CARE House expands to better help abused children

11:21 AM, Apr. 15, 2011
Detroit Free Press

.....The state of Michigan is “putting more money into child welfare because they have to,” said Jack Kresnak, CEO of the Lansing-based Michigan’s Children nonprofit group.

“They have to meet the terms of the Children’s Rights lawsuit,” Kresnak said, after viewing the dedication of CARE House. Children’s Rights is a New York organization that sued the State of Michigan in 2006 in federal court. In the settlement, state officials agreed to violations of foster children’s rights and agreed to spend more state dollars on child protective services, foster care and adoptions.

“The problem I have is that resources were redirected to kids in foster care and away from programs that actually keep children out of foster care and that prevent abuse and neglect,” Kresnak said. State funding cuts to preventive services for children at risk of abuse and neglect began under former Gov. Jennifer Granholm several years ago, he said. FULL STORY