FEBRUARY 2024

​February 2024 CASA Jefferson Newsletter
    Message from      
Executive Director Wendy Magee
 
Dear CASA Jefferson Advocates. 

MLK 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!  
 
With ever-growing lists of demands and pressures of day-to-day life,
it becomes easy to overlook the importance of serving those in our communities.
Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life, I sincerely want to THANK YOU
for all that you do to advocate for our CASA Jefferson foster children.
 
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 our focus should be on children.
​ Because children are our future - as cliché as it may sound – but that is the truth. 
A simple act of service possesses the power to transform lives. 
 
In closing, I would like to wish all advocates a Happy Valentine’s Day 
~♥ Wendy
​

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As per National CASA, Advocates ARE responsible for completing
12 hours of Continuing Education per year. Advocates are responsible for entering
all trainings hours in Optima to receive approval from their supervisor.
(i.e. webinars, movies, books, tv shows, other trainings.
 
Also, if you haven’t accessed the on-line Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy
(LCWTA) training website go to https://moodle.lcwta.org/login/index.php and
log in from your computer, laptop or cell phone.
 
There are over 22 online courses and you can earn up to 22.5 hours of in-service
training. Advocate Log on Instructions for on-line training portal

To access the LCWTA on-line training site go to: https://moodle.lcwta.org/login/index.php
To log in: Username is Your Email Address
Temporary Password: CasaJeff123*

If you have any questions, please call Wanda Smith 504 620-5887 or
email [email protected].
​

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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.

     To access Mandated Reporting training go to the Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy                 training website https://moodle.lcwta.org/login/index.php  

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CASA Jefferson is participating in the 2024 CCC Run for It Charity Event
that will be held on March 30, 2024.  Help us reach our goal of $10,000 so that we
can continue our work to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect.
You can either run/walk/jog in person or virtually.
 
Cost: $45.00 registration fee and committing to raising $200.00
or more that goes to CASA Jefferson.

Charity Runner Perks & Incentives:
Participants who agree to raise $200 and will receive: 
Discounted registration
Early Corral Start
Charity Runner T-Shirt and BIB
CASA Swag
CCC10K Charity Runner after party
 
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.​                                                                                                   

​

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CASA JEFFERSON FEBRUARY ADVOCATES 

​Astrid Figueroa
Johanna Roccaforte
Kim Tulieu
Lenore Clemons
Nina Soonthornthiti
Sarah Letourneau
Valerie Duplessis

​​CASA JEFFERSON FEBRUARY ADVOCATES 

​Valerie Duplessis – 14yrs
Chris Cazenave – 7yrs
Ben Haney – 7yrs
Kathleen Murphy – 5yrs
Vanessa Stemley – 35yrs
Allison Ulrich - 5yrs
Aneesah King- 3yrs
Melissa Dronet - 1yr

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Our 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.
 
Our Vision is to have volunteers recruited, trained, and assigned to every child in
the foster care system in Jefferson Parish.

As of 2/1/24, we have 54 children waiting for a volunteer advocate.

​If you know anyone who would be interested in becoming a
volunteer contact Ms. Margaret 504-533-8757 [email protected].