By News Staff | March 19th 2011 04:00 AM
Science 2.0
Infants and toddlers can suffer serious mental health disorders, yet are unlikely to receive treatment that could prevent lasting developmental problems, according to an analysis in American Psychologist.
Contrary to traditional beliefs that infants cannot have mental health problems "because they lack mental life," even young infants can react to the meaning of others' intentions and emotions because they have their own rudimentary intentions and motivating emotions, according to an article by Ed Tronick, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts and Marjorie Beeghly, Ph.D., from Wayne State University. The authors encourage more study of the impact of everyday life and continual interactions between infants and parents or other caregivers.
One barrier to mental health care for young children is "the pervasive, but mistaken, impression that young children do not develop mental health problems and are immune to the effects of early adversity and trauma because they are inherently resilient and 'grow out of' behavioral problems and emotional difficulties," according to Joy D. Osofsky, PhD, of Louisiana State University, and Alicia F. Lieberman, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco.
"Infants make meaning about themselves and their relation to the world of people and things," Tronick and Beeghly stated, and when that "meaning-making" goes wrong, it can lead to development of mental health problems. "Some infants may come to make meaning of themselves as helpless and hopeless, and they may become apathetic, depressed and withdrawn. Others seem to feel threatened by the world and may become hyper-vigilant and anxious." Apparent sadness, anger, withdrawal and disengagement can occur "when infants have difficulty gaining meaning in the context of relationships," they write. FULL STORY
My first impression is "What a pile of horse hockey". But since I am just common folk, it doesn't matter what I think. Does it? As near as I can tell, THIS is the article in American Psychologist
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Child Welfare Hearing Shows City Agency Still Struggling
Posted by Jason Cherkis on Mar. 19, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Washington City Paper
Washington DC- At Thursday's oversight hearing before Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham's Committee on Human Services, a mother recounted what life has been like for her 13-year-old daughter since she was taken into D.C.'s child-welfare agency's custody. It has been a horror show.
Since coming into the system six months ago, the daughter has been raped twice.
The city has moved her daughter 14 times. Three different agencies have handled her case. After watching the hearing, the daughter's case, where great need collides with greater dysfunction, didn't seem like such an outlier. It seemed just another nightmare case Graham now must deal with.
It became all too clear that Graham has taken over the toughest task of any councilmember: Overseeing the District's Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) and the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS). Speaker after speaker proved it Thursday.
The session ran so long—well past 5 p.m.—that Graham announced from the dais that he had canceled his dinner plans. And why wouldn't he? The hearing had been crammed with shocking statistics and eye-opening testimonials—all enough to make Thursday's other hearing about those Navigators look silly.
Here are some astounding stats City Desk picked up from the hearing: FULL STORY
Washington City Paper
Washington DC- At Thursday's oversight hearing before Ward One Councilmember Jim Graham's Committee on Human Services, a mother recounted what life has been like for her 13-year-old daughter since she was taken into D.C.'s child-welfare agency's custody. It has been a horror show.
Since coming into the system six months ago, the daughter has been raped twice.
The city has moved her daughter 14 times. Three different agencies have handled her case. After watching the hearing, the daughter's case, where great need collides with greater dysfunction, didn't seem like such an outlier. It seemed just another nightmare case Graham now must deal with.
It became all too clear that Graham has taken over the toughest task of any councilmember: Overseeing the District's Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) and the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS). Speaker after speaker proved it Thursday.
The session ran so long—well past 5 p.m.—that Graham announced from the dais that he had canceled his dinner plans. And why wouldn't he? The hearing had been crammed with shocking statistics and eye-opening testimonials—all enough to make Thursday's other hearing about those Navigators look silly.
Here are some astounding stats City Desk picked up from the hearing: FULL STORY
Hallandale teacher faces child abuse charge
By Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel
5:54 p.m. EDT, March 19, 2011
The wife of former Hallandale High School principal Darren Jones surrendered Saturday to face an aggravated child abuse charge stemming from the same Jan. 9 incident that landed her husband in legal hot water earlier this year, the couple's lawyer confirmed.
Serena Jones, a seventh-grade teacher at Driftwood Middle in Hollywood, is alleged to have failed to protect her teenage daughter, according to her lawyer, Eric Schwartzreich.
