Story of Hope: Michelle Ward

Story of Hope: Michelle Ward

Michelle Ward has been a Volunteer Advocate since January 2021. Michelle's advocacy on behalf of a teenager experiencing multiple kinships and fictive kinship placements due to her substance abuse has been the most rewarding journey so far. In fact, due to her advocacy efforts on behalf of this youth, Michelle has been requested by the court to be assigned another teen with high needs who is in foster care and dealing with her own CPS case for her daughter. As an advocate, it is important to recognize the impacts of your advocacy efforts and understand that the Judge truly looks to you as the voice of the child. This Story of Hope is about Michelle and Sissy and how advocacy can help illuminate a child's voice.


Michelle's journey with Sissy began in March 2021. This young woman was the youngest of two sisters, and a shining star academically and on the softball field. Sissy has spent two years in foster care so far and is expected to age out. Michelle has encouraged Sissy to age out so that she may receive her extended care benefits (Educational & Training Voucher and Supervised Independent Living) while concurrently repairing her relationships with her mother. Although CASA's mission is the reunify children with their parents when it is safe and possible, some of our youth are at the critical age of 17 and may stand to lose many benefits which support them if they reunify with their parents. Sissy's mother and Sissy are both eager for Sissy to use her benefits to obtain an education and receive long-term supportive housing. Since Sissy is aging out, Michelle has been supportive in the reparation of her and her mother's relationship so that they may have a healthy relationship which is crucial to both their sobriety needs.


Long-term foster care has many effects on our youth including their mental health and family relationships. Sissy started using substances and needed treatment so that she may cope without depending on substances. After the first positive drug screening for Sissy, Michelle immediately began advocating for inpatient drug treatment, which is a difficult service to obtain for youth who do not recognize they are using substances to cope with their trauma. Multiple progress reports were made available so that a Judge may monitor high-risk youth. With the support of the documents, the Judge encourage Sissy to attend substance abuse treatment. With the encouragement of the Judge, her Advocate, and her CPS caseworker, Sissy agreed to do inpatient treatment so she may return to her family's home safely and learn life-long coping skills.


Michelle has maintained contact with Sissy's mother so she may check in on her sobriety, encourage her to use healthy coping skills, identify possible triggers within her own daughter's child abuse, and assess the progress of their family therapy. Recognizing the full extent of Sissy's supportive network, both Sissy and her mother have meaningfully engaged in therapy and have begun to take steps to improve and safeguard their relationship without the involvement of substance abuse.


In order for Sissy not to fall behind in credit recovery, Michelle has also advocated for a facility to provide Sissy with the technology necessary to obtain these credits in addition to their full schedule and activities and therapies.


This Story of Hope is of Michelle, Sissy, and her support system who have come together to give this family the tools they need to remain sober and make their relationship healthier. A parent in recovery supporting their own child in recovery is not an easy task, but Michelle has been there every step of the way to create the most positive outcomes for Sissy's future while holding each other accountable for their choices and celebrating each small step towards a better future for their family.


We look forward to seeing Sissy thrive in young adulthood and achieve her dreams while remaining sober and ending the cycle of substance abuse in her family.

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate Yvonne and Zoe

By bfines • February 17, 2026
In December 2024, the Department requested TMC for a youth, Zoe, who was found to be homeless after both parents refused to accept parental responsibility. The mother had an extensive CPS history, and the alleged father had CPS history and a criminal history. While in care, life became challenging as Zoe made decisions that jeopardized placement; choosing to skip school, run away from placement, and get arrested for a misdemeanor charge. As a result of these behaviors, the Department placed Zoe in a facility out of state. In August 2025, Staff Advocate, Yvonne, accepted the Crossover Court Case involving Zoe. During the initial Zoom meeting between Yvonne and Zoe, the youth shared her love for sketching, singing, and making people smile. Zoe further shared her hopes and dreams with Yvonne; stating that if parental rights were terminated, she hopes to be adopted by a loving family and wants to pursue her dream of having a career in law enforcement. Recently, Yvonne had the opportunity to visit Zoe at her out-of-state placement, where their conversations were not limited by time on a video call. When Yvonne met Zoe in person, she shared that she couldn’t sleep the morning of Yvonne’s arrival because she feared that Yvonne would be another adult who did not show up for her. Yvonne was able to lay that worry to rest by simply keeping her word, a small act that means the world to the children CASA serves. During the visit, Zoe shared that she wanted to make her CASA proud by improving her school grades, staying out of trouble with peers at placement, and staying busy with extracurricular activities. Yvonne was happy to hear Zoe share her aspirations and encouraged Zoe to continue on this positive path. The conversations about Zoe’s day-to-day happenings in life led her to share the more traumatic events with Yvonne. Yvonne listened and provided a space for Zoe to share what she was comfortable with. Yvonne encouraged Zoe to continue processing her trauma and grief with her therapist and find peace, past the pain of being estranged from her family and individuals whom she trusted. Despite the setbacks Zoe has endured in efforts to restore family connections, Yvonne continues to show up and support Zoe in self-advocating for her educational and placement needs as she approaches adulthood. Zoe’s educational goal is to attend her senior prom and walk across the stage at a public high school to receive her diploma. Most importantly, Zoe hopes to be placed in a Texas foster home where she will be protected, loved, and trusted. Regardless of where life and the case takes Zoe, Yvonne will be there at every turn.

February Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • February 17, 2026
Maquisha Nunn
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