Story of Hope: Cynthia
July Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Cynthia's Advocate Supervisor
While Cynthia was serving in the military, she was introduced to CASA, and that initial encounter made a lasting impression on her. She was certain she would become a CASA advocate one day. So it was no surprise that earlier this year, on February 14, she was sworn-in as a CASA advocate and shortly after, was assigned to her first CASA case.
Cynthia immediately signed onto the case and introduced herself to all parties involved, and also participated in family group conferences. The two children, Bruce, 6 months old, and Dakota, 3 years old, were living in a shelter with their mother after having just been returned to her custody at their court hearing. Although, the mother had been permitted to have the children returned to her, the case remained open and the state still had temporary custody of the children.
When it came time to reach out to the mother and children, Cynthia obtained the proper clearance through the shelter where they were staying. At this time, the mother shared that she was unable to get baby formula, and that she was giving Bruce regular milk. Cynthia assisted the mother in making a WIC appointment and was diligent in her follow-up, calling and texting the mother to remind her of this appointment, but the mother did not keep the appointment.
Cynthia began to notice a pattern of missed appointments like this. The mother scheduled, then rescheduled, and then missed the children’s appointments, alongside many of the services outlined in her service plan. The mother kept expressing that she was too busy helping a friend, or that she forgot, or was too tired to attend her appointments. This was a red flag for Cynthia, so she expressed her concern to the CPS caseworker. She soon after followed up with the shelter, and found out that the mother was in violation of curfews, was not meeting with the shelter’s case manager, not attending required programs, and had not been informing the caseworker of the children’s whereabouts. Doing her due diligence, Cynthia voiced concerns that the placement may need to change.
In the midst of this new development, the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread, but that didn’t stop Cynthia from serving these children. She ordered educational toys through Amazon to help engage the children during quarantine, and continued to track the mother’s progress. The mother still wasn’t participating in services, and jeopardized the shelter placement by testing positive for drug use. Cynthia, again, voiced her concerns, this time to the caseworker and the children’s ad litem. An emergency hearing was held in April, wherein the kids were removed from their mother and placed with relatives. The kids are currently thriving in that placement.
During this time, Cynthia has continued to serve Bruce and Dakota with supplies through porch drop-offs, helped locate a much needed crib for Bruce, and often chatted by video with the children. She has been exemplary on this case, and is much appreciated for all her hard work.
Help us provide more Advocates like Cynthia who are willing to go above and beyond even in the midst of crisis to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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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.
Larry Rushing
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