| 2 | 3 | | |
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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The volunteers, staff, and board members who make up |
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| 6 | 7 | | the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates network are gathering |
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| 7 | 8 | | in Austin on February 17, 2021, for CASA Day at the State Capitol; |
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| 8 | 9 | | and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Texas CASA is part of a national volunteer movement |
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| 10 | 11 | | that began in 1977 and enlists local community volunteers to |
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| 11 | 12 | | support children and families involved in the foster care system; |
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| 12 | 13 | | beginning in 1979 with the first CASA program in Dallas, and |
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| 13 | 14 | | followed by the formation of Texas CASA in 1989, judges and |
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| 14 | 15 | | communities across the state have worked to expand CASA's |
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| 15 | 16 | | initiatives; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Providing 72 local programs in 219 of the state's |
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| 17 | 18 | | 254 counties, Texas CASA has grown to become one of the largest such |
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| 18 | 19 | | initiatives in the nation; through their advocacy efforts in the |
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| 19 | 20 | | 2020 fiscal year, CASA volunteers made a difference for 29,229 |
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| 20 | 21 | | youth by helping build community connections and pathways to |
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| 21 | 22 | | resiliency and healing from trauma; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to provide |
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| 23 | 24 | | valuable information and to make informed recommendations to courts |
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| 24 | 25 | | that serve the best interests of each child; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, The CASA network in Texas works tirelessly to ensure |
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| 26 | 27 | | that the organization grows in size in order to serve more children |
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| 27 | 28 | | and families and grows in understanding and practice to ensure that |
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| 28 | 29 | | CASA serves those children and families as informed, collaborative |
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| 29 | 30 | | partners in an ever-evolving system of care; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, All those associated with CASA are truly deserving |
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| 31 | 32 | | of recognition for their important work and service to the State of |
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| 32 | 33 | | Texas, its courts, its children, and its families; now, therefore, |
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| 33 | 34 | | be it |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Legislature hereby recognize February 17, 2021, as CASA Day at the |
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| 36 | 37 | | State Capitol and commend the organization for its diligent efforts |
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| 37 | 38 | | to aid abused and neglected children; and, be it further |
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| 38 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 39 | 40 | | prepared for CASA as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
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| 40 | 41 | | of Representatives. |
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