Child Advocates San Antonio Achieves Trauma-informed Certification

Child Advocates San Antonio Achieves Trauma-informed Certification

Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) announces that the agency has become a trauma-informed certified agency. CASA is one of the few agencies in Bexar County to achieve this designation.


CASA is dedicated to supporting children on their journey through their removal from home and the various issues that brought them into the child welfare system. It is critical we do this work through the lens and language of trauma-informed care.

 

Trauma-Informed Care is a journey that encompasses far more than training; it’s a cultural approach to our people, processes, practices, and outcomes. It’s about deeply embracing that the children we advocate for in the foster care system have experienced trauma. Because of this awareness, we realize the impact of trauma, recognize the signs and symptoms, respond, and actively resist re-traumatization.

 

Research shows that childhood trauma impacts children’s social interaction, ability to play, and educational achievements. Chronic exposure to trauma affects memory, problem-solving, executive functioning, ability to focus, increased negative behaviors, and substance abuse. Children in foster care have, by definition, been exposed to trauma, both through the circumstances that lead to their removal and the removal itself.

 

Trauma-informed care offers the opportunity for children to engage more fully in their care. It allows them to develop stronger, more trusting relationships with their CASA Advocate or other adults in their lives. And, on the other side, trauma-informed care can help reduce burnout among the volunteers and staff serving the children, leading to more continuity for the children.



Due to our volunteers and team members being equipped with this knowledge and training, we serve with compassion and excellence. We are fully committed to continuously improving and to fully embedding a trauma-informed approach into our policies and processes and to embracing the language and intent of being trauma-informed throughout our agency. We view this as an excellent opportunity to simultaneously pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion to nurture a sense of belonging.

 

Trauma is healed through relationships, and only by increasing our knowledge and awareness can we build healthy relationships.

Story of Hope: Alfredo Concha

By bfines • March 21, 2025
 In December 2023, CPS received a Priority One referral regarding a 2-year-old child named Katherine, who had been hospitalized after ingesting narcotics. Her mother, Jessica, admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamines at the time. Katherine later tested positive for amphetamines, prompting the Department to seek removal of both Katherine and her 4-year-old sister, Valerie. Their maternal grandmother expressed willingness to care for them but only if CPS became involved. CASA advocate Alfredo Concha was appointed to the case and immediately took action. He contacted the grandparents and met with the children. During that visit, he learned that while the grandparents were willing to provide temporary care, they could not commit beyond December 2024. They had already adopted the girls' older sibling, which kept them busy, and as elderly caregivers, they felt unable to raise two young children long-term. They made it clear—either Jessica would have to get her life back on track by December, or the girls would need another placement. Understanding the urgency, Alfredo used Collaborative Family Engagement tools to seek additional family members who could offer support. He built a strong working relationship with Jessica, which proved invaluable. Through collaboration with Jessica, the grandparents, CPS, and the children's attorney, Alfredo identified and addressed barriers to reunification. A primary concern was Jessica’s history of substance abuse and the risk of relapse. After completing inpatient drug treatment, Jessica chose to move in with her ex-boyfriend, Robert, and his mother, Marie. Given Robert’s history of substance abuse and their previously volatile relationship, Alfredo recommended that Robert participate in services to strengthen their family dynamic. This included undergoing a substance abuse assessment, engaging in treatment, and completing a domestic violence prevention program. Alfredo also ensured Robert and Marie were included in planning meetings. During one of these meetings, Marie expressed her willingness to take in the children and committed to caring for them regardless of Jessica and Robert’s relationship. With this new support system in place, the girls were able to return to Jessica on December 3, 2024. CPS and Alfredo closely monitored the placement for several weeks to ensure stability. By January 2025, Alfredo recommended case closure, allowing the family to move forward with their lives. During the final hearing, Jessica addressed the court, expressing her gratitude. She stated that without the support of CPS and Alfredo, she would not have been able to succeed.

March Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • March 21, 2025
Larry Rushing
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