Executive Director Serves on Expert Panel
CASA’s Executive Director, Ann Marie Binsner, served on an expert panel regarding the challenges of foster care, hosted by the Many Hands giving circle. During the panel, Binsner and the other panelists described to the audience the reasons children come into care, the current state of foster care and the trends and challenges currently facing child welfare professionals. One of the trends impacting youth is the high number who are aging out of foster care after essentially growing up in out of home placements.
“Take a minute and think about the greatest young person you know…maybe your own child,” she challenged the audience. “Now imagine that same young person and take away all the supports. No one to make sure they achieved those major and minor milestones. Goals and dreams are never even set. Then they turn 21 and are emancipated, on their own.”
CASA recently received a grant from the Many Hands giving circle to help youth as they prepare for adulthood by improving their employment outcomes. As the panel shared, the needs of youth in foster care are intense and it is essential to walk hand in hand with them to provide the support necessary to build a path towards a successful future.
For more information on the panel, see the full article.