Story of Hope: Suzanne Martin

Story of Hope: Suzanne Martin

Suzanne Martin has been an Advocate since December 2017. She has worked on two cases and most recently, she was able to attend her case adoption, Amy. Suzanne began her work with Amy in April 2021 after a CPS caseworker made a special request asking for an Advocate due to the type of trauma Amy experienced. Without hesitation Suzanne accepted.


When Suzanne started her journey with Amy, she was in a kinship placement with her maternal grandparents. However, shortly after, Amy was removed from her grandparents and was placed with her uncle's ex-fiancé, Gabby. Suzanne reached out immediately and met with Amy and Gabby. Suzanne learned that therapy was a priority for Amy and started advocating to ensure this service was made available. She was able to ensure that Amy was seen by a therapist twice a month. Suzanne always followed up on Amy's education as well. Amy had good grades, but she was struggling with reading so, Suzanne participated in the ARD for Amy which is a meeting between teachers and parents to discuss the needs of the child and to create an Individualized Education Plan. Being an educator herself, Suzanne understood the importance of having the recommendations from the ARD incorporated into the classroom and she pushed for Amy to have tutoring to help improve her reading skills. Amy was very skilled and advanced at art, she enjoyed art and drawing and Suzanne provided her with some art supplies when needed.


Once placed with Gabby, Amy started thriving. She started to feel safe and secure. Suzanne noticed that over time Amy would become happier, however, Amy was always worried that she would be removed from Gabby. Suzanne realized that this was the best placement and home for Amy and always supported Gabby's efforts to become licensed and pursue adoption. During the case, there was an incident that happened that almost caused Amy to be moved and Gabby's home to not become licensed. Suzanne worked diligently with CPS and the ad litem to ensure Gabby would not be moved. During this time Suzanne made extra efforts to visit with Amy since she was feeling anxious about being moved.


Throughout the case, Suzanne made sure Amy felt important and seen. She would give Amy the attention she needed and more. Every month Suzanne would follow each home visitor with an outing, taking Amy to places she wanted to go and allowing her to make her own decisions.


In April 2023, Permanent Management Conservatorship (PMC) was transferred to Gabby which meant that she has legal responsibility to Amy and that Amy was in her forever home. Amy wrote a letter to everyone involved stating, "Thank you for everything you have done for me!"

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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