Story of Hope: Brenna Albracht

Brenna Albracht has been a CASA advocate since October of 2020. She was originally signed onto a case in 2021 involving a 7-year-old boy named Ben. Ben and his 2 siblings Amy and Amber had been removed in a CPS legal case since 2018. During that case, Amy and Amber were placed with relatives who declined to take Ben. In 2020 the parents’ rights were modified and the Department was named the Permanent managing conservator of Ben. The relatives who were caring for Amy and Amber were named the Permanent managing conservator of them and their case was closed. Again, the relatives declined to become the managing conservators of Ben and so he remained a ward of the State. 

 

After the Department was named the permanent managing conservator, Ben was placed in a foster home out of town where he has remained there for the past 2 and a half years. During the time Ben has been in the foster home, the biological parent’s rights were eventually terminated, and Ben became a candidate for adoption in early 2022. Unfortunately, from 2022 to now, Ben has been in the same foster home waiting for their forever home. He has had no contact with his sisters, Amy and Amber. Ben’s current foster home is meeting his needs however they have made it clear they do not intend to adopt Ben. Ben does well in the home, does not cause a lot of problems, and does well in school. His primary case worker was based in San Antonio and was only required to see him in person once a quarter. It would have been easy for him to disappear into the system and remain there until he aged out of care. During this entire time, Brenna was there for Ben, continuing to advocate for him to make sure he did not fall through the cracks. She was that constant presence to make sure the CPS worker did not forget about Ben.

 

Brenna later found herself moving out of town and it happened that she was relocating to the same area as Ben. She agreed to continue to be his advocate with the hopes of finding him permanency.

 

In 2023, Amy and Amber were removed from their relatives for being physically abused by them. The biological mother was given a second opportunity to make positive behavior changes and as of right now Amy and Amber have been placed with their mom with the expectation that they will be permanently reunified soon. A CASA was also assigned to Amy and Amber’s case. What is happening with Amy and Amber and their mom would normally have no impact on Ben. However, because Brenna remained on the case and CASA was involved with Amy and Amber, we made the connection between the siblings and were able to start advocating for Ben’s possible return to his family. If Brenna had not remained on Ben’s case, the CPS adoption worker for Ben would most likely have never known that his biological mother could become eligible to be his parent again. There is now a decent chance that Ben’s in foster care may be coming to an end with them not only being reunited with his mom but Amy and Amber as well. This is a reminder to all advocates that you do not have to make a big bold gesture to have a monumental impact on the life of a child, constancy is sometimes all it takes.

Story of Hope: Nanette Hall

By bfines • November 20, 2025
During their TMC case, Nanette was assigned to two young ladies who shared a deep and loving bond with their toddler brother, who had been removed under a separate case. Recognizing that these young ladies had taken on caretaker roles for their brother, Nan wanted their visits to be safe, joyful, and centered around sibling connection rather than responsibility. Understanding the importance of preserving this relationship, Nan amplified the girls’ voices and advocated for consistent, meaningful visits while separate permanency options were being explored. She collaborated closely with the younger brother’s adoptive placement, the girls’ group home, and later their foster placement to create opportunities for the siblings to spend quality time together. When Nan was later assigned to the younger brother’s case during PMC, she was finally able to personally ensure that all three children shared visits outside of the CPS office—providing natural, family-centered experiences that strengthened their bond. Despite the children being on different permanency tracks, living in three separate placements, and facing numerous setbacks, Nan’s commitment to maintaining their connection never wavered. Eventually, the youngest child was adopted. Thanks to the strong, trusting relationship Nan had built with his adoptive family, she was able to continue arranging sibling visits even after his adoption was finalized. Nan coordinated fun, family-oriented outings where the children could enjoy time together and simply be siblings. Soon after, the middle child was also adopted. Nan ensured that all siblings were present to celebrate these important milestones in each other’s lives. She continues to organize opportunities for the siblings to connect and advocates for the oldest youth, who plans to transition out of foster care when they are older. Nan’s focus has always been on the well-being of the children. Despite challenges and complex case dynamics, she remained steadfast in ensuring that the children’s needs and wishes guided every decision. Her dedication to preserving the sibling bond demonstrates her deep understanding of how essential family connection is to achieve true permanency and emotional stability.

November Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • November 20, 2025
Natalie Rodriguez
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