtasks are the best way to train our brains to respond in healthy ways to life’s challenges. The training is grounded in solid emerging science on human development. Modern neuroscience points the way to easy to use strategies that develop and enhance neural pathways to greater well-being.
We will use a variety of activities to help participants understand their current resiliency status and begin the process of enhancing their resiliency.
Presenter’s bio: Michael Piraino, B.A., J.D. and M.Lit., Certified Resilience Coach and Mindfulness Trainer
Michael is an inspirational speaker, nationally recognized nonprofit leader, and a long-time advocate for children. He holds a law degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from Oxford University, and was the national CEO of the National CASA Association for 21 years. After retiring from that position, he pursued new approaches to using contemporary science to help individuals and organizations better manage change, reduce stress, and achieve their goals. After three years of research and development, he founded Resilience for Success to make these new techniques easily available. Piraino is a Certified Resilience Coach and Mindfulness Trainer, with additional training from the International Institute for Restorative Practices. He has provided resiliency trainings ranging from one hour to several days to a variety of groups, including at the Rocky Mountain Restorative Practices conference, the Community Wellbeing and Resiliency Conference in Belgium, and multiple venues in the United States.
Substance Abuse: A Family-centered Approach to Understanding Impact (April 22, 2020)
While substance abuse is not a new phenomenon, widespread addiction to opioids has been making headlines across the country. Law enforcement, public health officials, and policy makers are working to stem the tide of overdose deaths and hold accountable those responsible for this nationwide public health crisis. Often overlooked are the tens of thousands of children who are coming into foster care every year as a result of the opioid crisis. Courts are struggling to cope with the influx of cases. Child welfare officials are managing record caseloads and budget shortages.
The National CASA/GAL Association for Children is hosting a webinar on substance abuse as a disorder. The goal of this training is to increase understanding of substance use disorder (SUD) on children who have experienced abuse or neglect and their families so that they are served with a greater amount of knowledge and skill by CASA/GAL volunteers.
Topics covered include:
Presenter’s bio: Sarah Fox, MA Ms.
Fox is a Program Associate for the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare at Children and Family Futures. She assists with research and evaluation, technical assistance, and the preparation of products for a national audience. Ms. Fox has over 10 years of extensive experience working in direct clinical practice serving individuals and families with specific settings to include private practice, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, inpatient substance use treatment, state funded community case management services and group living homes, active duty military, forensics, neuroscience research, and diagnostics.
Ms. Fox has experience as an Associate Regional Director, Clinical Director, primary therapist and case manager for children, adolescents and adults. She received a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston, Victoria and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Winthrop University.
Access Webinars from National CASA by downloading their catalog.