December 2022
Reminders and Deadlines for CASAs
November Volunteer Hours
Please use this form to submit your September volunteer hours and remember to include time spent driving to and from visits, meetings, and other CASA-related destinations.
VFC Office Closures
VFC staff continue to primarily work remotely; however, limited access to the office is available to CASAs. Please reach out to your advocacy supervisor if you need to come into the office.
Staff will be out of office this holiday season from Monday, December 26 – Monday, January 2, and will return on Tuesday, January 3.
If you have a case-related emergency during this time please contact the emergency cell phone at 858-336-0609.
Chesapeake Office Drop-In Hours
Voices for Children’s Chesapeake office now has dedicated drop-in hours. If you need to access the office to pick up a gift card, a car seat, or any other prearranged item, please prepare to stop by Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – noon or 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Continuing Education
All scheduled Small Group and Continuing Education sessions will be conducted remotely unless noted otherwise.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Brain Development
Wednesday, December 7
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Join us for a special presentation by Dr. Lisa Conradi of Rady Children’s Hospital’s Chadwick Center to learn about childhood trauma and its effects on childhood development. To attend this Zoom training, please RSVP to Juvenile Justice Advocacy Supervisor, Sabrina Gonzalez at SabrinaGo@speakupnow.org by Tuesday, December 6.
Wrap Works: Wraparound Services
Monday, December 12
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Please join us for a continuing education session on Wrap Works: Wraparound services. Kandice Nelson, Wrap Works clinician and intensive care coordinator, will give CASAs an overview of the Wraparound treatment modality offered to children and teens in the foster and probation systems, ages 3 –18, who are in need of intensive support in their home communities. Joining Kandice will be Wrap Works intake and outreach coordinator, Jose Acuna, who will offer CASAs insight on eligibility and the referral process. To attend, please RSVP to Advocacy Supervisor Noor Khalil at NoorK@speakupnow.org by Thursday, December 8.
Open Topic Small Group
Wednesday, December 14
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
VFC Chesapeake Office
Please join us for an in-person Small Group meeting to discuss your case with peers and an advocacy supervisor via Zoom. To participate, RSVP to Advocacy Supervisor Victor Cuevas at VictorC@speakupnow.org by Friday, December 9.
Open Topic Small Group
Wednesday, January 11
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Please join us for a Small Group meeting to discuss your case with peers and an advocacy supervisor via Zoom. To participate, RSVP to Senior Advocacy Supervisor Allen Fox at AllenF@speakupnow.org by Friday, January 6.
Working with Social Workers
Wednesday, January 11
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Please join us for a chance to learn from social workers about the dependency process from the time a family enters the foster care system to jurisdiction being terminated. You will have the opportunity to ask questions to better understand the workload, parameters, joys, and disappointments of social workers in San Diego County and learn how to best work with HHSA. To attend, please RSVP to Advocacy Supervisor Tanya Ehlert at TanyaEhlert@speakupnow.org by Friday, January 6.
Educational Advocacy Small Group
Monday, January 23
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Please join us for a small group discussion about Educational Advocacy, and how we can proactively support our case children throughout their educational journey. To attend this Zoom training, please RSVP to Advocacy Supervisor Diana Woldt-Gorsich at DianaW@speakupnow.org by Monday, January 9.
Juvenile Justice Small Group
Tuesday, January 31
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Please join us for a Small Group meeting to discuss your juvenile justice case with peers and a Juvenile Justice Advocacy Supervisor via Zoom. To participate, RSVP to Advocacy Supervisor Sarah Stempien at SarahS@speakupnow.org by Thursday, January 23.