Advocate Impact: Greg Bowman
June Story of Hope
Written By: Cristal Olivera, Greg's Advocate Supervisor
When it was time for him to be discharged, she stated that she could no longer handle his behavior and wanted CPS to take custody.
Greg Bowman has been an Advocate with CASA since July of 2018 and Jason’s case is the first he has been assigned to. When I first met Greg, I noticed immediately his easy-going personality and his great sense of humor. It was obvious that he was going to be a valuable addition to CASA. I showed Jason’s case to Greg and he chose it without hesitation, realizing right away that this is a child that needed to have someone on his side. The first thing Greg did was set up a home visit to meet Jason and within a week, he had visited Jason twice in the foster home and also took him out to San Antonio Threads so that Jason could pick out some new clothes. Greg reached out to all of the parties involved, including Jason’s adoptive mother who made it very clear that she no longer wanted to be involved with Jason and that her intention was to relinquish her rights. Although Jason was not made aware of this right away, he was showing signs that he was upset and confused, wondering why he was not having visits or hearing from his mom. When his mom relinquished her rights at the 60 day status hearing, Greg was very concerned about Jason and how this would impact him. He was involved in discussions with the therapist and caseworker to determine the best way to break the news to Jason.
Once his mom relinquished her rights, Greg knew that it was imperative for Jason to maintain contact with the only other family that he had, his sister. Greg reached out to Jason’s sister’s CPS caseworker to inquire about sibling visits. His sister had previously been removed from the same adoptive home and was placed at a residential treatment center in Houston. In January of this year, Greg took Jason to Houston so that he could have a visit with his sister at the zoo. When Greg found out that Jason was very behind in reading, he advocated in his court report for Jason to get a tutor and Judge Garcia agreed this was important and recommended that the CPS caseworker request tutoring through the PMC court liaison. Greg was persistent in following up with the caseworker and PMC court liaison to ensure that the tutoring service began and continued. Greg recently met with the school to review Jason’s academic progress and Jason’s reading level has significantly improved since the beginning of the year, thanks to the tutoring and Greg who strongly advocated for it. Greg wanted to get Jason involved in an extra-curricular activity, knowing that it would be a good way to relieve stress and also improve his self-esteem. Greg was able to connect Jason with a YMCA basketball league and then helped out the foster parents by taking Jason weekly to most of his practices and games.
When Greg found out that Jason was very behind in reading, he advocated in his court report for Jason to get a tutor and Judge Garcia agreed this was important...
One of the most vital duties of our Advocates is to help find permanency. Jason is currently in a foster home, but because they are not interested in adoption, the search for his next forever family continues. As soon as the legal case was transferred to the adoption unit, Greg began asking about when Jason would be put on Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) and reminded the caseworker about it until it was done. Jason was fortunate enough to be chosen to be featured in KSAT’s “Hope for A Home” segment which was aired in April. (This can be viewed at https://www.ksat.com/news/hope-for-a-home-meet-jason ) Greg helped with this process, coordinating with other agencies involved and taking Jason to the preliminary meetings. Greg also accompanied Jason when he had the opportunity to tour the Ken5 news station and meet some of the news anchors.
Greg has been a constant support for Jason in these past nine months and he has demonstrated that Jason can count on him for anything he needs. Although the road to finding permanency for Jason may be long, he is very fortunate to have Greg by his side, always believing in him and reminding him to never give up hope.
In April 2023, Child Protective Services received a referral reporting that two sisters, ages 15 and 16, were being held at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center following a family altercation. Mother informed the department that she did not have a place for the girls to be released, and they were subsequently placed in an emergency shelter. Mother was asked if she would attend the court hearing and stated that she would not. Although both sisters were released to Mother from the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center, Mother refused to pick them up. There were no relatives or family friends willing to provide placement for the girls, and Mother stated that she wanted to voluntarily sign over her parental rights. Stephanie was assigned as the CASA Staff Advocate in May 2025. By this time, both sisters had experienced multiple placements. The older sister was 18 years old, enrolled in College Docket, and preparing to graduate from high school. The younger sister was 17 years old and residing at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center. Although the sisters were on different paths, they remained emotionally connected and struggled with maintaining contact due to their circumstances. CASA attended the older sister’s high school graduation and the graduation celebration that followed. CASA assisted her with completing all required paperwork and testing necessary for college enrollment. Additionally, CASA supported her in moving into her first apartment, helping her get settled and navigate the challenges of early adulthood. While the younger sister was residing at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center, CASA met with her shortly after assignment and introduced herself. The younger sister was later transferred to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). CASA continued to maintain contact despite challenges related to TJJD policies and procedures. CASA established a positive and consistent point of contact, worked to understand TJJD visitation processes, gathered relevant information, maintained communication with the youth, and actively worked to schedule sibling visitation. CASA has remained a consistent and reliable support system for the older sister as she transitions into adulthood. The youth frequently contacts CASA for guidance and assistance with everyday questions, and CASA continues to provide support. The older sister is currently passing all of her college courses, earning straight A’s, and is actively seeking employment. For the younger sister, CASA remains in close communication with TJJD case managers. CASA provides ongoing support through in-person visits every three months and monthly video calls. CASA is also gathering clothing, legal documentation, and preparing a comprehensive resource packet to support the younger sister upon her release. Through every challenge this case brings, Stephanie will stand beside these sisters, offering unwavering support and encouragement as they discover their strength and reach their full potential.
Joy Varner
