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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The volunteers, staff, and board members who make up |
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the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates organization are |
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gathering in Austin on February 12, 2015, for CASA Day at the State |
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Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas CASA is part of a national volunteer movement |
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begun in the 1970s that enlists community volunteers to serve as |
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court advocates for abused and neglected children; these volunteers |
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research the child's situation, provide critical information and |
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recommendations to judges about what is best for the child, and help |
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ensure that children in the foster care system find safe, permanent |
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homes as soon as possible; and |
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WHEREAS, The first CASA program in Texas began in Dallas some |
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35 years ago; Texas CASA was formed in 1989 and recently celebrated |
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its 25th anniversary; Texas CASA provides funding, training, |
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coordination, and assistance to 71 local CASA programs statewide |
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that last year engaged more than 8,000 volunteers, who gave |
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life-changing advocacy, help, and encouragement to 24,742 |
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children, more than 50 percent of the children in the foster care |
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system; and |
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WHEREAS, CASA volunteers help to give children in the foster |
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care system hope for a better future and provide courts with |
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information they need to make well-informed decisions in child |
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protective services cases, and their efforts help to ensure that |
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the system functions as intended; all those associated with CASA |
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are truly deserving of recognition for their service to the State of |
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Texas, its courts, and its children; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 12, 2015, as CASA Day at the |
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State Capitol and commend the organization for its noble efforts to |
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aid abused and neglected children; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for CASA as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
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of Representatives. |