Her husband, Darren Jones, was arrested Jan. 15 and accused of beating his daughter with an electrical cord, scarring and bruising her arms, legs, back and hands, according to an incident report. Schwartzreich said Serana Jones is not accused of any violence against the daughter.
The incident took place at their home in Cooper City. Schwartzreich said the incident is an example of a couple attempting to discipline a wayward teenager and should not be prosecuted as abuse.
"They both were doing nothing other than trying to protect their teenage daughter," he said. "They only want what's best for their children. They want them to be productive and caring members of society. The Joneses did not abuse this teenager or any child. There is a difference between child abuse and lawful corporal punishment." FULL STORY
I left a nice comment there-
Obviously, the Jones' did not know that the Convention on the Rights of the Child was SUPPLANTED into America with the CAPTA act of 1974 and has been DEFACTO in force ever since-
http://familyrights.us/news/archive/2009/oct/best_interest.html
This isn't our grandparent's and Founder's America any more. It's just another rotten tyranny enforcing European Socialism.
If you disbelieve that, there's an awful lot you don't know. Just like the Jones have found out The Hard Way.
That's why ALL PARENTS should know about and support the Parental Rights Amendment- http://parentalrights.org
5:54 p.m. EDT, March 19, 2011
The wife of former Hallandale High School principal Darren Jones surrendered Saturday to face an aggravated child abuse charge stemming from the same Jan. 9 incident that landed her husband in legal hot water earlier this year, the couple's lawyer confirmed.
Serena Jones, a seventh-grade teacher at Driftwood Middle in Hollywood, is alleged to have failed to protect her teenage daughter, according to her lawyer, Eric Schwartzreich.
Her husband, Darren Jones, was arrested Jan. 15 and accused of beating his daughter with an electrical cord, scarring and bruising her arms, legs, back and hands, according to an incident report. Schwartzreich said Serana Jones is not accused of any violence against the daughter.
The incident took place at their home in Cooper City. Schwartzreich said the incident is an example of a couple attempting to discipline a wayward teenager and should not be prosecuted as abuse.
"They both were doing nothing other than trying to protect their teenage daughter," he said. "They only want what's best for their children. They want them to be productive and caring members of society. The Joneses did not abuse this teenager or any child. There is a difference between child abuse and lawful corporal punishment." FULL STORY
I left a nice comment there-
Obviously, the Jones' did not know that the Convention on the Rights of the Child was SUPPLANTED into America with the CAPTA act of 1974 and has been DEFACTO in force ever since-
http://familyrights.us/news/archive/2009/oct/best_interest.html
This isn't our grandparent's and Founder's America any more. It's just another rotten tyranny enforcing European Socialism.
If you disbelieve that, there's an awful lot you don't know. Just like the Jones have found out The Hard Way.
That's why ALL PARENTS should know about and support the Parental Rights Amendment- http://parentalrights.org
Friday, March 18, 2011
DHS, foster parents settles lawsuit over foster child's death
The mother of a toddler who died in foster care has settled her lawsuit against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and the foster parents for $400,000
BY NOLAN CLAY nclay@opubco.com
Published: March 18, 2011
News OK
The mother of a toddler who died in foster care has settled her lawsuit against the state Department of Human Services and the foster parents for $400,000, records show.
Tamara Ely, of Ardmore, and her attorneys accepted $100,000 this year to dismiss her claims against DHS, records show.
She accepted $300,000 last year to dismiss her claims against the foster parents, the records show.
Raymond Palmer died on June 28, 2008, while under the care of foster parents Dale and Darla Owen. He was 19 months old when he was run over by a pickup in a pasture near Ardmore. He had been taken from his mother four months earlier.
In 2009, Ely sued DHS, the foster parents and the pickup driver, Heath Claborn. She alleged in her lawsuit that DHS knew the couple had too many foster children in the home to properly supervise.
Two weeks before the death, a Chickasaw Nation child welfare worker had visited the home and found no adults supervising the foster children, records show. The worker's supervisor reported the concerns to DHS, records show.
Raymond and his sister were among seven children at the foster home, DHS said. A DHS investigation confirmed child neglect, DHS said. No criminal charges were filed.
At the time of the accident, Dale Owen and some of his friends had been drinking a few beers and watching their children swim at a pond, DHS said.
The DHS settlement came from the state's self-insurance liability funds and not from the agency's operating funds.
