Advocate of the Month – July 2019

The JULY Advocate of the Month is:

CHRIS SUPAN!

Chris (pictured with his wife and fellow CASA, Cindy) has been an advocate with CASA for nearly 7 years. In that time he has served multiple families in multiple counties, usually working with more than one family at a time (all while also serving as a dedicated member of the CASA Board). Currently Chris is appointed to 3 cases – 2 in Walker County and 1 in San Jacinto county. In June alone, Chris traveled over 500 miles and spent approximately 30 hours serving his children. Even more impressive than that, since January 1st, Chris has traveled over 3,600 miles and completed over 150 casework hours for his CASA kids!

One of the children that Chris is assigned to has been in foster care for more than 6 years. Chris has been an active part of this child’s life for ALL of those years. He has remained dedicated to the child, followed him from home to home, and made sure he has always had a voice in the process and did not feel alone on the journey.

In all of his cases, Chris is 100% present as an advocate. Whether it be a staffing meeting, an adoption selection meeting, a child visit on the other side of the state, a court hearing, or extra-curricular activity, Chris makes it a point to be at EVERYTHING he can for every child he serves. He assists with parent-child visits and even attends sporting events for his children when he’s able. He is always well prepared, well-informed, asks good questions, and refuses to take no for an answer (in the best way possible).

Chris’s strength in advocacy, however, does not stop there. He not only is a frequent visitor that the kid can depend on, but also a reliable support and contact for the caregivers. Chris is known to check in with caregivers regularly and maintain productive relationships will all involved in the children’s lives.

In the courtroom, Chris always delivers thorough court reports and court testimony. He is not afraid to disagree with others in the cases to advocate for what is truly best for the child. He is a frequent visitor to the office and always makes sure to keep his supervisors updated on the latest developments in his cases. He does a great job keeping up with the different court schedules, and CPS meeting with all his cases. In addition to all of this, Chris’s documentation is always up to date – he submits quality contact logs and keeps supervisors and other parties up to date at all times.

Chris is a shining example of a dedicated CASA. After years of service and many challenges thrown his way, his commitment to his children has been unwavering. Chris is truly a remarkable example of what it means to be a CASA! It’s hard to imagine a CASA program without his commitment, leadership, and enthusiastic dedication to the CASA mission!