FEBRUARY 2023

Message from Executive Director Wendy Magee

                Martin Luther King once said, “The most persistent and urgent question is,                                         "what are you doing for others?”                 
                     
​                           As advocates, you can say “I am making a difference in the life of a child!”                                – and not just any child, a child in need of a voice!  
                                  Living up to your desire to make a change in society is admirable,                                                                you not only make a difference in your homes, but you have                                    volunteered to make a difference in others.
 
That is what service is about, that is what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would
have wanted to see in this world – positive change. And although there are
lots to be concerned about in today’s climate, we know that there is much more
to be celebrating and coming together for – Children!
          In our state, children and their biological families continue to be a priority in our community.
 
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed a new law (Act 350) on June 17, 2021
amending and enacting Children’s Code Articles 672 and 702. This new law Act 350                   created requirements for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to complete
diligent searches for adult relatives and significant individuals of children who enter
foster care and a new Permanency Hearing finding for children under the age of 6 in
certain circumstances. Additionally, the Act allows the court, current caregiver, or child,
within 15 days of a placement change, to motion for a contradictory hearing to determine
whether removal from the current caregiver was in the child’s best interest.  

CASA Jefferson Staff wishes all of our volunteer advocates a Happy Valentine’s Day and
we encourage everyone to celebrate Black History Month by stepping outside of
your daily lives and learn more about the contributions of African Americans.
 ~♥ Wendy

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Astrid Figuero
Johanna Roccaforte
Kim Tuleu
Lenore Clemons
Lydia Galligan Mulero
Nina Soonthornthiti
Sarah K Letourneau
Stacey Glago
Valerie Duplessis

Valerie Duplessis – 13yrs
Chris Cazenave – 6yrs
Ben Haney – 6yrs
Monica Fernandez - 4yrs
Kathleen Murphy – 4yrs
Vanessa Stemley – 4yrs
Allison Ulrich - 4yrs
Aneesah King- 2yrs
Loreny Quintin – 2yrs
 

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     Citation: Children's Code Art. 603(17)                                                                 
     Mandatory reporters include any of the following individuals:

• Health practitioners, including physicians, surgeons, physical therapists, dentists, residents, interns, hospital staff, podiatrists, chiropractors, nurses, nursing aides, dental hygienists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, optometrists, medical examiners, or coroners
• Mental health/social service practitioners, including psychiatrists, psychologists, marriage or family counselors, social workers, members of the clergy, or aides
• Members of the clergy, including priests, rabbis, duly ordained clerical deacons or ministers, Christian Science practitioners, or other similarly situated functionaries of a religious organization
• Teaching or child care providers, including public or private teachers, teacher's aides, instructional aides, school principals, school staff members, bus drivers, coaches, professors, technical or vocational instructors, technical or vocational school staff members, college or university administrators, college or university staff members, social workers, probation officers, foster home parents, group home or other child care institutional staff members, personnel of residential home facilities, daycare providers, or any individual who provides such services to a child in a voluntary or professional capacity
• Police officers or law enforcement officials
• Commercial film and photographic print processors
• Mediators
• Parenting coordinators
• Court-appointed special advocates (CASA)
• Organizational or youth activity providers, including administrators, employees, or volunteers of any day camp, summer camp, youth center, or youth recreation programs or any other organization that provides organized activities for children
• School coaches, including, but not limited to, public technical or vocational school, community college, college, or university coaches and coaches of intramural or interscholastic athletics.

    Standards for Making a Report - A report is required when:

• A reporter has cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare is endangered as a result of abuse or neglect.
• A commercial film or photographic print processor has knowledge of or observes any film, photograph, videotape, negative, or slide depicting a child, whom he or she knows or should know is under age 17, that constitutes child pornography.
• A physician has cause to believe that a newborn was exposed in utero to an unlawfully used controlled dangerous substance, as determined by a toxicology test upon the newborn, without the consent of the newborn's parents or guardian. Positive test results shall not be admissible in a criminal prosecution.
• A physician observes symptoms of withdrawal in a newborn or other observable and harmful effects in his or her physical appearance or functioning that the physician has cause to believe are due to the chronic or severe use of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy.

​

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CASA JEFFERSON's Mission is to break the cycle of child abuse
and neglect through volunteers advocating for
safe, nurturing, and permanent homes
for foster children in our community.

CASA JEFFERSON's Vision is to have volunteers
recruited, trained and assigned to every child in the
foster care system in Jefferson Parish.  
     
 New Volunteer Advocate Pre-Service Training classes are
Self-Guided and completed On-Line.

As of February 1, 2023,
we have 28 children waiting for a volunteer to advocate for them.
​ 
If you know anyone who would be interested in becoming a volunteer have them call our office (504 533-8757) or email Ms. Margaret at [email protected]. 
​

  Registration Link: www.runsignup.com/Race/65952/Charity/6882

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     Safety Tips - Mardi Gras
    

•  Teach your children their name and phone number.
•  Mark your children's clothes on the inside with your name, address, and phone number.
•  Go to the same area to view parades if possible and teach your child a landmark to meet if separated.
•  Teach your children to stay calm if lost and go to a uniformed police officer.
•  Teach your child not to be afraid of police officers and if possible take them up to 1 prior to the parade.
•  If no police officer is in your area teach your child to go to another parent with children for help.
•  Make sure your child knows if a stranger tries to talk to them, to say "You're not my parent," and get away.
•  Never allow children in the street, try to find an area with barricades and stand behind them.
•  Never follow behind floats, bands, etc.
•  Never throw anything at the riders.
•  Put small children in a ladder off the street as far back as the ladder is tall, and have an adult stay         with the ladder at all times.

P PLEASE SHARE THESE TIPS WITH YOUR CASA CHID AND THEIR FOSTER FAMILIES
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