CASA’s Audit Journey: Building Trust through Continual Improvement

After an extensive process that covered all organizational compliance areas from case files to financials to Board of Directors, Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) is so proud to share our incredible audit results below: 


Policy Compliance - 100 % 

Board of Director’s File Compliance - 100% 

Human Resources File Compliance - 100% 

Case File Compliance - 99% 

Volunteer Advocate File Compliance - 100 % 

 

We are thrilled that our hard work and commitment shines through in these audit results from Texas CASA, and we cheer this amazing success! Over this extensive audit, we had zero compliance findings and zero follow-up action items. 

 

Employees, donors, and our community can trust in the accuracy of our audit findings and our demonstrated commitment to positive change. We recognize that this audit was not just a one-time event but part of a continuous cycle of improvement. 


We are on a journey of assessment, adaptation, and growth. We measure our progress, celebrate our successes, identify new areas for improvement and create action plans for excellence. 

The extensive internal audit processes we began two years ago have proven to be a vital tool in enhancing our organization's performance and integrity. We remained focused our commitment to excellence in achieving our mission, while maintaining transparency and building credibility. The drive of continual improvement, driven by the results of our audits, allows us to move forward with confidence, knowing that we are on a path of sustained success. 

A Journey to Excellence

By Angela Kester, VP of Quality Assurance and HR, CASA 


Over two years ago, CASA embarked on a challenging and rewarding journey. We began preparation for an extensive triennial audit of our organization's operations by Texas CASA. As the Vice President of Quality Assurance, my mission was to ensure that our business processes were not only efficient and compliant but also capable of fostering a culture of trust and excellence within our organization. 

The scope of the audit was vast, encompassing a wide range of topics that would significantly impact our certification, funding, and reputation. We began with an assessment of our organization's compliance to identify areas to strengthen and found that CASA overall was 71% with existing standards from Texas and National CASA. Our entire organization collaborated to achieve compliance. Over the next 2 years, we created, or strengthened, 35 organizational policies and plans in collaboration with our Board of Directors. We established a rhythm of internal peer-to-peer audits for case and volunteer files and tracked those metrics monthly. I met with each department’s Vice President monthly to assess and strategize about compliance and metrics related to their department. 

The list of topics under the audit's purview was extensive and included: 


Advocacy: Thoroughly reviewing case and volunteer files to assess best practice in advocacy, coaching, and documentation in alignment with our mission. 


Risk Management: Identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities, evaluating our risk management strategies, and recommending improvements to mitigate potential threats. 


Compliance and Governance: Ensuring that our organization adhered to all relevant laws and regulations, and that our Board of Director structure supports ethical decision-making. 


Financial Operations: A thorough examination of our financial statements, transactions, and controls to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance with regulatory standards. 


Process Efficiency: Analyzing our operational workflows and recommending process improvements to enhance efficiency. 


Information Security: Assessing the security of our data and IT systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and recommending measures to safeguard sensitive information. 


Human Resources: Evaluating our HR (Human Resources) policies, recruitment and training processes, and employee satisfaction levels to ensure a healthy and productive work environment. 


Quality Control: Examining our product and service quality standards and recommending enhancements to ensure consistent high-quality delivery. 


Social Responsibility: Auditing our social responsibility initiatives, such as diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, Trauma-Informed Care, and community engagement to align with our values. 


As the audit approached, our team focused on transparency as we evaluated data trends. We pivoted to accommodate the new Texas Administrative Code (TAC) and Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC) requirements that were added frequently to our audit cycle's scope. We strived to demonstrate CASA’s values of excellence, integrity, commitment, and compassion throughout the audit process. 


We became the first local CASA program in the country to achieve national Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) certification during our audit preparation period and we incorporated TIC principles into our audit preparation process.

 

I conducted mock audits with many employees to encourage and equip them during their audit preparation. Volunteer advocate supervisors trained and supported our volunteer advocates as they committed to excellent documentation on their cases. We measured internally that our compliance was at least 97%, a 26% improvement from our initial assessment of 71% compliance at the beginning of our journey. Our fearless leader, President and CEO Angela White, addressed potential audit anxiety by modeling and frequently encouraging compassion for our colleagues during the audit preparation. 


Our audit was completed in September of 2023. The audit included: 

  • 18 randomly selected case files 
  • 12 randomly selected volunteer files 
  • 6 randomly selected employee files 
  • 12 months of board meeting minutes with attachments 
  • 3 months of bank statements 
  • Over 100 policy, plan, and organizational documents 

 

Interviews included the: 

  • Board Chair, Kevin Moore 
  • Board Treasurer, Matthew Barnfield 
  • President/CEO, Angela White 
  • Each Vice President 
  • Program Staff 

 

Moving forward, our work towards CASA’s mission continues, bolstered by the tangible results we created and the trust we have built. As the Vice President of Quality Assurance, my role is to ensure that the audit process remains an integral part of our organizational culture. By fostering an environment where employees have clear expectations and understand the importance of audits in our pursuit of continual improvement, we guarantee a bright and sustainable future for CASA. 

