GetInvolved

GetInvolved

Welcome to the Big Country CASA’s Advocate Resources page. This page serves as a working list of different national and community resources, in-service training options, and a link to our online database. Please contact us if you have questions or know of a resource you think might be useful to add to this page.

E-LEARNING

CURRENT ADVOCATES

CASA College Login – Already have an account? Login here!

 *Remember to “save & exit” after each lesson to make sure that your progress is saved!


OPTIMA LOGIN 

OPTIMA RESOURCES

Optima-Training Guide

 

Outlook LOGIN

Outlook 365 Email

https://login.microsoftonline.com/

Outlook 365 Tutorial

 


RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Taylor County Standing Orders

TEXAS CASA – COLLABORATIVE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

STRESS, TRAUMA & ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

LOCAL RESOURCES & MENTAL HEALTH

PARENTING & PHYSICAL HEALTH

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES

DRUG & ALCOHOL ADVOCACY RESOURCES

HOMELESSNESS

AGING OUT

EDUCATION

Abilene FOOD BANKs

Activities for Children in Abilene


IN-SERVICE TRAININGS

CASA Calendar

Explore a variety of topics on CASA College!

Explore the wide range of trainings available at Gladney University: Gladney University | I Am Gladney

STRESS, TRAUMA & ADVERSE CHILD EXPERIENCES

  • Nadine Burke Harris TED Talk
  • Texas Victim Assistance Training (TVAT) – This training will provide the necessary tools for providing consistent and appropriate services to crime victims and how to work collaboratively with partner agencies.
  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Safety Training – Read up on how to help prevent cyberbullying, sexting and other types of risky online behavior in children and teens. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has provided a website to help educate adults and children on these risks. You may count research as continuing education credit.
  • Building Trauma-Informed Services for Children, Youth, and Parents Impacted by Domestic Violence – This is a 10-part recorded webinar series that can be accessed at any time. Topics include: Children and Domestic Violence, Caring for Others While Caring for Ourselves, Children Grow in the Context of Their Relationships, Understanding Children’s Responses to DV and Other Trauma, Responding to the Needs of Children and Families Impacted by DV, Engaging and Supporting Parents.
  • TBRI Introductory Training– TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection.
  • TBRI An Overview: Putting the Pieces Together – This short video explains the principles and concepts behind Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, a proven method for enriching the lives of at-risk, vulnerable children, adolescents, and their families. Trauma can impair language, sensory processing, and coping skills, and can lead to perplexing behaviors that are often mistaken for aggression or mental illness. This video features world-renowned experts who share research that documents how consistently positive experiences with loving caregivers can re-wire a child’s brain for lasting change. Learn more at http://child.tcu.edu.

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Everything you know about addiction is wrong – TED Talk – What really causes addiction? How can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail first hand and began to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do.
  • DFPS Psychotropic Medication Training – This training explains Child Protective Services’ expectations for the safe and effective use of psychotropic medications by children in DFPS conservatorship. This training will help you to understand the expectations and policies regarding medications administered to children.

BOOKS & Blogs TO READ

EDUCATION on Disabilities

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

  • Be The One – Human trafficking is a media buzzword that often conjures images of brothels in Thailand or confusion with the ongoing immigration debate. This innovative digital training tool cuts through the confusion, arms the viewer with an understanding of what human trafficking is and is not and helps them recognize that this is a Texas problem with Texas buyers, sellers, and victims. Most of all, it challenges Texans to change the culture in which we live from one that identifies with and honors perpetrators to one that provides safety, security, and genuine reintegration for the survivors of trafficking.
  • Exploited – Crimes Against Humanity – Exploited – Crimes Against Humanity (exploitedcrimes.com)

FOSTER CARE

  • Josh Shipp TED Talk
  • Podcast: Engaging Youth in Foster Care – As the youth in care begin to develop their own sense of self and independence, you may experience difficulty engaging them to participate in their case plans or helping them realize the impacts their decisions may have on their long-term future.

