CASA Advocates - CASA of Santa Cruz County

Information on this page is for

CASA Advocates

Note: Topics below can be viewed by clicking on them. Each tab contains links to reference documents. Please email Danielle or call her at 761-2956, Ext. 102 if you wish to add to this list.

Educational Resources

General Education
- AB 167 Foster Youth District Graduation Requirement Waiver (PDF file) See attachment
- AB 12 Fact Sheet (DOC file)
- Santa Cruz County Foster Youth Educational Liaisons Contact Information (XLS file) See attachment
- 2008-2009 Educational Goals Report
- Working With Schools (PDF file)
- How to Partner with Your Teacher (PDF file)
- Success Outside of School
- Collaborating With Other Adults to Address Your Child's Learning Difficulties (PDF file)
- Parents' Top Tips for Surviving Homework (PDF file)
- AB 490 Facts (PDF file)
- SSTs:
  - Student Study Team Notes Sheet (PDF File)
  - SST Flow Chart (jpeg file)
  - SST Purpose (PDF file)
- CA Education Law Fact Sheets 2008
- 504 overview
- Section 504 Federal Civil Rights Law
- A Parents Guide to Section 504
- 504 Drug and Alcohol (PDF file)
- 504 Accommodation Checklist (PDF file)
- Disciplining a 504 Disabled Student (PDF file)
Special Education
School Calendars

Resources and Reference Materials

Mental and physical disabilities
- ADHD
- Autism
- Autism Fact Sheet (PDF file)
- “Psychotropic Medication and Children in Foster Care: Tips for Advocates and Judges” – American Bar Associate - Center on Children and the Law - Author JoAnne Solchany, PhD, ARNP – October 2011 (link to article)
- “Drugs Used for Psychotics Go to Youths in Foster Care” – NY Times article by BENEDICT CAREY Published: November 20, 2011 (link to article)
Working with the Dependency system
- Special Immigrant juvenile status (PDF file)
- Kids Law (English) (PDF file)
- Kids Law (Spanish) (PDF file)
Drug / Alcohol Abuse
- Drug, Kids and Community. A comprehensive guide to recreational drugs:
  http://nc.casaforchildren.org/files/public/site/conference/HO2012/B-drugs.pdf
- Strategies for Working with Methamphetamine-Using Families (PDF file)
- Talking with kids about drugs and alcohol
Education and learning challenges
- Tutoring Guide (PDF file)
Working with Children & Teens
- Triple P Parenting tip sheets – The following tip sheets are for parents who attend the Triple P Parenting classes.
  - Encouragement (English) (Spanish)
  - Family Meeting (English) (Spanish)
  - Mealtimes (English) (Spanish)
  - Positive Time-Out (English) (Spanish)
  - Sharing (English) (Spanish)
  - Tantrums (English) (Spanish)
- Advocating for infants and toddlers (PDF file)
- Understanding foster youth behavior
- Greif and loss (PDF file)
- Things to do With a Teenager (PDF file)
- Working with Pregnant and Parenting Teens (PDF file)
- Teen Parents - you are not alone
- Raising Teens
- Foundation for healthy child development
- Temper Tantrums
- Laws – minor consent chart
- Teen health laws
- Ten tasks of adolescence (Word doc.)
Gangs & Gang Culture
- Gang awareness (PDF file)
Culture and Diversity

Issues facing CASA volunteers with Immigrant parents (PDF file)
Tools to support LGBT youth in care
http://nc.casaforchildren.org/files/public/site/conference/HO2012/B-LGBTQ.pdf
Why Bilinguals are smarter? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html
How to be an ally to LGBT people - see attachment
Being Poor – what’s it like? - see attachment

Adoption & Permanency
- Non-Minor Dependent personal rights (pdf file)
- AB12 fact sheet (PDF file)
- Five steps toward improving the foster care system (PDF file)
- An experts web site http://www.highpopples.com/
Family Dynamics & Child Abuse
- PDF book “a judge’s guide to working with young children”
  http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/child_law/healthy_beginnings.authcheckdam.pdf
- Triple P Seminar & Workshop Topics (PDF file)
- Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (PDF file)
- Bonding with Your Baby (PDF file)
- Children of Incarcerated Parents (PDF file)
- Protective Factors for Strengthening Families (PDF file)
- Neuro-Developmental Effects of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence (PDF file)

Continuing Education Opportunities

On-line Trainings
- “First Impressions: Exposure to Violence and a Child's Developing Brain” – 15 min. (30 min of Continuing Education Credits)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brVOYtNMmKk
- “Frontline Program: Inside The Teenage Brain” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/
Demystifying Domestic Violence
Please note: This is an excellent presentation by the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center and it counts for 1 hour of Continuing Education credit.
Books & Movies
- Book List
- Movie List

Helpful Information

Common Acronyms (PDF file)

Personal Resources For Advocates

Self-Care (PDF file)
Surviving Advocacy (PDF file)
Communication Barriers and How to Overcome Them (PDF file)

Advocate Compliance & Paperwork

CASA’s Court Report Template added 2013 January (Word file)
Volunteer Handbook (2012 August) (PDF file)
DMV Pull Notice Form (PDF file)
Monthly Case Log (word document)
Suspected Child Abuse
- Suspected Child Abuse Report form (PDF file)
  Please note: The report needs to be made verbally by telephone to 454-CARE (2273). Make sure to ask for the screener’s full name, mailing address, title, and phone number. You will need this information when filling out the Suspected Child Abuse Report Form. Before you hang-up ask the screener where the Suspected Child Abuse Report Form should be faxed or mailed to. The form needs to be mailed or faxed within 36 hours after making the verbal report.
- California Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Law – Issues and Answers for Mandated Reporters (PDF file)
- Santa Cruz Department of Human Services website
CASA Volunteer Training Manual
If you are having trouble using the Manual below, you can also access it through http://casaofsantacruz.org/flip or http://casaofsantacruz.org/flipMobile (for Mobile) or it can be downloaded as a PDF. Some people are having trouble with the "Full Screen Mode." We are looking for solutions. When we have advice for this problem, we will post it here.

Teens and Older Youth

Transition Age Youth Programs (TAY)
About CASA's Teens and Older Youth Volunteers
- Teen Health Law - this is a great site for teens and people that work with teens to understand the laws for minors/teens.
- CASA College Advisor
- Employment Specialist
- Transition (PTM) Coordinator
- Career Planning (California Career Center)
Search for Free College Scholarships and Grants at www.HighFiveScholarships.com
Akao Scholarship Form
Transition Meeting (PTM) description
TILP - What? Why?
TILP Agreement (Sample)
Sample Resume for Teens
Higher Education Resource List
Things to do and Connecting with a Teenager
Chaffee Grant Factsheet
Casey Services – Adolescent Brain Development
Beautiful Brains (National Geographic)
The Amazing Brain
The Ten Tasks of Adolescence

Approaching 18/AB12

Activities

Resource Activity Guide
Watsonville Parks and Recreation
Santa Cruz County Parks and Recreation
Activity Guide for County of Santa Cruz Parks
Santa Cruz Public Library
Watsonville Public Library
Camp Opportunity (800) 750.CAMP [2267]
Santa Cruz Kids
Therapeutic Equestrian Vaulting (831) 464.9644
Scholarships for Summer 2013(pdf)

Other


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