The foster parents' settlement came from a foster parent liability insurance policy paid for by the state, records show.
The mother also reached a separate, undisclosed settlement with the driver's auto insurance, records show.
http://newsok.com/dhs-foster-parents-settles-lawsuit-over-foster-childs-death/article/3549651
The bereaved parents should be collecting BILLION$. CPS needs to be sued out of existence.
BY NOLAN CLAY nclay@opubco.com
Published: March 18, 2011
News OK
The mother of a toddler who died in foster care has settled her lawsuit against the state Department of Human Services and the foster parents for $400,000, records show.
Tamara Ely, of Ardmore, and her attorneys accepted $100,000 this year to dismiss her claims against DHS, records show.
She accepted $300,000 last year to dismiss her claims against the foster parents, the records show.
Raymond Palmer died on June 28, 2008, while under the care of foster parents Dale and Darla Owen. He was 19 months old when he was run over by a pickup in a pasture near Ardmore. He had been taken from his mother four months earlier.
In 2009, Ely sued DHS, the foster parents and the pickup driver, Heath Claborn. She alleged in her lawsuit that DHS knew the couple had too many foster children in the home to properly supervise.
Two weeks before the death, a Chickasaw Nation child welfare worker had visited the home and found no adults supervising the foster children, records show. The worker's supervisor reported the concerns to DHS, records show.
Raymond and his sister were among seven children at the foster home, DHS said. A DHS investigation confirmed child neglect, DHS said. No criminal charges were filed.
At the time of the accident, Dale Owen and some of his friends had been drinking a few beers and watching their children swim at a pond, DHS said.
The DHS settlement came from the state's self-insurance liability funds and not from the agency's operating funds.
The foster parents' settlement came from a foster parent liability insurance policy paid for by the state, records show.
The mother also reached a separate, undisclosed settlement with the driver's auto insurance, records show.
http://newsok.com/dhs-foster-parents-settles-lawsuit-over-foster-childs-death/article/3549651
The bereaved parents should be collecting BILLION$. CPS needs to be sued out of existence.
Oklahoma DHS investigations described as 'abysmal'
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has done an “abysmal” job of investigating abuse and neglect complaints filed against caregivers accused of mistreating children after they are in DHS custody, according to John Goad, a child welfare expert.
BY RANDY ELLIS rellis@opubco.com
Published: March 18, 2011
NewsOK
The state Department of Human Services has done an “abysmal” job of investigating abuse and neglect complaints filed against caregivers accused of mistreating children after they are in DHS custody, according to an expert witness report filed Thursday. FULL STORY
I left a nice comment there
BY RANDY ELLIS rellis@opubco.com
Published: March 18, 2011
NewsOK
The state Department of Human Services has done an “abysmal” job of investigating abuse and neglect complaints filed against caregivers accused of mistreating children after they are in DHS custody, according to an expert witness report filed Thursday. FULL STORY
I left a nice comment there
Brooklyn tot covered in bruises fights for his life after suffering horrific abuse, foster mom eyed
BY Alison Gendar, Rocco Parascandola and Corky Siemaszko
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Originally Published:Friday, March 18th 2011, 8:24 AM
Updated: Friday, March 18th 2011, 3:45 PM
You simply HAVE to READ THE FULL STORY
And then you have to wonder if there are any thinking humans employed by CPS, or are they ALL insane demons from HELL?
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Originally Published:Friday, March 18th 2011, 8:24 AM
Updated: Friday, March 18th 2011, 3:45 PM
You simply HAVE to READ THE FULL STORY
And then you have to wonder if there are any thinking humans employed by CPS, or are they ALL insane demons from HELL?
Illusions of hope
"It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth -- and listen to the song of that syren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those, who having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it might cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it." --Patrick Henry, speech in the Virginia Convention, 1775
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Morning Bell: How Many Trillions Must We Waste on the War on Poverty?
Posted March 17th, 2011 at 9:01am
The Foundry, Heritage Foundation
Which American politician said the following? “The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fibre. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit.” Had to be a mean-spirited Tea Party conservative, right? Wrong. President Franklin Roosevelt included these words in his 1935 State of the Union Address.