CHILD WELFARE INFORMATION GATEWAY LIBRARY

The Relationship between Substance Use Indicators and Child Welfare Caseloads. Revised March 9, 2018.
ASPE Research Brief.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2018
https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/258831/SubstanceUseCWCaseloads.pdf

Reimagining Overrepresentation Research: Critical Reflections on Researching the Overrepresentation of First Nations Children in the Child Welfare System.
Sinha, Vandna. Delaye, Ashleigh. Orav-Lakaski, Brittany.
2018
Journal of Law and Social Policy
28(2)p. 10-37
http://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/jlsp/vol28/iss1/2/
http://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1295&context=jlsp

Secondary Traumatization in Caregivers Working With Women and Children Who Suffered Extreme Violence by the “Islamic State.”
Denkinger, Jana K. Windthorst, Petra. Rometsch-Ogioun El Sount, Caroline. Blume, Michael. Sedik, Hes. Kizilhan, Jan I. Gibbons, Niamh. Pham, Phuong. Hillebrecht, Jennifer. Ateia, Nora.
2018
Frontiers in Psychiatry
9(234)p. 1-14
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00234/full
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00234/pdf

Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare.
Ontario Human Rights Commission.
2018
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/interrupted-childhoods
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/sites/default/files/Interrupted%20childhoods_Over-representation%20of%20Indigenous%20and%20Black%20children%20in%20Ontario%20child%20welfare_accessible.pdf

Child Welfare Scorecard: Outcomes Summary by District [Oregon]. April 2018.
Oregon Department of Human Services.
2018
https://www.oregon.gov/DHS/CHILDREN/CHILD-ABUSE/Documents/CW%20Outcomes%20Scorecard%20April%202018.pdf

2016 Early Childhood Education and Care National Workforce Census.
Social Research Centre.
2017
https://docs.education.gov.au/node/45126
https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/2016_ecec_nwc_national_report_sep_2017_0.pdf

Child Welfare Scorecard: Outcomes Summary by District [Oregon]. December 2017.
Oregon Department of Human Services.
2017
https://www.oregon.gov/DHS/CHILDREN/CHILD-ABUSE/Documents/CW-Outcomes-Scorecard-201712.pdf

Training the Future Child Health Care Workforce to Improve the Behavioral Health of Children, Youth, and Families: Proceedings of a Workshop.
Olson, Steve. Tracey, Sarah M.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.). Forum on Promoting Children’s Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health.
2017
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24877/training-the-future-child-health-care-workforce-to-improve-the-behavioral-health-of-children-youth-and-families
https://www.nap.edu/login.php?record_id=24877&page=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nap.edu%2Fdownload%2F24877

ADOPTION / FOSTER CARE

Foster Care: Additional Actions Could Help HHS Better Support States’ Use of Private Providers to Recruit and Retain Foster Families: Highlights of GAO-18-376, a Report to Congressional Requesters.
GAO Highlights ; Highlights of GAO-18-376
United States Government Accountability Office.
2018
https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/692107.pdf

Foster Care: Additional Actions Could Help HHS Better Support States’ Use of Private Providers to Recruit and Retain Foster Families.
GAO report to Congressional Requesters ; GAO-18-376
United States Government Accountability Office.
2018
https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-376
https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/692108.pdf

How Adoption Professionals Can Support Adult Adoptees’ Search for Information.
Jarema, Rhonda.
2017
Adoption Advocate
(104)http://www.adoptioncouncil.org/publications/2017/02/adoption-advocate-no-104
http://www.adoptioncouncil.org/files/large/6ca707aa0af202d

FY2017 Foster Care Scorecard [New York City]. Updated: September 12, 2016.
New York City Administration for Children’s Services.
2016
http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/acs/pdf/provider-bulletin/2016/sep12/FY2017FCScorecardMethodologyUpdate.pdf

CHILD MALTREATMENT / CHILD PROTECTION

Parental Substance Use in New Hampshire Who Cares for the Children?
Carsey Research Regional Brief #53; Spring 2018
Smith, Kristin.
Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire.
2018
https://carsey.unh.edu/publication/parental-substance-nh
https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1341&context=carsey

