Advocate Impact: Linda Wilson
August Story of Hope
Written By: Linda's Advocate Supervisor
Mark age 9, had been removed from his Mom because of drug use and his Dad hadn’t been around in years. Before his removal, Mark and his Mom only spoke English in their home. After he was removed, Mark was placed with his Paternal Grandmother, who spoke very little English, so communication was a bit rocky in the beginning. This barrier also complicated his Grandmother’s understanding of the system and rules that came with being placement.
Linda noticed quickly that there could be a placement problem due to lack of communication and understanding between CPS and Mark's Grandmother. She was there to clarify any misunderstandings Grandma had, and even referred her to a new program called Grandparents raising Grandchildren, something that became an excellent resource for Grandma.
Linda also noted that Mark hadn’t experienced a lot of things most 9-year old’s have. He hadn’t really been to a park, gone swimming, visited a museum or even the library. She made it a point to take him out to show him a variety of new experiences. Mark’s favorite outing was going to Morgan’s Wonderland when CASA received tickets. Mark had a blast and has a newfound love with the water and swimming.
Linda spent her time on the case not only advocating for permanency, but she also helped to prevent placement breakdown by teaching Mark Spanish.
Throughout the case Mom would not consistently engage in services, which switched the focus from reunification with Mom to reunification with Dad. Dad had never really had a relationship with his son and combined with the fact that he only spoke Spanish it made it harder for Father and Son to bond initially. As a result, Linda spent her time on the case not only advocating for permanency, but she also helped to prevent placement breakdown by teaching Mark Spanish. This helped him feel confident in communicating his everyday needs to Grandma while his parents had the opportunity to focus on their services. The Spanish lessons also helped make him more comfortable with building a bond with his Father.
In the end the Mother was not able to complete her service plan and her rights were terminated. Mark was reunified with his Father and he is doing very well. Thankfully, Mark had Linda by his side to advocate for him the entire way. She made sure he was always with family and comfortable in his home. She also took him to the library to improve his reading skills and introduced him to things that he may have never experienced without his CASA. Linda went above and beyond to help Mark maintain a stable placement during his time in foster care. She also helped to bridge a communication gap to ensure that his story had a happy ending.
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Brennan Holland was assigned to Sarah in December 2022. Sarah entered foster care with a history of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, yet she remains incredibly resilient. Throughout her time in care, she has experienced multiple placements. Brennan quickly learned that Sarah has a strong passion for neuroscience and dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. Determined to pursue her goal, she graduated early from high school and is now enrolled in the College Bound Docket program, attending her school of choice—UTSA. However, the path to achieving her dream has not been without challenges.\ Sarah received a discharge notice from her current placement and was denied Supervised Independent Living (SIL) until she turned 18. It felt as though no one was giving her a real chance. CASA stepped in to advocate for Sarah’s independence, pushing for her to live in a dorm on her own. Not everyone on her team supported this idea due to concerns about her age, limited independent living experience, and fears that she might run away, be influenced by older peers, or engage in risky behavior. CASA, however, continued to stand by Sarah, even offering financial assistance to help her move into a dorm until she became eligible for SIL. At Sarah’s next court hearing on January 24, 2025, her attorney ad litem filed a motion for her to live in a dorm at UTSA. CASA once again advocated for the court to approve this plan. The judge, quoting Brennan’s court report, stated, “Brennan said it correctly: You are going to succeed or fail based on your decisions.” Ultimately, the judge authorized Sarah to live in the dorms on campus and ordered CPS to cover the cost of SIL. CASA recently assisted Sarah in moving into her very first dorm room, and we are excited to see what the future holds for her. Since being placed on campus, she has built a strong network of supportive adults to help her thrive. The impact of CASA facilitating these vital connections is crucial in ensuring that young adults like Sarah have the support they need to successfully transition into adulthood.
Emily White
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