Twenty-nine years later, the American welfare state was still relatively small, consuming only 1.2 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The American family was also still intact, with 93 percent of children born into stable families. But then President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty happened. Forty-five years and $16 trillion later, thanks to big government, poverty is winning. Thanks to over $900 billion a year (over 5 percent of GDP) of spending on over 70 means-tested welfare programs spread over 13 government agencies, more than 40 million Americans currently receive food stamps, poverty is higher today than it was in the 1970s, and 40 percent of all children are born outside of marriage.
Since he moved into the White House, President Barack Obama has only doubled down on the War on Poverty’s failure. His fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget would have increased spending on programs for the poor 42 percent above FY 2008 levels. Looking past the current recession, President Obama’s budget would spend over $10.3 trillion on means-tested welfare programs over the next 10 years.
But didn’t we already “end welfare as we know it” in the ’90s? No. As successful as the 1996 welfare reform law was (and it did decrease welfare rolls and child poverty rates), it reformed only one of the more than 70 federal anti-poverty programs. Worse, President Obama’s failed economic stimulus bill completely gutted the 1996 welfare reforms. FULL STORY
The Foundry, Heritage Foundation
Which American politician said the following? “The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fibre. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit.” Had to be a mean-spirited Tea Party conservative, right? Wrong. President Franklin Roosevelt included these words in his 1935 State of the Union Address.
Twenty-nine years later, the American welfare state was still relatively small, consuming only 1.2 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The American family was also still intact, with 93 percent of children born into stable families. But then President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty happened. Forty-five years and $16 trillion later, thanks to big government, poverty is winning. Thanks to over $900 billion a year (over 5 percent of GDP) of spending on over 70 means-tested welfare programs spread over 13 government agencies, more than 40 million Americans currently receive food stamps, poverty is higher today than it was in the 1970s, and 40 percent of all children are born outside of marriage.
Since he moved into the White House, President Barack Obama has only doubled down on the War on Poverty’s failure. His fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget would have increased spending on programs for the poor 42 percent above FY 2008 levels. Looking past the current recession, President Obama’s budget would spend over $10.3 trillion on means-tested welfare programs over the next 10 years.
But didn’t we already “end welfare as we know it” in the ’90s? No. As successful as the 1996 welfare reform law was (and it did decrease welfare rolls and child poverty rates), it reformed only one of the more than 70 federal anti-poverty programs. Worse, President Obama’s failed economic stimulus bill completely gutted the 1996 welfare reforms. FULL STORY
Report: Oklahoma's Welfare System Failed Several Children
Posted: Mar 17, 2011 2:38 PM
Updated: Mar 17, 2011 2:50 PM
Lacie Lowry, News On 6
TULSA, Oklahoma -- A new report released Thursday by a children's advocacy group blames Oklahoma's welfare system for the deaths of several children who were in state custody.
http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=14273263
I left a nice comment there.
Updated: Mar 17, 2011 2:50 PM
Lacie Lowry, News On 6
TULSA, Oklahoma -- A new report released Thursday by a children's advocacy group blames Oklahoma's welfare system for the deaths of several children who were in state custody.
http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=14273263
I left a nice comment there.
World's 'biggest ever' paedophile ring cracked
More than 100 suspected paedophiles in Britain were arrested after police cracked the world's "biggest ever" ring of child abusers.
By Bruno Waterfield, The Hague 2:29PM GMT 16 Mar 2011
London Telegraph
A British-led investigation uncovered a website, boylover.net, which had 70,000 members, after two sex offenders were arrested in Spain three years ago.
"It is certainly the biggest case we have ever seen," said Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol.
Of 240 suspects identified in Britain, 121 were arrested, with 30 convictions. Some 60 children were "safeguarded" from abusers.
Globally 670 suspects were identified and there were 184 arrests and 230 children rescued after internet servers were seized from Amir I, a Dutchman, who ran the website.
He is currently on trial accused of abusing a 14-year old Brazilian boy.
Police officers said that website's "shop front" encouraged those with an "interest in young boys" into chat rooms where child porn or offline meetings, including abuse were arranged.
"We expect the numbers of arrest to rise," said Mr Wainwright. "We will not rest until all offenders have been brought to justice. Our message to offenders who use the internet is: you will be caught."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8385740/Worlds-biggest-ever-paedophile-ring-cracked.html
I just can't wait to see how many dirty, rotten, no-good CPS pukes get caught in this.