Protocol for the economic evaluation of a complex intervention to improve the mental health of maltreated infants and children in foster care in the UK (The BeST? services trial).
Deidda, Manuela. Boyd, Kathleen Anne. Minnis, Helen. Donaldson, Julia. Et Al.
2018
BMJ Open
8(3)9 p.
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e020066
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/8/3/e020066.full.pdf

Oregon Differential Response: Final Evaluation Report, June 2017.
Fuller, Tamara. Braun, Michael T. Chiu, Yu-Ling. Cross, Theodore P. Nieto, Martin. Tittle, Gail. Wakita, Satomi.
Children and Family Research Center.
2017
https://cfrc.illinois.edu/pubs/rp_20170630_OregonDifferentialResponseFinalEvaluationReport.pdf

COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

A Space to Thrive: Young women in poverty say why they need integrated support, advocacy and education services of their own. Justice for Girls Community Consultation Report.
McIntosh, Tracey. Stanhope, Carly. Et Al.
Justice for Girls Outreach Society.
2018
http://docplayer.net/77979900-Young-women-in-poverty-say-why-they-need-integrated-support-advocacy-and-education-services-of-their-own.html
http://free.fromdoctopdf.com/index.jhtml?partner=Y6xpu683&s1=may3&s2=&s3=&s4=&s5=

COURTS / JUDICIAL

International Perspectives on Child-responsive Courts.
Berrick, Jill Duerr Dickens, Jonathan. Pösö, Tarja. Skivenes, Marit.
2018
International Journal of Children’s Rights
26(2)p. 251-277
https://brill.com/view/journals/chil/26/2/article-p251_251.xml

GENERAL

Exploring Early Childhood Care and Education Levers to Improve Population Health: Proceedings of a Workshop.
Wizemann, Theresa M.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.). Roundtable on Population Health Improvement.
2018
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25129/exploring-early-childhood-care-and-education-levers-to-improve-population-health?utm_source=NASEM+News+and+Publications&utm_campaign=3392bb0e45-NAP_mail_new_2018_06_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_96101de015-3392bb0e45-103889777&goal=0_96101de015-3392bb0e45-103889777&mc_cid=3392bb0e45&mc_eid=fe0bbc5a3b
https://download.nap.edu/cart/download.cgi?record_id=25129

The Opioid Epidemic and Its Effects: A Perspective on What We Know from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Fee, Kyle.
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
2018
https://www.clevelandfed.org/~/media/content/newsroom%20and%20events/publications/data%20briefs/db%2020180531%20the%20opioid%20epidemic/db%2020180531%20pdf.pdf?la=en
https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/258831/SubstanceUseCWCaseloads.pdf

Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2016.
Friendly, Martha. Larsen, Elise. Feltham, Laura. Grady, Bethany. Forer, Barry. Jones, Michelle.
Childcare Resource and Research Unit.
2018
http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/wp-content/uploads/ECEC-in-Canada-2016.pdf

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report 2018.
Anderson, Signe. Rosso, Randy. Boyd, Alex. FitzSimons, Crystal. Anderson, Signe.
Food Research and Action Center.
2018
http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-summer-nutrition-report.pdf

Now, Now, Now: Mental Wellness for Indigenous Youth in the Champlain Region.
Toupin, Lynne. Chase, Carlie.
Interlocus Group, Inc.
2017
http://www.champlainlhin.on.ca/~/media/sites/champlain/Goals_Achvmnts/IHCF/NwNwNwRpt.pdf?la=en

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report 2017.
Hayes, Clarissa. Rosso, Randy. Anderson, Signe. FitzSimons, Crystal.
Food Research and Action Center.
2017
http://www.frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2017-summer-nutrition-report-1.pdf

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report 2016.
Hayes, Clarissa. Rosso, Randy. Anderson, Signe. FitzSimons, Crystal.
Food Research and Action Center.
2016
http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2016_summer_nutrition_report.pdf