Welcome to the Buzz, CASA/LA’s hub for volunteer news, upcoming events, resources, and more! View a summary of the page’s contents below and feel free to click to jump down to the section that is most relevant to you. The Buzz is updated monthly and each month’s highlights can be delivered straight to your inbox.
If you have any questions about the Buzz or anything else CASA/LA-related, please reach out to Isabel Bloom, our manager of volunteer relations. Thanks for being an advocate!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWS
TRAINING
CONNECTION
YOUTH RESOURCES
SUPPORT CASA/LA
KEY GUIDES / LINKS
NEWS
Youth Events at the AV Hub 1/21 (Art) and 1/28 (DMV Study)
Save the Date: Glamour Gowns & Suit Up (3/14–16, 2025)
CASA of Los Angeles through Glamour Gowns and Suit Up (GGSU) offers free brand-new formal wear to hundreds of teenagers in the Los Angeles foster care system who might otherwise not have access. Our annual event allows young people to create cherished memories for events like proms and graduations.
With over 20,000 children in foster care in LA County, the need for this offering is great. For more than 20 years, CASA/LA & GGSU has supported thousands of young individuals, providing not just attire but also crucial emotional support, boosting self-esteem and confidence.
More information to come, but please mark you calendars for this awesome event!
Fire Recovery Resources, Training, Mental Health Support & More
Resources:
Training:
- UCLA Pritzker Training Recording is available here (Supporting Children, Strengthening Communities: Professional Skills for Talking About Wildfires Together)
Emotional Support:
- View flyer on protecting emotional wellbeing here
- Free Somatic Anchoring Workshops: Lumos Resiliency Trainin is currently providing free somatic anchoring workshops designed to support those impacted by recent wildfires and those experiencing stress related to the inauguration. The workshops will be held via Zoom on the following dates:
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January 16th at 6:00 PM
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January 19th at 4:00 PM
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January 21st at 4:00 PM
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Learn more and register here.
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Save the Date: 13th Reimagine Gala (5/2, 2025)
Hopefully you have already marked your calendar for May 2, 2025 for our 13th Annual Gala at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel! In the meantime, we are looking for eager volunteers to join our Auction and Gala committee. If you love to raise money and find fun items for our auction, please consider joining one of our event committees. Click here. And of course, if you or your company would like to sponsor the gala, we’d love to hear from you. Click here to learn more.
Mandatory Continuing Education Guidelines & New System for CASAs
CASA volunteers are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each year to support their advocacy. We have launched a new system for tracking continuing education (CE) entirely in Litmos.
Click here to view the recording of the In-Service Training – CASA CE 101: Requirements, Tracking, and Logging Hours. This recording will provide an overview of everything you need to know about the new system AND it will count towards your continuing education hours.
If you need more background information, help logging into Litmos, or have other questions, please review the following guide documents:
CASA Volunteer "Suggestion Box" is Live!
Monthly CASA Crush
Since 2021, Claudia has completed a whopping eight EH cases. Every detail of each case sticks with her but there are a few stories that stand out in her memory. Most recently, she created EH reports for two brothers and by the time she finished both reports, she felt that she had bonded so much with both boys, just by reading their casefiles. Claudia felt really motivated to help them, especially because she could “… see how the older brother was going by the wayside and was struggling with relationships and trust.” She hoped that they would ultimately be able to be placed together. The older brother now has a traditional CASA who is working with a prospective adoptive parent for both boys. The traditional CASA shared that the EH report was incredibly helpful as she got familiarized with the case. The EH role can be quite solitary, so Claudia really appreciates it when she hears that others are benefiting from the reports.
Thinking more about the challenges of being an EH CASA, Claudia shared that the limited role is what she signed up for, but it tugs at her more than she thought it would. She explained she doesn’t get to linger too long on each case as soon she’ll be on to “…a new case and someone else who needs me to help tell everyone on the case what’s going on. It’s such a daunting task for the high turnover CSWs as they review the huge pile of paperwork and skim over details. If we can crystallize the truths for these children, I feel that we’ve done a service.” She also mentioned that staying strength-based is a constant effort. Claudia has to regularly check in with herself to see if she’s writing from a place of bias. Her supervisor Chandler is always there to keep her grounded and help her figure out how to phrase things. Claudia will often remind herself what she learned in training: “… imagine your child reading what you’re writing when they’re an adult. What would you want them to know about themselves? How can you not hide the truth but not demonize them either?” She also mentioned that, with time, she feels like she’s getting more accustomed to thinking and writing in a strength-based way.
Claudia finds that many of the skills that she has built as an EH CASA are applicable to her daily life.She finds that she is now able to take a step back and be more objective in her family relationships. It’s not a benefit that she expected but it’s a helpful perspective shift. Claudia continues to come back to take on more cases because she can tell that, at CASA/LA, other people are putting just as much effort into the same cause. She wants to be a part of a team and everyone at CASA has fulfilled that need.
