Story of Hope: Karin Kohler

Story of Hope: Karin Kohler 

Advocate Karin Kohler was assigned a sibling group of two in March of 2022. The children were initially removed due to emotional abuse and neglectful supervision. The children were 14 and 10 years old and placed in a relative home. Karin started to gather medical documentation for all children due to the history of psychiatric hospitalizations. Due to their hospitalizations, they had missed a great amount of school. Karin reached out to the school to ensure the children were attending school regularly and ensure that appropriate educational accommodations were in place. The children had many tardies and absences. The concerns were noted in her court report and Judge Burley assigned an Educational Surrogate.


She continued to reach out to the school regularly to be kept up to date on their progress and attendance. Unfortunately, the children were removed from their placement and placed with other relatives. Karin was able to secure bunk beds for the new placement to help ensure the placement would be appropriate and the children would have appropriate sleeping arrangements. Although she was able to secure and deliver school supplies to the children prior to the placement change, the children were not able to move with their supplies that had been provided previously. Karin was quick to arrange with her supervisor to pick up new supplies because school for the children was starting the next day and did not have anything at the time.


Shortly after school started in August 2022 the oldest child was hospitalized again and required a 5-week outpatient stay. Once she was able to return to her school Karin was meeting with the school guidance counselor to ensure that the child’s 504 accommodations had transferred and was in place. Karin soon learned that the school was not aware of her previous 504 accommodations. She was able to get a 504 scheduled within 2 weeks.



Karin has been a great advocate focusing on educational and safety advocacy for both children and has been sure to keep everyone informed for the children’s best interest. 

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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