Story of Hope: Joan Ulsher
February Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Joan's Advocate Supervisor
On November 29, 2018, Joan signed on to a case involving four teenagers ranging in ages of 17, 16, 14, and 13. The 16 year old also had a young toddler. The children were removed from their home due to drug use and sexual abuse. The oldest child, Alex, had assaulted his youngest sister Sarah, and when it was clear that the mother, who was also a very heavy meth user, and close relatives were not protective of Sarah,
the children were removed. They had not been enrolled in school and were living in what can only be described as a temporary shed. The children had also had limited contact with their father.
During the time she has been on this case, she has worked over 1,075 hours and has driven over 10,000 miles. Joan dedicated herself to making a big impact on these kids. All the children had been in and out of multiple schools as well as having complete gaps where they were not enrolled in school. Joan took it upon herself to contact 32 schools and 10 different school districts. All had repeated at least 2 grades, sometimes more. Each child had been absent at least 645 times in the history of their school career. She began to create educational portfolios for all the children so that their educational needs could be met. Since the children have been in care, she has made herself a regular visitor at their schools, even those in different parts of Texas, and checks in on them at least weekly. The children’s teachers and administrators know her by name and know they can come to her for support or ideas to help the children. She has advocated for ARD’s, tutoring, Grade Placement evaluations, credit recovery courses, and Starr Intervention classes. Joan also has taken two of the teenagers on college tours and helped them meet the qualifications so they could receive laptops.
"Joan took it upon herself to contact 32 schools and 10 different school districts... she has made herself a regular visitor at their schools, even those in different parts of Texas, and checks in on them at least weekly."
Unfortunately,
Alex aged out of care and did not graduate high school.
Abigail (16 year old) resides in a home designed for teenage mothers to be able to parent their children while receiving parenting classes, and therapy. She is attending school and currently on the path of aging out. Joan is beginning to collect all information on independent living placements to ensure
Abigail knows all of her options.
James, the 14 year old, is doing well. He is involved in basketball at this placement and is thriving. He wants to attend college and is currently maintaining a relationship with a friend’s mom who could possibly be placement for him in the future.
Sarah is thriving in a structured environment and will soon be placed with her paternal grandparents. Mom has not worked any services and it is very unlikely the children will ever be able to return to her. The department and Joan have spent countless hours searching through the file, speaking with the parents, and children to find family connections. Since Joan cultivated her relationship with the father, she was able to get the paternal grandparents' names, which should end in permanency for one, and possibly more of the children.
Joan has spent countless hours building a bond with each child. They slowly opened up to her and spoke very fondly of their siblings. She began to see how important their connection was. Joan started to coordinate with four different placements so that the children could meet at least once a month to maintain that sibling bond. She would drive from one side of the state to the other so they could visit, even if it was just for a day. Joan cultivated their bond and supported it. She ensured after every move that the contact information and phone lists were updated and provided so the children were never without the support of each other.
"She would drive from one side of the state to the other so they could visit, even if it was just for a day."
Joan is dedicated to helping the children make positive connections with teachers, therapists, caseworkers, and peers. She has strived for normalcy by advocating for these children to participate in age appropriate events. Joan has been a constant presence of support and has been there when the children have moved and checked in with them daily to see how they were adjusting during 6 different placement changes.
She fiercely advocates for the children’s best interest in school, placement, and court. She has earned the respect from the caseworker and ad litem, even if they do not always agree. The caseworker and attorney have both expressed to CASA staff how lucky the children are to have this advocate and how she is willing to do anything to help.
Help us provide more Advocates like Joan who are willing to go above and beyond to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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Emily Benedict: Championing College Dreams for Youth in Care Emily Benedict has always believed deeply in the power of higher education and has a passion for making college access a reality—especially for youth in foster care. When she expressed interest in taking on a second CASA case, she was clear about her goal: she wanted to work with a youth on the college docket, helping them navigate the complex path toward applying to and enrolling in college. In August of last year, Emily was matched with a 16-year-old youth living at Connections in New Braunfels. The teen had spent several years in care, with her parents’ rights terminated and a previous kinship placement having broken down. Though she had two siblings, she was no longer in contact with them. From their first meeting, a strong connection grew between Emily and her youth—especially during a Clifton Strengths event hosted at CASA. As the school year kicked off, Emily quickly stepped in to advocate for her youth’s education. She connected with school counselors, began tracking her youth’s grades and attendance, and stepped up when she learned the teen was failing two classes due to a lack of access to technology. Emily secured a Chromebook and printer through CASA, ensuring her youth had the tools to succeed. With weekly check-ins, academic encouragement, and consistent support, her youth turned things around—eventually getting back on track to graduate a year early . Knowing college was the goal, Emily helped prepare her youth for the journey ahead. She shared opportunities for SAT prep, researched application deadlines, supported her through the FAFSA process, and made sure every college application was submitted on time. She also enrolled her in the PAL program, arranged campus tours, and even ensured she had the required immunizations for enrollment. Emily didn’t stop there—she helped her youth open a bank account and advocated tirelessly with the caseworker to get her into a driver’s ed program. Throughout the year, Emily also supported her youth emotionally. She helped her process complex feelings about being separated from her siblings and successfully facilitated a visit—opening the door to renewed phone and virtual contact. Just weeks before graduation, the youth’s placement at her residential facility fell through, and she began couch-surfing with friends. Emily didn’t miss a beat. She stayed in close contact with the youth’s support team—including her caseworker, attorney, and college docket facilitators—keeping everyone updated and focused on solutions. She explored housing options, called multiple facilities, and even reached out to colleges to see if the teen could move into a dorm early. Though dorms were restricted to 18+, Emily remained determined. She arranged a meeting between the teen and Judge Montemayor, who encouraged her to finish her final week of school and graduate—assuring her of continued support while placement was pending. Soon after, Emily discovered Lifeworks in Austin, a program offering housing, counseling, education, and workforce support. She helped secure a spot, drove her youth around town to collect belongings, and personally transported her on move-in day—returning the next day to check in. Emily proudly attended the teen’s graduation at the end of May. She is now helping her enroll in an online course for the fall semester, giving her a head start on college before she turns 18 in November and transitions into a Supervised Independent Living (SIL) dorm. Through every setback and success, Emily has remained a steady, empowering force—amplifying her youth’s voice, championing her goals, and proving the life-changing impact of one dedicated CASA volunteer.
Sherri Lee Boos
