For 30 years, Lone Star CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) has worked to provide our courts with the information needed to act in the best interests of abused and neglected children in Rockwall and Kaufman Counties, and to ensure that they’re placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible.

Advocate for Legislation

Advocate for Children in your Community

The Court appoints CASA to represent the best interests of the child. CASA supports increased daily reimbursement for kinship caregivers so that children aren’t removed from families and placed either in foster care or in CWOP (children without placement in hotels). CASA requests that Guardian ad litem appointments are added to Court-Ordered Services cases under Family Code 264.203 to help ensure that children receive best-interest representation in their child welfare case, amend Chapter 107.031 of the Texas Family Code to clarify the types of cases in which judges can appoint volunteer advocates, including CASA. Also, amend Chapter 264.601 to allow CASA programs to utilize state funding for all child welfare cases, including Court-Ordered Services cases, and increase the number of Treatment Foster Care Homes, which allow children and youth to receive intensive, trauma-informed mental health services in a family-like setting.

OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

The Problem

House Bill 3041 & Senate Bill 1576 which authorized a family preservation services program as an alternative to a removal Suit Affecting the Parent Child Relationship required the child to receive an Attorney ad litem for Order to Participate cases, but did not include appointing the Guardian ad litem at this stage.

The Solution

Include the addition of Guardians ad litem under Family Code 264.203, because children benefit from the service of a CASA volunteer with the complete focus on the child’s best interests. The CASA advocate can also support the family to complete their services thus allowing the family to remain unified. Advocating while at home is best for the child, caregivers, state and taxpayers.

The Problem

Children in care that are suffering from complex, chronic or acute trauma lack adequate foster home options in the state of Texas.

The Solution

Increase the number of Treatment Foster Care Homes, which allow children and youth to receive intensive, trauma-informed mental health services in a family-like setting. Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act and building upon the Qualified Residential Treatment Program pilot to increase the number of short-term, high-quality treatment beds available to the highest-needs children and youth in foster care.

The Problem

Kinship caregivers who are not licensed receive $11.55 daily which falls substantially short of the cost of raising a child and is less than half of the daily rate for licensed foster parents who receive at least $27.07 daily. The process to become licensed is time-consuming, requires at least 20 hours of annual training, requires an in-depth home evaluation, a fire inspection, and greater caseworker involvement.

The Solution

Increase the daily reimbursement rate for kinship caregivers whether they are licensed or not, so they receive the maximum daily amount. Increase funding for concrete services like diapers, beds and clothing. Streamline the process and requirements for accessing childcare for kinship caregivers and improve the licensing process to allow more kinship caregivers to become licensed to receive full state and federal foster care benefits so that children are not removed from families due to lack of financial support.

TAKE ACTION

Ask your representatives to prioritize children in this next legislative session. 

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