Well-Being in Child Advocacy: Supporting the People Who Do the Work

Child advocacy work is demanding, high-stakes, and deeply human. Attorneys, judges, CASA volunteers, and agency staff routinely work under significant pressure while engaging with complex systems and difficult subject matter. The support people receive in their day-to-day work – from colleagues, supervisors, and organizational culture – has a direct impact on both individual well-being and also the quality of advocacy children and families receive.

This 90-minute webinar will focus on well-being in child advocacy through the lens of professional relationships, office culture, and shared responsibility. Co-facilitated by a Child Welfare Law Specialist and a licensed mental health provider, the session will explore how stress and secondary trauma affect people across roles, how these challenges show up in workplaces, and what practical steps individuals and organizations can take to better support one another.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to recognize strain in themselves and others, engage in supportive professional interactions, and contribute to healthier, more sustainable work environments.

Presenters:

Josephine Vanderhorst, JD, CWLS – Senior Staff Attorney, National Association of Counsel for Children

Josephine C. Vanderhorst, MFP, JD, CWLS, joined NACC in 2024, bringing eight years of dedicated experience in child welfare. A graduate of Tulane University Law School, Josephine contributes invaluable legal insights to her role. Holding a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tuskegee University and a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Argosy University, she approaches advocacy with a holistic perspective. This multidisciplinary foundation enhances her ability to understand and address the complex needs of children and families within the child welfare system. Josephine’s journey began in 2015 at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, where she started as one of the unit’s first Lutz Fellows. In 2020, she became the Managing Attorney. During her tenure, she doubled the unit’s size and created a transformative multidisciplinary program, hiring the first peer advocate at a children’s representation program in Louisiana and a social worker to provide comprehensive support.

Dr. Jasmine N. Warren – Director of Mental Health Services, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland

Dr. Jasmine N. Warren is a clinical social worker, educator, and clinical–policy leader with over 15 years of experience in child welfare, behavioral health, and community-based systems of care. She currently serves as Director of Mental Health Services at NYC Health + Hospitals | Gotham Health Cumberland, overseeing Article 31 Behavioral Health, Article 32 Substance Use Disorder, and integrated behavioral health and medical social work programs. Dr. Warren also serves as a Clinical Supervisor at Second Chance Counseling and previously held leadership roles with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, where she supervised adoption agencies statewide and supported regulatory compliance and systems improvement. A seasoned clinician, she specializes in CBT, DBT, trauma-informed, and grief-focused care, with a focus on improving services for children and adolescents involved in the child welfare system. She holds a DSW in Clinical-Policy Practice, an MSW, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and SIFI-certified supervisor.

CLE

California (60-minute hour)

This participatory activity has been accredited by the State Bar of California for a maximum of 1.5 hours of Wellness Competence credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE.

Colorado (50‐minute hour) 

This course is pending accreditation by the Colorado Board of Continuing Legal and Judicial Education for a maximum of 1.8 units of General credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE. Colorado is a self-report state.

Attorneys in all other jurisdictions must seek CLE accreditation individually if desired.