CapitolDay Media Release Template – February 2017
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YOUR PROGRAM NAMEJoins Hundreds at CASA Day at the Capitol
to UrgeLegislators toKeep Child Welfare Reform a State Priority
YOUR CITY, Texas –YOUR PROGRAM NAME joined more than 300CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers, board members and stafffrom across the state at the Capitol to share their personal stories of advocacy and discuss regulations that impact the child welfare system.
NUMBER SPELLED OUT representatives from the program traveled to Austin as part ofCASA Day at the Capitol, the one day each legislative session that the CASA community assembles to bring attention to improving outcomes for children and youth in the foster care system.
The YOUR PROGRAM NAME teammet with its local Texas legislatorsincluding SEN./REP. NAMESto discuss policy priorities to improve the state’s child welfare system.
“Urging legislators to support Texas CASA’s legislative priorities will significantly influence the improvement of the state’s child protection system and help to ensure the well-being of vulnerable children and youth,” said Vicki Spriggs, CEO of Texas CASA, the state organization that provides funding, training, resources, legislative advocacy and other support for the 72 local CASA programs across the state.
Last year, YOUR PROGRAM NAME provided NUMBER CASA volunteers for NUMBER children in YOUR COUNTY/IES. Statewide, 9,131 CASA volunteers advocated for 27,953 foster children. With48,795children in the custody of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services last year, Texas CASA was able to provide a volunteer for only a littlemore thanhalf of these children.
“Traveling to Austin for CASA Day at the Capitol and calling upon our legislators to make these children a top prioritywasempowering,” said FIRST & LAST NAME, executive director of LOCAL PROGRAM NAME. “We take this opportunity to speak on behalf of the children we serve to build a better tomorrow.”
CASA volunteers are everyday community members that are specifically trainedto advocate for children in foster care. They get to know the child and speak to everyone involved in the child’s life, including their family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers and others.Their gathered information and recommendations help the courts overseeing the cases make informed decisions.
CASA Day at the Capitol included a training session for volunteers before they spoke to their lawmakers and a reading of a resolution honoring the CASA community introduced by long-time CASA supporter Rep. James Frank in the Texas House of Representatives.
“Members, today I am happy to recognize the work of Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates or Texas CASA,” said Rep. Frank during the House Resolution. “As a former board president of Child Advocates, which is the CASA program in Wichita Falls, I can say from experience that Texas CASA is an incredible network of volunteers who come together to serve as court advocates for one of our most vulnerable constituencies in neglected and abused children.”
Additionally both Senators Jane Nelson and Charles Schwertner met with the CASA network to thank the volunteers for their service to Texas children.Volunteers wrapped up their momentous time at the Capitol by posing for a group photo in the Capitol Rotunda.
“CASA volunteers are dedicated to improving the lives of our most vulnerable children,” said LAST NAME. “Capitol Day is our chance to take our advocacy beyond the courtroom and help create lasting change that will impact children in our community and across the state.”
For more information about CASA, visit or YOUR WEBSITE or call YOUR NUMBER.The next INFORMATION/TRAINING session is TIME, DATE, PLACE.
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