Vanessa Talley trained with CASA in January of 2024 and promptly accepted a case advocating for a medically fragile special needs child who had been in care for several years before being assigned a CASA.

CASA staff saw Vanessa hit the ground running, but she reports that it wasn’t as easy as it looked. “The hardest part of getting started on my first case was a lack of confidence. I was scared and unsure of myself but with the support and encouragement from CASA staff, my confidence grew and I knew I could handle this case.”

Vanessa jumped right in with multiple visits and observations as well as collecting and tracking multiple medical and academic documents. She conducted visits to the foster home and observed the child’s interactions at school and with the biological parents.

Vanessa’s supervisor reports that the case was very confusing and so many of the people involved were arguing and blaming each other for the concerns about the child’s care. Her supervisor was so proud of Vanessa, reporting “where there was tension among team members, Vanessa stayed above the fray. Her consistent professionalism and commitment to fact gathering has been vital to a better outcome for this child.”

All of Vanessa’s hard work resulted in a lengthy court report created before a permanency hearing. Vanessa did a remarkable job of testifying and clarifying for the judge her findings and observations.

Vanessa says, “what surprised me the most about being a CASA was how willing others were to help when I was seeking information from the schools, medical professionals or other organizations who play a role in my child’s wellbeing.”

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