Story of Hope: Michelle Ramirez
In July 2024, CPS received a referral regarding domestic violence. The report alleged that the a father slapped the mother in front of their 10-year-old son, Vincent, and their 3-year-old daughter, Camila. Mother informed the Department that this was one of several incidents in which Father had assaulted her in front of their children. Both parents declined to participate in a safety plan.
Mother and Father both have a history with CPS, and Father also has a criminal record. Due to Mother's alcohol abuse and the ongoing domestic violence between her and her partner, the Department sought the removal of Vincent, Camila, and their 14-year-old sister, Ariana. The children’s maternal grandparents expressed a willingness to care for all three siblings.
CASA Volunteer Advocate, Christina Albert, was appointed to the case. She immediately contacted CPS, then reached out to the grandparents and traveled to visit the children. During that first visit, she discovered some underlying issues between the maternal grandmother and the children, particularly Vincent. Christina took the time to sit down with each family member in the household to hear directly from them. Both Vincent and Ariana shared with her that they missed their parents and wanted to return home.
Initially, CPS told Christina that the parents were slow to engage with their respective family service plans. Within a few weeks, however, she scheduled one-on-one meetings with both Mother and Father, which marked the beginning of what would become a strong working relationship among the three of them. CPS later shared with Christina that, following her conversations with the parents, they began actively engaging in services, resulting in a complete turnaround. Christina continues to provide ongoing support and encouragement to both parents.
Christina began using Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE) tools to get to know the children and to build meaningful connections with them. She has been an active and vocal participant in Family Group Conferences (FGCs), offering valuable insights into the family dynamic and providing feedback on areas of improvement and strengths. To this day, Christina continues to collaborate with the parents, the grandparents, CPS, and the children’s attorney to identify barriers to reunification and work toward a monitored return.
While permanency has not yet been achieved, the goal remains family reunification. Christina, along with everyone involved, hopes to see the parents successfully complete their required services and create a safe, nurturing environment for their children to return to.
Even though it is not a requirement, Christina travels over 120 miles each month to visit the family in person. She exemplifies CASA’s core value of commitment, advocating for the children’s needs and providing them with consistent emotional support.