By Bruno Waterfield, The Hague 2:29PM GMT 16 Mar 2011
London Telegraph
A British-led investigation uncovered a website, boylover.net, which had 70,000 members, after two sex offenders were arrested in Spain three years ago.
"It is certainly the biggest case we have ever seen," said Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol.
Of 240 suspects identified in Britain, 121 were arrested, with 30 convictions. Some 60 children were "safeguarded" from abusers.
Globally 670 suspects were identified and there were 184 arrests and 230 children rescued after internet servers were seized from Amir I, a Dutchman, who ran the website.
He is currently on trial accused of abusing a 14-year old Brazilian boy.
Police officers said that website's "shop front" encouraged those with an "interest in young boys" into chat rooms where child porn or offline meetings, including abuse were arranged.
"We expect the numbers of arrest to rise," said Mr Wainwright. "We will not rest until all offenders have been brought to justice. Our message to offenders who use the internet is: you will be caught."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8385740/Worlds-biggest-ever-paedophile-ring-cracked.html
I just can't wait to see how many dirty, rotten, no-good CPS pukes get caught in this.
‘It’s Not Planned Parenthood -- No, It’s Planned Genocide’
Herman Cain: ‘It’s Not Planned Parenthood -- No, It’s Planned Genocide’
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
By Fred Lucas
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Likely Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain supports ending all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, an abortion business that he said was founded to target African Americans and is continuing that mission.
“Here’s why I support de-funding Planned Parenthood, because you don’t hear a lot of people talking about this, when Margaret Sanger – check my history – started Planned Parenthood, the objective was to put these centers in primarily black communities so they could help kill black babies before they came into the world,” Cain told CNSNews.com on Tuesday when speaking at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Cain’s comment was in response to a question from CNSNews.com about whether the Republican-controlled Congress should vote against any federal tax dollars for Planned Parenthood.
“You don’t see that talked that much about,” said Cain. “It’s not Planned Parenthood. No, it’s planned genocide. You can quote me on that.” FULL STORY
That ought to confuse the insane Politically Correct. They are probably waiting for talking points to see which side to be on with these issues.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
By Fred Lucas
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Likely Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain supports ending all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, an abortion business that he said was founded to target African Americans and is continuing that mission.
“Here’s why I support de-funding Planned Parenthood, because you don’t hear a lot of people talking about this, when Margaret Sanger – check my history – started Planned Parenthood, the objective was to put these centers in primarily black communities so they could help kill black babies before they came into the world,” Cain told CNSNews.com on Tuesday when speaking at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Cain’s comment was in response to a question from CNSNews.com about whether the Republican-controlled Congress should vote against any federal tax dollars for Planned Parenthood.
“You don’t see that talked that much about,” said Cain. “It’s not Planned Parenthood. No, it’s planned genocide. You can quote me on that.” FULL STORY
That ought to confuse the insane Politically Correct. They are probably waiting for talking points to see which side to be on with these issues.
THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW AGAINST IT
By Coach Dave Daubenmire
March 17, 2011
NewsWithViews.com
I guess it is time for me to come clean. I pray that the confession I am about to make does not impact the way folks look at me.
Even though I have done my best to make amends for my past behavior I cannot escape the reality of what I have done. I hope that you will not stop reading my weekly commentaries merely because I have spoken the truth.
I am an un-convicted felon.
Although I have never been caught, charged, and found guilty by a jury of my peers, the truth remains I am a felon. I just have never been convicted of it.
Here is a list of felonies. Take a peek and see if you too, are guilty of having participated in one of these “criminal acts.” With the way the laws are written can you say for sure that you have not committed a felony in the past ten years? FULL STORY
Note that "Child Abuse" is listed as a FELONY. So why is it being investigated by unconstitutional, non-law enforcement CPS psychotic dweebs and prosecuted in the unconstitutional Family Court?
See What Happens in the FOG
For further clarification of this sort of nightmare, see the Kristin Ruggiero story
March 17, 2011
NewsWithViews.com
I guess it is time for me to come clean. I pray that the confession I am about to make does not impact the way folks look at me.
Even though I have done my best to make amends for my past behavior I cannot escape the reality of what I have done. I hope that you will not stop reading my weekly commentaries merely because I have spoken the truth.
I am an un-convicted felon.
Although I have never been caught, charged, and found guilty by a jury of my peers, the truth remains I am a felon. I just have never been convicted of it.
