It has been 3 weeks since Tulsa CASA officially suspended in-person visits to children and families. Some of our volunteers haven’t seen their CASA kiddos in a month or more! While social distancing is hard, our advocates have not missed a beat. They’ve even gotten quite creative in their virtual contacts with families, using apps and games over FaceTime to keep in contact and maintain connection. We just want to say THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers. Many of them are juggling work, “homeschooling”, family life, and CASA. We are so proud of the commitment and dedication they give to the families they work with everyday.
Meet Heather!
Heather Streich has lived in Tulsa for 26 years. She and her husband have been married for almost 27 years, and they have three children. Their oldest son just graduated from OSU, their 20-year-old son plays basketball at UCO, and their daughter is a junior at Jenks High School. They have a 12-year-old lab named Frisco and since the whole family is all under one roof for the time being due to COVID-19, they also have their son’s 1-year-old golden doodle, Brodie.
Heather is mostly a stay-at-home mom, and used to be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She currently does premarital counseling for her church at First Baptist Tulsa. Aside from CASA, she has been involved in many areas of volunteerism. Heather and her husband have fostered six children, and participate in various activities within their church. Heather has been the chair for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk and also does community work with Unite My City.
In her free time, Heather enjoys playing tennis and organizing friends for supper. She got involved with CASA when a friend mentioned that they should attend a Tulsa CASA Lunch and Learn, because their kids were too old to need them as much anymore. She completed training in June 2019 and started on her first case in July. Heather works with our Safe Babies Court Team, ensuring the needs of children aged 0-3 are met expeditiously by the court system.
What do you enjoy most about being a CASA?
Connecting with the kids and finding practical ways to help. Recently, I brought one of the boys’ bikes home to have my husband fix the chain. The boys I see love stories so I enjoy digging through my kids’ old books and sharing stories I used to read to them with my CASA kids.
I love when I see the children at court and they run up and practically tackle me, jumping in my arms. I am hoping the children will move from temporary to permanent placement with their mother this month.
CASA offers Tulsa a chance for very different people to get to know each other and learn to work together. In turn, we find out that we have a lot more in common than it appears. Find something that you enjoy and jump in to volunteer!
A Note from her Advocate Manager
Heather started her journey with CASA in July of 2019 and has been on the same case since then. She has developed a bond with not only the kiddos on her case but the mother as well. Heather is constantly in contact with the family, has assisted them through good and bad times, and fights for what is in the children’s best interest.
The impact Heather is making on her case is monumental and these kids are able to thrive because of her. It is such a pleasure to get to work with Heather and she is an asset to our program. I feel so blessed that I get to be her advocate manager and witness the difference she is making in this world! – Kaitlin Brasher
April Anniversaries
Happy Anniversary month to our April CASAs! Thank you for giving children in Tulsa County a voice and making sure their best interest is heard.
As our staff works from home, our volunteers do as well! They are on FaceTime calls with their CASA kiddos, checking in with service providers, and making sure the families have everything they need during this time of uncertainty. We’re feeling extra thankful for them this month!
Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is nationally recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Help us bring awareness to child abuse and neglect by using our profile picture frame on Facebook and wearing a virtual blue ribbon (in the spirit of social distancing!) 💙💙💙
Click here to add our frame to your Facebook profile picture during the month of April
According to Oklahoma Human Services, 2,849 children in Tulsa County were confirmed to be victims of child abuse and/or neglect last year. Can you be their voice? #ChangeAChildsStory#STOPChildAbuse
In the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, children and families are struggling to make it through each day, one day at a time. Many of our families, already engaged with the child welfare system prior to COVID-19, will have an even more difficult time than the average family.
Fortunately, CASA volunteers can still be strong supporters and advocates for the children they are appointed to and their families, while still observing social distancing and self-quarantining protocols.
As of March 18, Tulsa CASA, Inc. has suspended all in-person visitations, though virtual visits are encouraged to provide consistency and support to CASA children during this time of uncertainty.