Meet Our Staff Advocates!

June 17, 2026
Pictured, left to right, JoAnn, Yvonne, Lorena, Mackenzie, Michelle, Stephanie, and Dan At CASA, our vision is to serve every child in foster care with a dedicated advocate. While an incredible volunteer serves most children, our new team of Staff Advocates helps expand our capacity to serve children with extremely challenging cases. Staff Advocates help fill critical gaps by taking on cases that often require more intensive coordination and support. These may include larger sibling groups, children with multiple placements, cases connected to specialty courts, or youth placed outside of Bexar County, sometimes even in other cities or states. By supporting these more complex situations, Staff Advocates ensure that children still receive consistent advocacy and attention when additional time or specialized support is needed. Our team includes six Staff Advocates and one Team Lead, all trained employees who work directly with children and families involved in the child welfare system. Thanks to funding from Bexar County and the John R. & Greli N. Less Charitable Trust , the Staff Advocate program has served 126 children in the past year who might not otherwise have had CASA’s brand of consistent, caring advocacy. We are also delighted to announce funding from National CASA/GAL Association to partially support the program in the coming year. In addition to their casework, our Staff Advocates support the Recruitment Department by helping raise awareness about advocacy opportunities in the community. Because they work directly with children and the court system, they bring valuable, real-life insight into what advocacy truly looks like. Staff Advocates have joined the recruitment team at several community events, including Coffee Shop Info Sessions, Comic Con, Faith-based markets, and National Night Out. At these events, they answer questions, share their experiences, and help potential volunteers better understand what it means to advocate for a child in foster care. They bring a firsthand perspective full of authenticity and impact for those considering becoming CASA volunteers. Impact in the Community During our past fiscal year starting July 2025, our Staff Advocates have served 126 children, including 23 children who were placed outside of Bexar County. Since its inception in January 2025, the team’s work has contributed to several meaningful outcomes for children and youth, including: 6 successful reunifications with parents , impacting 16 children 2 adoptions , providing permanent homes for 4 children 2 permanency placements for long-term care , supporting 4 children 1 successful transition into adulthood , where a young person is now attending college, employed, and living independently in her own apartment 6 college-bound students supported These outcomes reflect the dedication and commitment our Staff Advocates bring to every case they serve. Thank you, Staff Advocate Team! If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA advocate or attending an upcoming information session, we invite you to connect with our Recruitment Team and discover how you can make a difference in a child’s life.

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate Michelle

June 8, 2026
Harrison came into care in January 2021 due to abuse and neglect in the home. The department attempted to implement a few safety plans but to no avail. Ultimately, the parents were unable and unwilling to provide him with a safe and stable home environment, and Harrison was placed into foster care. In June 2025, Staff Advocate, Michelle, was assigned to the case, and he was living with his aunt in Laredo, TX. From day one, Michelle has been dedicated to getting to know Harrison, establishing rapport, and building trust. She would take the time to listen to him and get to know his likes and interests. When she first met him, he was timid and shy but as he gained confidence and became more comfortable, he started to open up to Michelle. He started advocating for himself, asking for a new charger for his laptop to do his schoolwork and started to disclose more important topics such as sensitive issues he was facing with his family. In October 2025, while Michelle was heading to Laredo to visit Harrison, he called her to let her know that he was no longer allowed back into his aunt’s home. There was a placement breakdown happening due to a verbal/physical altercation with his aunt and other family members, and his aunt gave notice to the department that day. Upon arrival at Laredo, Michelle immediately called Harrison’s case worker and attorney to let them know what had just transpired. Due to Harrison being 18 and not officially in extended care, Michelle was met with some pushbacks; however, she persevered and asked what his options were, if any, and how we could help him. Harrison’s team worked together and was able to get the extended care paperwork drafted and completed and Michelle was able to brainstorm with Harrison to find him a temporary home with a close friend until his caseworker could bring him back to San Antonio. Michelle took Harrison to his aunt’s so he could pack his belongings and stay with his friend temporarily. Michelle was so thankful that she could be there for him in his time of need. A few days later, Harrison was back in San Antonio. Harrison is currently thriving in his Supervised Independent Living (SIL) placement and is on track to graduate high school in May. He has plans to attend college for Cosmetology. He has had a tremendous change in his overall mood and is coming into his own as a confident young adult. When asked by Michelle how he feels being at his current placement, his response was “safe” and that’s all Michelle needed to hear to know she was making a positive impact.
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