THE JANUARY ADVOCATE OF THE MONTH IS:
BRIGETT ALLEN
Our Advocate of the Month for January is Brigett Allen. Persistence is an essential quality for CASA Advocates, and Brigett has demonstrated it in every sense of the word. Recently, she has had to rely heavily on this strength while advocating for her CASA teen and she rose to the challenge in a powerful way.
Over several weeks, it became clear that her teen girl’s placement was in jeopardy due to red tape and technicalities. This had nothing to do with the caregivers’ willingness or the suitability of the placement; in fact, everyone agreed it was a perfect fit. The issue was that the teen’s timeline for healing did not align with the timeline allotted for this type of placement.
As the deadline approached, both the caseworker and Brigett raised urgent questions about how to resolve the situation and allow this teen to remain in the placement where she was thriving and continuing to make progress in healing from trauma. Unfortunately, clear answers were not forthcoming but that didn’t stop Brigett.
Brigett understood that her role as a CASA was different. While the caseworker was constrained by policy and procedure, Brigett was not and she turned that freedom into her superpower. She refused to let the issue be ignored, persistently reaching out to everyone involved, escalating concerns through supervisors, and ultimately pushing until top leadership became involved. Her goal was clear: to secure a special exception so this child’s placement would not be disrupted.
She made sure decision-makers understood that this was not simply about the trauma caused by placement disruption—though that alone was significant—but that this child’s complex history and serious medical needs made the situation truly life-or-death. The stakes were incredibly high, and the risk was very real.
Brigett spent countless hours on phone calls, emails, meetings, and court hearings advocating for this teen. Her consistency, determination, and unwavering advocacy became the catalyst for securing the placement not just temporarily, but for the remainder of her teen’s time in foster care. It was a life-changing victory.
CASA Advocates step forward voluntarily to carry the heavy yet beautiful responsibility of being a child’s voice and championing their best interests. Brigett’s story is a testament to the profound difference a CASA can make, one not measured by statistics, but by the immeasurable impact of having someone wholly focused on a child and their needs. We are deeply grateful for Brigett and the way she continues to show up for her teen.