Riverside County CASA of the Month – December 2023

Cathy has been a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) since 2016 and has served as a dedicated CASA for seven youth. She has made it her mission to get to know each of her case children well and strongly advocate until the child’s needs are met. CASA Cathy does not give up when a case child is not easy to reach or decides that they do not want a CASA. She attends every meeting and every hearing. Her case children know that she is there for them no matter what. 

“I was impressed when I met one of her case children at their hearing. The youth looked down at the ground every moment, whether speaking or being spoken to. As soon as Cathy commented, he immediately looked up and made eye contact with her. If that isn’t a sign of trust, I don’t know what is! Cathy develops this type of relationship with each of her case children, and she is a definite asset to Voices for Children,” said Sharon Morris, Managing Director at Voices for Children, Riverside County. 

Recently, her case child was moved from his placement, and since there were no appropriate placements available, he became homeless. Cathy carefully explained his situation to the judge through her Court report, and the judge ordered that this issue be rectified within 72 hours. Because of Cathy’s detailed advocacy for housing,  the judge was aware of the situation, and her youth had a placement before the end of the week.

CASA Cathy has also been an enormous support to our Outreach Team. She’s supported various local events, such as the Rods & Rails Car Show and the Moreno Valley Fun Color Run. She is friendly, kind, and patient when connecting with potential new CASAs. She’s a true rock star! 

Name: Cathy P.
County: Riverside
Occupation: Retired
Became a CASA in: 2016
Advice to a new CASA: “Remember that one of the most important things you do is ‘show up’ – for visits, for court, for a phone call. Even when you don’t know what to say or do, it will mean a lot if you keep showing up because most other people in these kid’s lives don’t.”

You, too, can make a difference in the lives of youth in foster care. Learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer. *Names and details have been changed to protect confidentiality