Story of Hope: Marcia Huff-Toy

Story of Hope- Marcia Huff-Toy

Marcia Huff-Toy has been a CASA advocate since February 2018. Marcia has advocated on Neglect and Abuse cases in addition to Custody (Child Support) cases. Marcia is very comfortable in working with teenagers and is currently working on her 4th case. Her current case involves John, a 16 year youth. Sally, his mother tried to convince him to say he was responsible for the death of Jack, his 4 month old sibling. Sally blamed John for Jack’s death and John believed her. Sally does not want anything to do with John and he told his teacher that he no longer wanted to be with his mother and that he felt Jack’s death was his fault. Jack’s death was ruled as undetermined. Jack had trace amounts of methamphetamines in his system during autopsy, but it was not the cause of death.


Marcia wasted no time in contacting the caseworker and getting to learn the case. She confirmed placement for John and learned he was placed with Becky, his maternal grandmother. He is in the 8th grade (special education) and in therapy. Marcia attempted on numerous occasions to contact Sally, and a woman answered and informed Marcia she had the wrong number. Recently, Sally was arrested for child endangerment, however she continued asserting John was responsible for Jack’s death. Marcia was able to contact the father after numerous attempts and found that the father was not engaged in services. He stated he was not financially stable to care for John and was in agreement of John remaining with Becky.   


It did not take long for John to become comfortable with communicating with Marcia. He was so surprised when Marcia attended one of his basketball games. He did not know that she was there until after the game as he was totally focused on the game. He scored 22 points!


The bond between John and Marcia was demonstrated during a visit in which John was moody and a little agitated. John mentioned the tutoring instructor singled him out for talking and called him to sit in the front of the class. He said he was not talking and he felt embarrassed. Marcia listened to him and they discussed what the situation was and how to respond in the future. She even offered to talk to the teacher for him. He had a basketball game that evening and Marcia encouraged him to shake it off and get pumped for his game. He appeared to have calmed down by the end of the visit. Marcia’s involvement in John’s life is a blessing! 

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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