March Story of Hope: Dorothy & Sheila
Advocate Impact Story
In May of 2018 two young ladies, Dorothy (10) and Sheila (13), were brought into foster care due to neglect by their father. Their mother had sadly passed away and that affected the two girls and their father in ways no one could have imagined. Grief hit the family very hard and they soon found themselves homeless. The father was very overwhelmed and stressed but tried his best to make sure his girls were safe and fed. Unfortunately, he began drinking in excess to help cope with the loss of his wife. He eventually did reach out to CPS for help, as he felt his girls deserved a better life than the one he could provide at that moment.
During the initial interviews with the girls, they expressed to their new caseworker that they would cry themselves to sleep due to having anxiety about their current living situation. They were living in their truck and sometimes would go without food and showers. This led to Sheila being picked on in school because of her appearance and hygiene, which then led her to self-harming.
Dorothy and Sheila were soon placed with relatives and things seemed to be going well. The girls were in counseling, they had endless warm meals, a room to sleep in, and were surrounded by their loved ones; but the girls were still dealing with the loss of their mother and now being away from their father. Sheila started to exhibit some behavioral issues that the family was not equipped to deal with. She unfortunately had to be removed and was placed in a shelter, while CPS searched for more family members or a foster home. Not long after Sheila was moved, Dorothy was also removed from their family and placed in a foster home.
Meanwhile, their father did not successfully make the changes he needed to be reunified with his girls. He decided to sign over his rights in the best interest of his daughters.
They did have an advocate by their side during these changes, Linda Wilson. She was assigned to this case in September 2018. While placed with family, Linda would keep in contact monthly, sometimes weekly, to ensure the placement was a safe and stable one. She worked with the caseworker and Family Tapestry to make sure the best placements were being chosen for the girls. Although the girls have changed placements multiple times, had multiple caseworkers, and have been separated from each other, Linda has been consistently with them through it all. Linda does not miss a holiday or birthday. She would make sure they saw each other and had sibling visits as often as allowed. This experience for them would not have been the same without her.
It has been almost three years from the time they were brought into foster care. They have been separated from each other for years now, only seeing each other during visits and some overnight stays. Finally, CPS found one foster home that would love to adopt both girls. They have now been placed together with a foster family since early February 2021. Sheila and Dorothy are enjoying their new home and look forward to new beginnings.
Although, this chapter in their life has not yet come to an end, everyone involved is still working hard to make sure they have the best outcome possible. The girls can be sure that Linda, their CASA, will do everything in her power to make sure that they have a happy ending.
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