The Tulsa CASA Inc. office and building are closed until further notice. Staff is working remotely from their homes. All forms of communication will be over phone or email until the office is reopened.
We have cancelled all in-service trainings for current advocates through April 30, 2020 and all pre-service training for new volunteers has been moved to a completely online/virtual meeting format.
While advocates are unable to visit with children and families in person, Skype or FaceTime, email, texting or calling are great ways to stay in touch. Volunteers are encouraged to make weekly check-in calls to caregivers and children, and inquire about things such as . . .
- Health of all household members — physical and mental
- How are school/distance learning assignments being completed? What was sent by the district/teacher? Is the teacher available via email or help, if needed? How can the CASA assist virtually?
- What is the family doing to keep busy daily?
- Is anyone in the household still working outside of the home?
- Has the child/children had any issues behaviorally since being home from school?
- If the child’s visitation has been suspended due to COVID-19, have they been able to stay in touch with their parents/sibling(s) by phone?
- Is the household having any other challenges? (Financial, shortage of food, childcare for healthcare workers/first responders, etc.)
- Are there upcoming non-urgent medical/dental appointments for the child/children? If so, has DHS been consulted to determine whether these appointments can be postponed?
- Does the caretaker have supportive individuals they are relying on right now to stay sane and healthy?
Volunteers are also encouraged to make contact with anyone else involved with the child’s care during this time to determine what their status is currently in relation to the child (if services are being suspended, being offered remotely, etc.). This includes contact with the natural parents, even if the child is not currently in their care.
Crisis in health, mental health, domestic violence and child welfare may arise during this stressful time. Some important information and contacts to have on hand:
Oklahoma Child Abuse Hotline
Be alert and keep an eye out for signs of abuse and neglect, even more than usual, because abuse and neglect have been shown to increase during times of crisis/natural disasters. If you suspect child abuse and/or neglect, call the OK Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-522-3511 as soon as possible and alert your Advocate Manager.
Domestic Violence Hotline
Being quarantined at home is not always safe. Domestic Violence Intervention Hotline can be reached at 918-7HELP-ME (918-743-2763) 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The DVIS hotline can provide help to anyone experiencing domestic violence or if you want to help someone who is.
2-1-1 Hotline
2-1-1 Oklahoma will enable everyone to get help or provide help. 2-1-1 Oklahoma offers information and referral across the spectrum of human need, including but not limited to rental assistance, food pantries, affordable housing, health resources, child care, after-school programs, caregiver support, financial programs, literacy, and job programs.
And if you have any questions about COVID-19 here are some reliable sources to get updates from:
The World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fsummary.html
Meet Tracy!
Tracy Roberson knew for years that she wanted to be involved with CASA. After her youngest daughter went off to college and some of her other volunteer commitments were finished, she had time to freely devote to CASA and completed training in June 2019.
Tracy grew up in Tulsa but lived in Norman for 11 years until returning to the 918 in 1991. Since returning, she has been involved with various different organizations in a volunteer capacity. Tracy has also volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Bixby Educational Endowment Foundation, Bixby Outreach Center, and Call Rape.
Tracy has a cat named Holly and 3 daughters; Perri is 26 and lives in LA, Peyton is 23 and lives in OKC, and her youngest daughter Quinn is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma.
Tracy was a stay-at-home mom while her children were growing up, but prior to that she was the Director of Student Services at the University Center at Tulsa (now OSU-Tulsa) and was Assistant Director of Student Development and Sorority Advisor at the University of Oklahoma. It’s safe to say that being a Sooner runs in their family!
When Tracy has free time outside of volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her children and friends, playing tennis, and traveling.
What do you enjoy most about being a CASA?
The relationships with the kids, of course. It’s definitely gratifying to get big smiles and hugs from the kids, feeling like they’re happy to see me.
My current CASA kiddo is in an intensive inpatient treatment facility and has inconsistent face-to-face visitors. I try to provide weekly visits where she can take a break from life for a bit and just be a kid, while also reinforcing positive behavior for her. CASA offers love, security and safety to Tulsa’s children in foster care.
