Mission (im) Possible

National CASA: Maintaining Contact After "Aging Out"

New Section of National CASA Website Emphasizes Importance of Equity for Children

LVC Reflections

Mission (im)Possible?

When Court Appointed Special Advocate Sara Burns met her most recent teen, the pressure was on.

Judge Jane Carroll was concerned that 17-year-old CASA Volunteer Sara Burns"Alexis" would be turning 18 and leaving foster care in a month. Alexis had been in 17 treatment foster care placements, one for 4 years. Now she was living in a group home. Alexis' court order was about to expire and she needed to leave her group home as soon as she turned 18. Judge Carroll appointed Sara to help Alexis with her transition to independent living.

"I've had three CASA cases since starting as a volunteer. This felt more high stakes," said Sara, Operations and Communication Coordinator of Admission Possible in Milwaukee.

In addition to having only a limited amount of time to find services, Sara discovered at their first visit that Alexis was five months pregnant.

"When I was appointed to help Alexis, I went to the group home to meet with her for the first time. I was surprised when I showed up and she had a solid baby bump," Sara said.

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National CASA: Maintaining Contact After "Aging Out"

This month, National CASA is looking for input from and about our CASA volunteers. Have you maintained contact with a youth you advocated for after she/he aged out of foster care? If so, how? Take our one-question poll here.

New Section of National CASA Website Emphasizes Importance of Equity for Children

A new section of the National CASA website — CASAforChildren.org/Equity—describes their commitment to equity for children and provides resources on topics affecting equity and disproportionality in the child welfare system.

LVC Reflections

By: Zach Reichard

As my volunteer year with Lutheran Volunteer Corps and Kids Matter winds down, I can't help but think back on some of the things I will take with me from this year.

Working at Kids Matter has been an incredible learning experience for me. I had a limited knowledge of child welfare issues before the year started, and while my knowledge of the system has grown, there is still so much more to learn. That learning process is important for everyone involved with children. Knowledge is a powerful tool. I saw it with the passing of the Child Welfare Disclosure Act. That bill was a huge step forward to protecting children in Wisconsin, and it will help ensure proper steps are taken to keep children safe.

In child welfare, the focus is on the negative things that happen to children, with good cause. We need to learn from our mistakes to make sure all children in Milwaukee are kept safe. However, there are many positives that that I saw come out of foster care this year, but many of those stories don't get told. Those stories include families that are reunited and find stability, teenagers going to college instead of ending up on the street, and children getting the services they need.

I saw first hand the difference a Court Appointed Special Advocate can make in the life of a child. These are individuals who have no stake in the lives of these children, yet they want to make a difference. They give of their time and talents to make sure that the best interest of the child is represented. Watching CASA volunteers in action is inspiring.

My coworkers here at Kids Matter have been wonderful. They held my hand as I learned the complexities of child welfare in Milwaukee. I know when I watch them in action that they are genuinely committed to helping make the lives of children in Wisconsin better.

While I most likely will not continue in the field of child welfare as a career, I plan on remaining active and help out in the community I live in. This year has been a great learning opportunity for me and I can't wait to share my knowledge with others in the future.

Zach Reichard 

Current Lutheran Volunteer Corps. Zach Reichard, right, along with Kids Matter Board of Directors member Sharon Keigher meet Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, center, at the Child Welfare Disclosure Act bill signing.

Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, August 25 Lunch and Learn – Signs/ Effects of Sexual Abuse Join us at the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare’s Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 PM at Region 2 (6111 N. Teutonia). Cathy Arney and Luci Staudacher from Pathfinders will be speaking. Bring your lunch and meet us there.