Thanks so much, Claudia, for the hard work, dedication, and positivity that you bring to the CASA/LA community!
Nominate a CASA Crush
TRAINING
Upcoming In-Service Trainings
Other Trainings & Resources
Sign Up for an IEP Consultation
We are limited to 3 time slots per month. In order to reserve an appointment, you must have all your youth’s available education records for the last two years, including at very least the most recent IEP as well as any assessments. These documents this will provide the attorney with the information needed to make thorough assessments regarding your case. Once all 3 time slots are filled we will begin a waitlist.
Determining the Severity - Levels of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Jan 23rd 2025
Where: Virtual or in-person in Baton Rouge
Who should attend: This free training is applicable to foster care attorneys, juvenile justice attorneys, state and federal public defenders, disability rights attorneys, social workers, psychologists, legal aid attorneys, and pro-bono attorneys handling capital cases at the trial level and appeal level. Attendees may choose to participate in person or by Zoom.
- Lawyers licensed in Louisiana will be eligible for 4 hours of CLE
- This program is approved for 4 general contact hours by NASW-LA as authorized by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners
- Approved for 4 hours of continuing professional development for Louisiana Licensed Psychologists by the Louisiana Psychological Association
Details:
This one day training will include the following learning objectives:
Recognize the Indicators of FASD
- Learn about screening processes for identifying FASD.
- Understand the concept of “They can see you, but you cannot see them” in the context of FASD.
Address Stigma in Maternal Alcohol History
- Explore strategies to overcome stigma associated with obtaining a birth mother’s alcohol history.
Improve Diagnostic Competence
- Develop skills to properly recognize FASD.
- Understand the importance of early screening and accurate diagnosis.
Enhance Outcomes for Individuals with FASD
- Learn about disability services, special education resources, and mental health treatment to support individuals with FASD.
- Understand the role of early intervention in improving long-term outcomes.
Collaborate with Experts for Evaluation
- Identify the types of professionals needed to evaluate clients for FASD.
Understand FASD in Legal Contexts
- Examine why FASD should be considered a mitigating factor in all criminal cases, including the death penalty.
Comprehend the Severity of FASD as a Developmental Disability
- Understand why FASD is classified as a severe developmental disability.
- Learn the equivalence between FASD and intellectual disabilities.
Interpret IQ and Adaptive Behavior in FASD
- Explore why IQ scores are often misleading in the context of FASD.
- Understand the significance of adaptive behavioral skills and why they are often low in individuals with FASD.
Educate Stakeholders on FASD
- Learn effective methods to educate juries and other stakeholders about FASD and its implications.
Click here to learn more and register
Upcoming JCART Trainings on Policy and Trauma
Legislative and Policy Updates
Online Event: January 21, 2025
12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Location: Zoom for Government
Program Judicial Council staff will host a virtual training provided through a contract with the Children’s Law Center of California titled Legislative and Policy Updates. This presentation will cover important legislation and policy changes from 2024 that impact dependency practice.
To register, click here.
The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC): Does It Get Easier?
Online Event: January 27, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom for Government
Please join us for a review and moderated panel discussion of the most common issues affecting the placement of children through the ICPC with the California Department of Social Services, the Shasta County ICPC coordinator, Hon. Zeke Zeidler from the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, and Julia Hanagan, an attorney for children and parents. After this training, participants will be able to identify the ICPC regulations that apply in different circumstances, distinguish between a visit and placement, and ask questions to determine how to make the placement of a child out of state a smooth transition.
To register, click here.
Trauma 101
Online Event: February 07, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Location: Zoom for Government
Trauma is one of the most significant challenges to social support service systems. Neglect, abuse, and traumatic events cause insecure attachments, developmental delays, and very real physical and mental health consequences in individuals. And, when individuals are impacted on a grand scale, our communities, agencies, and systems suffer as well. Trauma-informed systems change gives us the knowledge, skills, and power we need to overcome trauma and create sustainable change. This is the first in a three-part series on trauma, those interested are encouraged to attend all three but not required to do so. As a foster care and juvenile justice survivor, Shenandoah Chefalo speaks from a unique perspective, combining her lived experience and 20+ years of professional expertise as a trauma-informed systems change specialist. To register, click here.
Sign up for 1:1 Regional Center Support
Click here to request a consultation or contact Caroline Christ with any questions.
Online Resources from the Foster Together Network
Learn more and view all available resources here.
Create an account and view resource library here.
Connection
CASA Connections
CASA Connection: Let's Come Together Amidst Fire Recovery
What: An informal space for CASAs and staff to connect and hold space for each other during this difficult time.