My favorite moment on a case was when I would visit my CASA child at school, during recess and lunch. One day when the children were lining up for lunch, a boy in her class that she had mentioned was mean to her jumped in front of her in the lunch line. I asked if he meant to jump in front of her, and he quickly moved back behind her where he was supposed to be. Well, my little girl told him I was her attorney…I’m pretty sure none of the second graders (including her) knew what an attorney or a CASA were, but she certainly said it with a lot of authority!
I also love working with my advocate manager, Chloe. She goes above and beyond to give support and encouragement. She makes me feel as if my questions and my case were the only things she had to worry about!
A Note from her Advocate Manager
Tracy has only been an advocate since July, but she has already been an integral part of two cases. From the very beginning it was obvious that she was going to be a dedicated advocate.
She is kind, dependable and always shows up to meetings, visits, hearings or wherever she is needed. She is constantly surprising me with the amount of thought, effort and care she puts into her cases. When she serves her kiddos, she is absolutely all-in and goes the extra mile to make them feel special and wanted.
Once her first case closed, she jumped right back in and asked to serve another child! AND she drives an hour and a half almost every week to visit her CASA kiddo! She knows being present and showing up is the best way to advocate for them.
It is an absolute pleasure to work with Tracy as a team, and she keeps me informed about every step. I am so thankful she has volunteered her time to serve these children in our community! – Chloe Baldwin
March Anniversaries
Happy Anniversary month, March CASAs! Thank you for Changing a Child’s Story and making a commitment to children in Tulsa County. We appreciate you all so much!
Meet Dayna!
Dayna Applegate has been a CASA volunteer since September 2018. She describes herself as a major book junkie and she also enjoys doing yoga and playing outside with her children in her spare time. She and her husband, Levi, have three children ranging in age from 4-8 years old.
Dayna is a registered nurse and also volunteers at “Parents Night Out” quarterly for foster and adoptive parents. Dayna says that she has always had a heart for children caught up in the foster care system and wanted to find a way to get involved.
She didn’t know a lot about CASA, but she has a friend who volunteers in another state. So she called her friend to ask some questions, attended a Lunch and Learn at Tulsa CASA, and signed up for training. She says “I was hooked!” We are so glad she decided to take the next step and pursue certification as a Court Appointed Special Advocate!
What do you enjoy most about being a CASA?
I enjoy the chance to be one more person in a child’s life that lets them know they are important and they are worthy of love. CASA offers support and stability to one of our most vulnerable populations when their world is being flipped upside down.
My favorite moment on a case was when I visited the family for the first time after the children had been reunited with their mother. I loved seeing the joy on all of their faces to be back together again!
If you are looking to volunteer in the community, there is something out there for every passion and every personality. Talk to people you know, ask around on Facebook, and most people will be able to point you towards an opportunity.
A Note from her Advocate Manager
What can I say about Dayna that hasn’t already been said? She is such a phenomenal advocate who does the absolute best on her case. Dayna has been a CASA less than two years and she had no hesitation in taking her second case when her first case ended.
I enjoy being Dayna’s advocate manager because she’s always in contact with me, making sure her CASA kiddos have everything they need. Dayna shows up for every hearing, even if it lasts for hours! She has a fun and vibrant personality, and I can only imagine she uses that when she visits her CASA children.
Dayna is one of those rare advocates we find who gives this work her all, and goes above and beyond to make a difference in the life of a child. – Kristen Dake
Many, many thanks to all of our CASA Casino Sponsors this year!
Presenting Sponsor
George Kaiser Family Foundation
High Roller Sponsor
H.A and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust
Royal Flush Sponsor
QuikTrip
The E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation
Smolen & Roytman
Full House Sponsor
The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation
ONEOK
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Bearwood Concepts
Hogan Taylor
Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Steve and Debbie Smith-Berlin
TruHealth
Xcaliber International
Tulsa Wealth Advisors
Keith and Linda Van Dyke
Unit Corporation
Williams
The Arthur Family