CASA at the Capitol | March 2021
CASA- San Antonio Legislative Advocacy Team
Each year during the legislative session CASA advocates from all over the state come together to speak as one for Texas children and families. It is an opportunity for CASA programs and advocates, to share personal stories of advocacy while discussing legislation priorities that can impact the lives of children and families in our communities.
Child Advocates San Antonio has participated in this event in the past, but never before with our own official Legislative Advocacy Team or LAT, headed up by amazing advocate Joan Ulsher working directly with our local lawmakers. Out of 72 CASA programs covering 219 Texas counties, Child Advocates San Antonio became the 39th inaugural LAT to organize at the beginning of this year. The LAT is a combination of staff and volunteer advocates that advocate for children and families on a larger platform year-round. As constituents, we give “perspective” to issues that we face as advocates on a daily basis. Our lawmakers need to hear these stories.
This year, Representative Ina Minjarez, representing District 124 in San Antonio, introduced House Resolution 50 declaring February 17, 2021 as CASA Day at the Capitol. It was a 2-day virtual event at the Capital that unfortunately, due to the 2021 Texas winter storm, most CASA programs all around Texas were forced to cancel their meetings with their local government. Although we could not participate as planned, CASA Day at the Capitol remains important to our CASA network and thus we have rescheduled our local meetings.
We encourage all our CASA advocates in San Antonio to consider how you can be part of this team effort. This will ensure that child welfare remains a priority for our lawmakers and that all voices are heard. You have stories to share during your time as a warrior for these kids. These stories help show the importance of child welfare and CASA’s role in it. Here are a few ways you can get involved.
Check out the Texas CASA Program Portal on legislative advocacy: https://texascasa.org/program-portal/public-policy-legislative-advocacy/
- Watch the 5-part Webinar series on LAT
- Review the resources provided, especially the Legislative Advocacy Guide
- View the Rock the Capitol video event
- Become familiar with the Texas CASA priorities and important Bill’s we are tracking at: https://texascasa.org/what-we-do/leadership-in-public-policy/bill-tracker/
- Speak with your CASA Supervisor and let him/her know of your interest in joining our efforts for the next legislative session.
As we continue to move towards serving 100% of the children in Bexar County, we need more people willing to step up and speak out at the legislative level. Caring about the child welfare system is easy, making a difference takes everyone’s voice!
For more information on how to get involved and join the Legislative Advocacy Team contact Emilio Arriola at earriola@casa-satx.org or call our office at 210-225-7070.
A Message from Child Advocates San Antonio on National CASA/GAL Funding Termination On April 24, 2025, the National CASA/GAL Association announced that its federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice has been terminated. As a result, National CASA is suspending subaward disbursements, training programs, and technical assistance. The organization is actively appealing the decision and assessing what services it can continue to provide during this transition. Info from National CASA can be found here. We understand that this announcement may raise concerns in the community, and we want to provide reassurance and clarity regarding how this news affects Child Advocates San Antonio. First and foremost: There is no impact to our organization or our services. We are fully operational and remain committed to serving the children and families in our community with the same excellence, integrity, compassion, and commitment we have always shown. Here are key facts we want our supporters and the public to know: Our funding remains secure. Child Advocates San Antonio has a diverse and stable funding base that includes a healthy mix of public and private funding. No one funding stream exceeds 50% of our budget. You can access our recent financials HERE. Our stability comes from strong state support and our dedicated Bexar County community, which keeps Child Advocates San Antonio resilient and focused on serving children. We do not receive subawards from National CASA. The suspension of subaward disbursements has no bearing on our funding or ability to operate. Our training programs continue without interruption. Our comprehensive and high-quality Advocate training programs are fully intact. We do not require technical assistance from National CASA. Our team is experienced, well-resourced, and prepared to continue all programming. No cuts, no hiring freezes, no changes to our operations. We remain fully staffed and actively engaged in our mission to advocate for children in foster care. Our commitment to advocating for children in foster care is unwavering, and our services continue as usual. We want to be clear: Child Advocates San Antonio is strong, stable, and here to stay. CASA programs in Texas are strong, independent, and fully committed to children in foster care. While we’re aware of the situation with National CASA/GAL, it doesn’t impact the critical advocacy happening here. Our commitment is clear: we will stand with the children we serve—until they are safe, their voices are heard, and their futures are secure. Our focus, as always, is on advocating for the best interests of children and ensuring they have a voice in court. Public support at all levels, including individuals, ensures we remain strong, regardless of national developments. No matter what, our mission stays the same – every child deserves to be safe, cared for, and have their voice heard. CASA’s mission is as important as ever— children in foster care need advocates who will stand by them. Start your Advocate Journey today!
Brittany Coppage