Here is a list of felonies. Take a peek and see if you too, are guilty of having participated in one of these “criminal acts.” With the way the laws are written can you say for sure that you have not committed a felony in the past ten years? FULL STORY
Note that "Child Abuse" is listed as a FELONY. So why is it being investigated by unconstitutional, non-law enforcement CPS psychotic dweebs and prosecuted in the unconstitutional Family Court?
See What Happens in the FOG
For further clarification of this sort of nightmare, see the Kristin Ruggiero story
Parental Rights Resolution Worthy of Exception
March 17, 2011
Janna Taylor is a state representative from Montana, and as a rule she doesn't like resolutions. “They don't do much,” Taylor wrote in a recent article of the West Shore News. “[T]hey are an excuse for not taking real action… just to make the author look good. Each bill and resolution we hear has a cost.”
But Taylor recently voted in favor of SJ9, Montana's resolution calling on Congress to pass the Parental Rights Amendment. “I find it difficult,” Taylor continues, “but I do vote for some resolutions. Things like parental rights [and] state sovereignty ….”
Taylor understands that the states themselves are actors in the process of amending the Constitution, and as such the states should have a voice. The task requires two-thirds of the U.S. House, two-thirds of the Senate, and thirty-eight states. That means our resolution serves the purpose of allowing Montana and other states to be heard.
Obviously, Taylor thought it worthy of an exception to her rule.
Still, others may miss the distinction. This is why it is imperative that we have strong grassroots support in all fifty states. Please help spread the word about parental rights, and about a resolution in your state. Urge friends to sign the petition for the Amendment. And if you have connections in your state legislature, volunteer to help your state find its voice through a Parental Rights Amendment resolution.
So far, 4 states have adopted resolutions in favor of the Amendment: ID, LA, MT, and SD. Four more have resolutions introduced and in process: FL, MN, PA, and TX. Volunteers are working in 41 of the remaining 42 states to follow suit, but help is welcome. We still need someone to lead this effort in CT. Visit parentalrights.org/resolution to track our progress.
Michael Ramey
Director of Communications and Research
Ain't no sunshine when ...
Posted By: Lois Kazakoff | March 16 2011 at 05:47 PM
San Francisco Chronicle
Sunshine, they say, is the best disinfectant, especially for those musty corners of government that do the people's business in the dark. My colleagues in the National Conference of Editorial Writers and open government advocates have set aside this week, March 13-19, to promote the idea that a transparent government is a responsive government is an effective government.
A recent polling of the conference membership found a few clouds over your right to know:
In Utah, the Legislature passed a law that considers any government record private unless a citizen can prove that it should be open to the public. This include voice mails, IM, video chats and text messages.
Apparently the Utah legislators and governor have the idea of open government backwards.
In Wisconsin, the sheriff of Portage County banned the public and press from seeing jail records on the weekend, effectively allowing the sheriff's office to secretly arrest people.
In Oregon, the state Attorney General advised state officials not to talk with reporters about consultants' work at the Oregon State Hospital.
NCEW member Mark Mahoney of the Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y., won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing and his blog, Your Right to Know. Mark is ever-vigilant and quick to praise when government lets the sun shine in. Sadly however, Sunshine Week 2011 isn't all sunshine. Citizens still hope to part the clouds.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/opinionshop/detail?entry_id=85191
San Francisco Chronicle
Sunshine, they say, is the best disinfectant, especially for those musty corners of government that do the people's business in the dark. My colleagues in the National Conference of Editorial Writers and open government advocates have set aside this week, March 13-19, to promote the idea that a transparent government is a responsive government is an effective government.
A recent polling of the conference membership found a few clouds over your right to know:
In Utah, the Legislature passed a law that considers any government record private unless a citizen can prove that it should be open to the public. This include voice mails, IM, video chats and text messages.
Apparently the Utah legislators and governor have the idea of open government backwards.
In Wisconsin, the sheriff of Portage County banned the public and press from seeing jail records on the weekend, effectively allowing the sheriff's office to secretly arrest people.
In Oregon, the state Attorney General advised state officials not to talk with reporters about consultants' work at the Oregon State Hospital.
