Story of Hope: Emily Cross Barnet

Emily Cross Barnet has been an advocate for 8 months. She was assigned to her case in December of 2022. She quickly started to build a bond with her 12 year old youth, James. He was at a shelter when she first made contact. As we know, shelters have a limited amount of time a youth can be placed there before they have to be moved.


James started mentioning his siblings and how he wanted to reside with them. Emily reached out and made contact with his adult brother. He stated that he was very interested and would do anything to have his brother placed with him. Emily brought this to the attention of the caseworker who stated it was her understanding he could not be considered due to his age. He was only 20 years old.


After speaking with her Advocate Supervisor it became clear to her that there was a chance a home study could move forward. She reached out to a Kinship Program Specialist for clarification. They confirmed that he could be considered for placement but could not become licensed as a foster home or adopt until he was 21 years of age.  Emily spoke with the caseworker and the process was initiated. James was placed with his brother a month later. She has been a great support for the family, ensuring that her CASA child had a bed, clothing and other necessities by reaching out to community partners and securing those items. Now that the caregiver is 21 years of age the licensing process is being finalized.


Emily has done a fantastic job voicing to the court and to the attorney ad litem what James wants and what his needs are. She ensures that his educational, medical and emotional needs are met. She spent time taking him out on several outings during the summer playing basketball and going on walks to ensure he kept busy. 

Story of Hope: Brennan Holland

By bfines • February 13, 2025
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.

February Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • February 13, 2025
Emily White
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