Advocate Spotlight: Brandy Alexander
December Advocate Spotlight
1. How long have you been an Advocate and when did you realize you wanted to become one?
I was sworn in as an advocate and assigned my first case in April 2020.I had heard of the CASA organization many times – college, advertisement at my work place and flyers/commercials. I knew in my heart that I wanted to do it, but I would always think twice if I had the time to dedicate to it. When I started working from home earlier this year and heard of the great need for advocates with the pandemic, I decided it was time to jump in and do my part.
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of being an Advocate?
The most rewarding part of advocacy for me, is seeing positive changes for the kiddos, no matter how big or small. I recently hosted a ZOOM call with their siblings and grandmother living in another city, and seeing the joy on the kids’ faces the entire call was wonderful. Now that CASA is allowing in-person visitation, I have also been loving that time to get to know their personalities and interests even more. While they have been through trying times, the kids are so resilient and that drives me to continue fighting for their best interests.
3. If you could offer some words of encouragement to your fellow and incoming Advocates, what would they be?
Think every day, what you can be doing to advocate for your kids, and then make a real plan to do those things. Holding a full time job, I found it difficult at first to weave CASA advocacy into my every day life. As I started setting aside lunch breaks and evenings and getting my support systems in place, it became easier to keep on track and make progress. Also, don’t get discouraged! There are going to be tough days where you are feeling stuck in addition to the happy ones. If you need to have a good cry or just take a couple days to process everything, that is okay. We have to take care of ourselves to in turn advocate for our kids. Lastly, don’t forget your CASA supervisor is there for you! He/she is always there to provide direction and support.
In September 2024, the department first became involved with a family of five following allegations of substance abuse and medical neglect concerning the mother. Child Protective Investigations (CPI) initially sought to keep the family together by implementing a safety plan with fictive kin—a family the mother and children had met during their stay at Haven for Hope. The hope was that this new placement would provide stability for the children while keeping them safely with someone familiar. For a few weeks, it seemed to be working. But on October 29, 2024, the mother told the fictive kin she was going to retrieve her remaining belongings from Haven for Hope—and never returned. From November 2024 through February 2025, CPS continued its efforts to locate her while supporting the kinship placement and meeting the children’s needs. In January 2025, the kinship placement informed the department that she could no longer care for the youngest child, Ava, due to her severe behavioral needs. Faced with these challenges, the department made the difficult decision to file for removal to provide more comprehensive support for the children and the kinship caregivers. Ava was quickly placed in a foster home in February 2025, while her three brothers remained with fictive kin. Around this time, CASA Staff Advocate JoAnn Herring was assigned to the case. By April 2025, safety concerns prompted the immediate removal of the boys. They were placed in an emergency shelter while the department and JoAnn worked tirelessly to explore placing them with their sister in her foster home. Caring for four children is a big ask, especially for new foster parents, but with support from JoAnn and the department, the foster family rose to the challenge. By May 2025, all four siblings were finally reunited under one roof—a first major victory for this family. Even with the siblings together, challenges remained. The children had significant medical and educational needs. Michael, who had experienced medical neglect while in his mother’s care, was diagnosed with Stage 5 chronic kidney disease, requiring frequent doctor visits, hospital stays, and surgery. During these times, JoAnn visited the hospital regularly, offering support and encouragement to both Michael and his foster parents. JoAnn also worked closely with the department and foster family to ensure the other children—Ava, Mateo, and Leo—received the therapeutic and educational support they needed. Through Collaborative Family Engagement meetings, the team created a comprehensive plan addressing the children’s medical, educational, and therapeutic needs, with the goal of preventing placement disruption and ensuring the foster parents felt supported. Today, all four children are enrolled in school with 504 plans in place, and Michael has access to wrap-around medical services—another major triumph. The foster parents now feel confident in their ability to meet the children’s needs, and if the parents remain disengaged, the case may ultimately move toward termination. While that possibility is heartbreaking, the family has a permanent, loving home ready to care for them. Michael, though still facing significant medical challenges, has a strong team advocating for him every step of the way. This story is still unfolding, but it highlights the power of teamwork, advocacy, and dedication in helping children find stability, care, and hope. It’s a reminder of what can be achieved when community, department staff, and CASA advocates go above and beyond to support children and families in need.
Sol Arena Russo
