Illinois CASA

Friday means another & ! Help us congratulate Paul Lynch from CASA of Jefferson County Illinois!

Paul was awarded the Bronze Volunteer of the Year award for his commitment to serving children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Paul is the type of volunteer that is ready to say yes to anything. According to his local CASA program, "He is not afraid to take hard cases… he is thorough and takes his role very seriously."

❤ We are thankful that community volunteers like Paul step up to support youth who have experienced abuse or neglect in our state. You can become a CASA Volunteer & make a lasting difference in a child's life: https://illinoiscasa.org/how-to-help/

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived to Galveston, Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved Black Americans more than two years after Abraham Lincoln had issued the proclamation. Today, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on our nation's history and our society's ongoing work to ensure equity and equal opportunity in our communities.

If you're interested in learning more about the historical impact of Black leaders in child welfare, and the growing research on eliminating bias and disproportionality in Illinois child welfare system, here are a few resources:

📖 ABA Resolution 606: The Original Story of Racism in the Child Welfare System (by the Illinois Collaboration on Youth) www.icoyouth.org/2024/02/21/aba-resolution-606-the-original-story-of-racism-in-the-child-welfare-system/

🤖 How Illinois DCFS used AI to uncover bias in child welfare case notes (by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-illinois-dcfs-used-ai-uncover-bias-wv34e/

❤ Honoring Black Leaders Past and Present Who Shape Child Welfare with Courage and Care (by Dr. Susan McConnell, Let It Be Us Executive Director) letitbeus.org/black-history-month-honoring-black-leaders-past-and-present-who-shape-child-welfare-with-courage-and-care/

📊 FY2025 Racial and Ethnic Disproportionality in the Illinois Child Welfare System (by the University of Illinois School of Social Work) https://cfrc.illinois.edu/pubs/rp_20250930_RacialAndEthnicDisproportionalityInTheIllinoisChildWelfareSystemFY2025Report.pd