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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/6/2021 Item 2, Tardiff October 6, 2021 Human Relations Commission City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA RE: Grants-in-Aid, CDBG Funding Priorities for 2022 Dear Esteemed Members of the Human Relations Commission: Thank you very much for your service to our city in helping to allocate funds to the populations most in need of your assistance. I would like to draw your attention to the population least capable of self-reliance: children in the foster care system. When parents have abused or neglected their children to such an extreme that the court must intervene to protect the child, that child enters the network of care provided by our state, county, and city. These agencies truly want to protect the child from further harm and hands of the numerous agencies, districts, and providers who can provide services to the child. But what becomes of the child? On day one, a stranger removes the child from all they know, and drops them into the home of another trash bag, they might be separated from their siblings, they may attend a new school the next day. This child may never have even had they live somewhere completely new. Typically, a child in our local welfare system changes residence at least three times a year. That could mean three new schools, it means three changing sets of house rules, and it may well mean long months of never seeing a can get lolikely has no one to remember their birthday, who makes sure eye exams happen and glasses get fitted, who keeps track of educational progress or observes their special events and milestones. A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CASA ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 1168, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 CASA of San Luis Obispo County (805) 541-6542 FAX (805) 541-5637 email: staff@slocasa.org | www.slocasa.org What can we possible do to make this easier for the child? We can assign them a CASA volunteer. The CASA volunteer helps assure changes, helps keep their school records intact, medical care current, and makes them feel like a valued individual. Who is the CASA volunteer? They are a thoroughly vetted, highly trained, and closely- supervised member of the community who receives orders from the court to represent one child (or sibling group). Unlike the foster parent, social worker, teacher, and doctor, the CASA volunteer never changes. He or she befriends their child, advocates for them as a healthy available parent would do, and follows through on the inevitable needs of a child. Decades of experience right here in San Luis Obispo prove that a foster child with a CASA volunteer has fewer placements, spends fewer months in foster care, and is more likely to graduate high school. The to the community are realover $1,000,000 in reduced foster care costs last year alone. The value of the CASA volunteer to the child? Priceless. The most significant accomplishments of CASA volunteers happen every daywhen an overlooked opportunity is found, a service is secured, or an adult connection is made that will help keep a child safe and give him or her an opportunity to succeed. We need your financial support so that we may continue providing these highly motived volunteers to help children, and more importantly, to expand our services. As of this writing, 175 receive loving, focused attention from 139 volunteers. Sadly, 140 more children await a CASA volunteer of their own. Your immediate funding priorities for 2022 affect the long-term outcomes for these we can get children into a safe, permanent, loving, home, the greater the likelihood they will become healthy adults. Please support our efforts to help assure these foster children have the support they need to succeed. Sincerely, Teresa Tardiff Executive Director A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CASA ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 1168, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 CASA of San Luis Obispo County (805) 541-6542 FAX (805) 541-5637 email: staff@slocasa.org | www.slocasa.org