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National CASA Magazine The Connection online or mailed to your home. Free for CASA Volunteers!

Activities For You and Your CASA Child

Links to area CASA Programs and Child Advocacy Organizations

SFCASA Case Emergency Procedures

If you have a real emergency with your CASA child/youth:

1. Call 911 or, for a mental health crisis, the DHS Emergency Response Team at (415) 970-3800.

2. Call your case supervisor.

3. Call your DHS social worker (especially if you didn't reach your case supervisor). Even if it isafter hours, leave a message with important details (try to sound calm). Then, call the duty worker of the day, whose number should be on the DHS message.

4. When appropriate, update your child's attorney at your earliest convenience.

If it's more a sense of urgency than a true emergency:
Follow step 2 (above).

Any important developments should be communicated to the DHS worker as soon as convenient and you might want to update the child's attorney as well.

Reporting (Observed or Suspected) Abuse

1. If you can reach your case supervisor, try them first (for support). Leave them a message with important details.

2. Regardless of success reaching case supervisor, call the Child Abuse Hotline at (415) 558.2650. Ask if the situation is reportable and if it is, give them the information they request.

3. Update your child's DHS social worker and attorney as appropriate.

Ombudsman Services

The Ombudsman provides independent investigation of complaints as a FREE resource for youth, parents, grandparents, relatives, foster parents, and community members receiving services from the Family and Children’s Services Division of the Department of Human Services. An Ombudsperson listens to concerns, conducts an investigation of each complaint, and recommends a solution.

If you are concerned about the care, placement, and/or services of a child or youth in foster care, the Ombudsman can help you to...

• receive support services,
• resolve conflicts with staff,
• communicate with Department of Human Services staff, and
• understand action taken by the Department of Human Services, including care, placement, and visitation.

City and County of San Francisco:
Todd Wright
Ph.: 415-558-2828
170 Otis St., 8th Fl., San Francisco, CA 94103

State of California:
California Department of Social Services Ombudsman Office for Foster Care
744 P Street M.S. 9-025
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 651-6560
Toll Free (877) 846-1602
Fax (916) 651-6568
Web http://www.fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov
Email fosteryouthhelp@dss.ca.gov

Scholarships Available for your CASA Child

The Casey Family Scholars Program, which is administered by the OFA (Orphan Foundation of America), provides scholarships of up to $10,000 to young people, under the age of 25, who have spent at least 12 months in foster care and were not subsequently adopted. The scholarships are awarded for the pursuit of post-secondary education, including vocational/technical training, and is renewable each year based on satisfactory progress and financial need. In addition to the money, Case Family Scholars will receive ongoing support through the OFA's eMentor program, as well as individualized "care packages" throughout the school year.

Please go to http://www.orphan.org for more information, complete eligibility information and application guidelines.

Homework Help

Does your Casa Child need help with school? The pressures of a CASA child are overwhelming. Here are some resources:

Back on Track
1399 McAllister St.
Call Jennifer Bainbridge at 415/346-9316 for registration and hours.

Buchanan St. YMCA
1530 Buchanan St.
Call Ben Smith at 415/931-9622 for application and hours.

Central YMCA
220 Golden Gate St.
No registration necessary.
Call Nathan Jackson at 415/885-0460.

Columbia Park Boys and Girls Club
450 Guerrero St.
Glide Children's Program 330 Ellis
No registration or fee.
Call Joyce Hayes at 415/771-3724.

Jamestown Center Project
3521 22nd St.
Call Katie Brackenridge at 415/647-4709 for registration and information.

Mission Educational Projects
3049 24th St.
For low-income families.
Contact Rita Alviar at 415/282-9898.

Operation Contact
691 Hayes Street
Call Jennifer Adams at 415/437-1887
Tutoring, 2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

SF Boys and Girls Clubs
After-school tutorial programs at its five local branches on most weekdays and Saturdays. Check local listings for times and locations.

St. John's Tutoring Center
1161 15th St.
Offers one-on-one tutoring.
Call Natalie Tercero at 415/864-5205.

Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation's After-School Program Collaborative
225 Eddy
Has tutoring each weekday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on a drop-in basis.
Call Denise Obrero at 415/776-8407.

West Bay Philipino Multi-Service Center
175 7th St.
Has one-on-one tutoring in SOMA.
Call Edwin Jocson at 415/431-9336.

Will Your Child Be Going To Court?

The Judicial Council of California has prepared an activity book for children who are going to court in California. If your CASA child is curious about the court process, this book may be helpful. There are sections describing all of the people who appear in a courtroom, from judge to jury to CASA. There are copies in the SFCASA office. Stop by to pick one up.

Can Your CASA Child Work?

Jobs for Youth is San Francisco’s premier comprehensive year-round job placement network for young people ages 14-24, and is sponsored by the City’s business community, schools, and more than sixty community based organizations that provide placement and support services.

Youth must register at
3120 Mission Street @ Cesar Chavez
Monday through Friday
8-11:30 a.m. and 1 - 4:30 p.m.

Youth must bring a U.S. Birth Certificate, U.S. Passport, Certificate of Naturalization, Resident Alien Card, or an original social security card, driver’s license, or I.D.

For more information, call 415.861.JOBS or visit their website

Life Skills For Girls

SAGE, in collaboration with Juvenile Mental Health presents Life Skills for Girls which is designed for 13-18 year-old girls exiting the Juvenile Justice System. It's an extensive 15-week program that imparts healthy life skills to young women. Weekly group meetings and extensive community case management are involved. 15 weekly workshops will focus on topics such as self-management, health-management, team-building, peer pressure, and assertiveness. Call the SFCASA office for more information or SAGE at 415.905.5050.

City Youth Now grants available

Does your CASA child have money for summer camp? Is he or she preparing to emancipate but needs a little financial help to make the transition? Did your teen get accepted into college but doesn’t have any money to pay for books? Has there been an emergency that leaves him short of funds for a limited period of time? Does your school-age child need money to cover tuition for those essential music lessons or karate classes that will make the difference in how he or she adjusts in school?

If your child has a need for a special item or class that is not covered in his or her DHS budget, think about applying for a small grant from the City Youth Now (formerly Youth Guidance Center Auxiliary )fund. City Youth Now guidelines and forms are available at www.CityYouthNow.org.

Children Of Incarcerated Parents

Does your child have a parent in prison or jail? If so, you may want to learn more about services that are available for him or her. Contact the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents at 626-449-8796.

Books For Kids

The CASA office recently made contact with the Children's Book Project founded to help build literacy by making books available in both the classroom and home. They've collected and distributed over 100,000 books to San Francisco Bay Area children. We have recently visited the warehouse and picked up a few books for our volunteers to give to their CASA kids. Contact the SFCASA office for more information.

Computer Lab

The Independent Living Skills Program of DHS has opened its new center at 225 Valencia Street. They are about to inaugurate their Computer Lab. Any youth who is now or has ever been in foster care can participate in open lab, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. and computer classes 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. For more information, call Ben at 934-4205.

New Clothes For the New Year

If you have not yet claimed your $200 gift certificate for clothes or other necessities for your CASA child, call your Case Supervisor for an application.

Tax Deductible?

When you are preparing your taxes, look into the possibility that your mileage expenses to and from visits with your CASA child are deductible. Volunteer Simone Morgan has to travel 22 miles each way to see her client (who just completed his high school education at the age of 19 and is scheduled for a dismissal hearing in February). Check with your tax preparer to see if this is a legitimate procedure for you.

Need Business Cards?

There are times when volunteers need to exchange business cards with social workers, lawyers, or families of their CASA child. The SFCASA office now provides business cards for volunteers. The business card has the SFCASA office information so that someone can easily have access to you through our staff. Call your case supervisor to order your business cards today.

National CASA Magazine-The Connection

The Connection is a quarterly magazine designed to keep CASA programs, volunteers and the public abreast of the latest news and developments affecting CASA advocacy for abused and neglected children. If you would like a free subscription to the Connection, order online at www.nationalcasa.org