Continuing education

California CASA Continuing Education Opportunities

CASA FILM SCREENING: PERFECT STRANGERS

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 - 2:00 pm (2 CE Credits)

Join CASA for a special virtual screening of Perfect Strangers, a powerful documentary by filmmaker Lou Douros that explores how traffickers use deception, emotional manipulation, false intimacy, and online personas to groom and exploit vulnerable youth. Rather than relying on force, the film reveals how exploitation often begins with trust, attention, and seemingly harmless online interactions. Through survivor stories, law enforcement perspectives, and expert insights, Perfect Strangers examines the warning signs of grooming and trafficking while challenging common misconceptions about how exploitation occurs. Following the screening, participants will engage in a facilitated discussion about the film's themes, their connection to child welfare and advocacy, and practical ways CASA volunteers and professionals can recognize risk factors and support vulnerable children and youth.

Register HERE

BEYOND THE BEHAVIOR: BUILDING TRUST, SAFETY, AND CONNECTION WITH YOUTH WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED OR ARE AT RISK OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

December 2, 2026, 12:00 - 1:00 pm  (1 CE credit)

This interactive training will equip CASA volunteers and staff with practical strategies to build trust and engage youth who have experienced or are at risk of human trafficking. Through a trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and harm reduction approach, participants will explore ways to recognize exploitation, support safety, and remain a consistent, nonjudgmental presence. Realistic scenarios will provide opportunities to practice motivational interviewing, safety planning, and meaningful engagement while respecting youth voice and choice. By the end of this training, participants will be able to: - Recognize potential indicators of human trafficking and exploitation using a youth-centered identification tool. - Explain how trauma and survival responses influence youth behavior, trust, and engagement. - Apply practical strategies to build consistent, nonjudgmental relationships with youth over time. - Demonstrate basic motivational interviewing skills to support meaningful conversations and youth choice. - Identify harm reduction and safety planning strategies to support youth experiencing ongoing risks. - Practice appropriate responses to real-world scenarios while maintaining professional boundaries and following reporting protocols.

Register HERE

SFCASA Continuing Education Opportunities

2027-28 FAFSA “How-to” FAFSA/CADAA WEBINAR with John Burton Advocates For Youth (JBAY)

 Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10:00 to 11:30 am

John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) will host its annual “how-to” webinar on completing financial aid applications. The webinar is geared toward adult supporters of youth with experience in foster care or homelessness. The webinar follows the October 1 launch of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for the 2026–27 academic year. 

The California Student Aid Commission advises students to complete the FAFSA or CADAA as early as possible to maximize access to state, federal, and institutional financial aid. While most students should complete the FAFSA, the CADAA is California’s state financial aid application, which should be completed by undocumented students in order to receive financial aid and pay in-state tuition at public institutions. 

 The webinar will review the FAFSA and CADAA page by page and provide important updates on relevant state and federal policies. Presenters will also provide key steps to take after the FAFSA or CADAA is completed, such as creating a WebGrants account and claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship. To register for the webinar, follow this link. JBAY also has a range of financial aid resources for youth and adult supporters, which will be updated by the October 27 webinar. 

EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY: BUILDING BRIDGES WITH EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS CE with SFCASA Educational Consultant Lorna Gilbert

Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom (2 CE Credits)  

 As a CASA volunteer, your educational advocacy changes lives. While it takes a village to support a foster youth, you are the vital communication bridge connecting their unique needs with day-to-day educators. Join us to discover practical, intentional strategies for discussing a youth's social-emotional well-being, academic goals, and support systems. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow CASAs and share real-life scenarios. Learn how to purposefully identify and advocate for a youth’s needs with their educational team.

Workshop Agenda & Takeaways

• The Power of Advocacy: Discover how your role as a CASA volunteer/ERH serves as the vital communication bridge between a foster youth and their daily educators.

• Targeted Communication & Problem-solving Strategies: Learn practical, intentional tools to discuss a youth's academic needs and social-emotional well-being effectively.

• Navigating Support Systems: Master how to purposefully identify a youth’s unique needs and align them with available school and community resources.

• Collaborative Roundtable: Share real-life scenarios, problem-solve challenges, and collaborate with fellow CASA volunteers.

Register HERE

READY, SET, FILE: SUPPORTING FOSTER YOUTH FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR FREE TAX FILING with Karen Mouritsen and Erika Dirkse of SFCASA

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, On ZOOM, 2 CE Credits

If you are a CASA or Natural Support volunteer working with a young person age 16 and older, this continuing education opportunity is designed to provide you with practical, easy steps to coach the youth you serve to be prepared with the documents and information needed to access SFCASA's IRS-certified free tax preparation for foster youth starting in late January 2027. 

In this session, we'll cover financial literacy topics specific to tax filing: everything from employment documents, withholdings, and tracking expenses related to gig economy work and post-secondary education, to the value of personal Internal Revenue Service and California Franchise Tax Board accounts (including Identity Protection PINs), how to secure a foster care eligibility letter, and the importance of tax filing for housing and financial aid applications. We'll also review the various filing statuses and eligibility for certain federal and CA state credits like the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Young Child Tax Credit. 

Register HERE

COUNTERTRANSFERENCE AND SELF-AWARENESS  with Dr. Natalia Estassi 

Monday, November 16, 2026, 6-8 PM on Zoom (2 CE Credits)

This training will discuss countertransference, a term Freud coined, and how it can both positively and negatively impact our work as providers. Discussed will be the many environmental and social stressors we are facing today, this includes the COVID-19 pandemic and the racism pandemic, which will impact us in various ways. As a CASA, in hearing the losses and hardships of your youth, one is often triggered, especially in these difficult times. Explore the importance of your own self-awareness to best guarantee one can remain effective as a provider. Learn ways to cultivate self-awareness and the importance of our own boundaries. Review the importance of self-care and barriers that can lead to burnout and vicarious trauma.

Register HERE

HELPING YOUTH GET TO COLLEGE:  GUIDANCE AND SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT WITH 10,000 DEGREES

Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Zoom (1 CE credit) 

Join SFCASA and 10,000 Degrees for a conversation about helping students from low-income backgrounds get to college, apply for and manage financial aid, and find experienced mentorship to navigate college systems and career pathways. 10,000 Degrees supports students with financial aid and guidance from high school through college and into their careers. CASAs and Natural Supports will learn best practices for helping Bay Area youth complete college applications and access financial aid resources through their school districts.

This session builds on the October 27, 2026, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) “How-To” FAFSA/CADAA webinar. You’ll learn how 10,000 Degrees supports Bay Area students with FAFSA/CADAA applications at partner high schools, and how students can use the 10,000 Degrees scholarship application to apply for all eligible scholarships the organization administers through its partner organizations.

Register  HERE

REAL TALKS WITH YOUTH - COPING WITH BIG FEELINGS

Friday, December 4, 2026, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm on Zoom (1.5 CE Credits)

Virtual: Register HERE (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7777054972?pwd=OGRBeWhrQVN4NHlCaTJNQnR0YzdZZz09)

Everyday life can bring up a lot of emotions for the youth we serve. School, family, friends, the system – they can stir up some really intense feelings that feel tough to deal with sometimes. Having feelings like guilt, embarrassment, anger or shame is normal for foster youth. Helping youth become more aware of their big feelings and can actually help them stay in control and make smarter choices. Please join Allison Roeser and Sue Lockyer for this Real Talks support group where we come away with tips and ideas on how to start the "Big Feelings" conversation.

Register HERE