Where: Zoom
General CASA Connection
When: Tuesday, February 4th at 5:30pm
Where: Zoom
Book Groups
San Fernando Valley Book Group
Where: CASA’s Home in SFV
We’re Reading: Push: A Novel by Sapphire
RSVP: Contact Renne Bilson (rj******@ao*.com)
* Space is limited to those with completed Covid-19 vaccinations
Coastline Book Group
Where: At a CASA’s home in Santa Monica
We’re Reading: “The Warmth of Other Suns,” by Isabel Wilkerson
RSVP: contact Jeanne Irving (ji*****@ad************.org)
*Space is limited to those with completed COVID-19 vaccines.
Youth Resources
New Resources
Push for Peace Program for Youth Ages 15-24
This program equips youth with tools and presenets classes on topics related to emotional intelliigence, conflict resolution, and financial literacy.
UCLA Football Community Relations Games - Fall 2024
The UCLA Athletics Community Relations program was developed to foster mentoring relationships between UCLA Athletics and youth in the surrounding community. By providing children with the opportunity to experience a glimpse of college life, the program aspires to build positive relationships and motivate young people to achieve in school and life. To this end, Bruin coaches, student-athletes and staff members have been busy interacting in the community and speaking as UCLA ambassadors through our outreach programs, detailed below. Learn more about which program your youth may qualify for here.
Ongoing Resources
Baby2Baby: Resources for Pregnant or Parenting Youth and Young Children
Talk with your advocate supervisor about requesting diapers/wipes and other baby supplies through CASA/LA from Baby2Baby. All orders must be placed by CASA/LA staff.
If your CASA youth is expecting and at least 6 months pregnant, please speak with your Advocate Supervisor about requesting a Welcome Baby basket.
Calkids Money for College Starting at Birth
Comprehensive Education Toolkit
For Goodness Cakes: Treats for Youth Birthdays and Graduations
For Goodness Cakes is a collective of professional bakers who volunteer to make cakes for youth facing adversity. They’d love to make a cake for your CASA youth! See their FAQ part 1 here and FAQ part 2 here. Reach out to your advocate supervisor to ask them to request a cake for your youth.
Free Admission to Kidspace Children's Museum
Tickets must be reserved ahead of time by using the link below. Upon arrival, all CASAs must show their CASA ID in order to enter.
Museum Hours:
Monday to Sunday – 10am to 5pm
Any Questions, Contact Isabel Bloom
Free Custom Singing Stuffed Animals for Children in Foster Care
A Home Within: Free Therapy for CASA Youth
A Home Within – CASA Therapy Project is a collaboration with A Home Within and CASA of Contra Costa County. CASA youth are eligible for free teletherapy services if they are ages 12-24 and have mild/moderate mental health needs.
For more information, click here.
Please share the referral form and youth flier with your youth’s CSW.
Language Line
Use Language Line to speak with monolingual individuals on your case. Call in to the service to request an interpreter for the language that you need (out of 290+ language options), or seek help determining the language for which you require translation. View this guide document for call-in instructions.
Networking Opportunity for Women in the Arts
The Southern California Women’s Caucus for Art is a networking organization for women in the arts. They offer a broad range of events, opportunities, and programs including exhibitions, activism, and community building.
They are currently accepting new members and would like to invite any CASA youth who’s interested in art and would like to connect with other women sharing the same passion. The membership fee for one year is $75; however, they have scholarships available which would cover the membership fee.
For questions or to join, please contact Cathy Engle-Marder (SCWCA Memberships Director).
Paid Mental Health Survey for Black Trans Youth
Pick up a Handmade Quilt for your Youth
Refer a Young Person to Specialized DCFS LGBTQIA+ Services
Support casa/la
Buy a perfectwhitetee "you are perfect." Sticker to Support CASA/LA
Become a Monthly Donor
Monthly donations are crucial to buffering our organization from the ups and downs of life, ensuring that there is no lull in service to the youth we serve.
Help us sustain our transformational programs through a monthly gift.
Continue Holiday Giving with the Ultimate Advocate Challenge
Tomorrow is the Last Day of the Ultimate Advocate Giving Tuesday Fundraising Challenge to win a championship belt. Don’t miss your chance to show your competitive spirit by creating a fundraising page and compete to see who can rally the most support! The top fundraiser will earn the title of “2024 CASA/LA Ultimate Advocate” and take home a custom WWE-style championship belt.
More Ways to Give
- Make a donation in lieu of gifts to friends, colleagues and/or clients and receive holiday cards. Details coming soon.
- Use your Ralphs Rewards Card to earn donations for CASA/LA.
- Donate your car, boat, RV, or motorcycle with Helping Hands Charity Services.
- Host a community drive.
- Consider CASA/LA in your planned giving.
- Invite others to become CASA volunteers.
Key guides & links
Litmos: Access Past Trainings
Our AV Community Hub is Open!
- Location: 1202 W Ave J, Lancaster, CA, 93536
- Hours: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
ETO: CASA/LA's Database
Court Report Writing Resources
Emotional Support for CASAs
Grief Resources
Volunteer Handbook
CASA Shop
Our CASA Shop will have you looking good and supporting our cause all at once. It’s a win win!