NCEW member Mark Mahoney of the Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y., won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing and his blog, Your Right to Know. Mark is ever-vigilant and quick to praise when government lets the sun shine in. Sadly however, Sunshine Week 2011 isn't all sunshine. Citizens still hope to part the clouds.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/opinionshop/detail?entry_id=85191
Thomas Jefferson Quote
"I am not among those who fear the people. They, and not the rich, are our dependence for continued freedom. And to preserve their independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude." --Thomas Jefferson
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Oh the stuff I find when not looking for it.
 | AFRA EDITORIALS By Leonard Henderson |
March 16, 2011
Oh the stuff I find when not looking for it.
http://familyrights.us/news/archive/2011/march/oh_the_stuff_i_find_not_looking.html
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Report: States Confiscate Benefits of Foster Children;
Many Left Destitute as They “Age Out” of Care
Children's Advocacy Institute
http://www.caichildlaw.org/Misc/FINSEC%20RELEASE_FINAL.pdf
UPDATE- Here's the actual full report-
http://www.caichildlaw.org/Fleecing.htm
Many Left Destitute as They “Age Out” of Care
Children's Advocacy Institute
http://www.caichildlaw.org/Misc/FINSEC%20RELEASE_FINAL.pdf
UPDATE- Here's the actual full report-
http://www.caichildlaw.org/Fleecing.htm
Baby girl kept away from mother for five years after she refused to sign C-section consent form
By Richard Hartley-parkinson
Last updated at 3:20 PM on 16th March 2011
Mail Online UK
A baby girl has been kept away from her mother for almost five years after she refused to sign a form consenting to a Caesarean section - even though she did not end up needing to have the operation.
The extraordinary case began after staff at a New Jersey hospital claimed that refusal to give permission for the procedure amounted to child abuse.
The agonising decision triggered a protracted legal battle which has led to the mother being separated from her child for five years.
The woman, known only as VM, launched an appeal after authorities took her baby away from her immediately after the birth in 2006 at St Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey.
The first appeal failed but she was given a ray of hope when a higher court ruled in her favour.
The case is now waiting to go back to the lower court which is yet to make a decision.
The hospital said that her refusal to give permission for the C-section amounted to child abuse and thus reported her to welfare authorities.
This was despite VM saying that she would agree to the operation if it became necessary and going on to deliver a healthy baby. FULL STORY
Last updated at 3:20 PM on 16th March 2011
Mail Online UK
A baby girl has been kept away from her mother for almost five years after she refused to sign a form consenting to a Caesarean section - even though she did not end up needing to have the operation.
The extraordinary case began after staff at a New Jersey hospital claimed that refusal to give permission for the procedure amounted to child abuse.
The agonising decision triggered a protracted legal battle which has led to the mother being separated from her child for five years.
The woman, known only as VM, launched an appeal after authorities took her baby away from her immediately after the birth in 2006 at St Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey.
The first appeal failed but she was given a ray of hope when a higher court ruled in her favour.
The case is now waiting to go back to the lower court which is yet to make a decision.
The hospital said that her refusal to give permission for the C-section amounted to child abuse and thus reported her to welfare authorities.
This was despite VM saying that she would agree to the operation if it became necessary and going on to deliver a healthy baby. FULL STORY
States' use of foster kids' benefits is assailed
Here's some of the FRAUD that I have been screaming about for years-
March 15, 2011, 9:03 p.m. PDT
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — With a lawsuit, congressional efforts and a stinging new report, critics of current foster-care policies are accusing child welfare agencies of unfairly confiscating foster youths' government benefits and undermining their prospects when they age out of the system.
At the heart of the controversy is a practice common nationwide — state agencies taking control of Social Security benefits that are earmarked for foster children with disabilities or a deceased or disabled parent.
The agencies, many of them struggling with tight budgets, say they are legally entitled to use these benefits to help cover the basic cost of foster care. Critics say the policy is immoral and counterproductive, and the money should be managed in ways that will best assist the youths after they turn 18.
"In state after state, we are sabotaging foster children's futures rather than providing guidance and help," says a detailed report on the issue being released Wednesday by First Star, a national nonprofit which advocates for abused children, and the University of San Diego School of Law's Children's Advocacy Institute.
The report about "The Fleecing of Foster Children," urges Congress to mandate changes by supporting legislation that Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., plans to introduce soon.
Stark says his Foster Children Self-Support Act would "correct a long-standing injustice" by requiring child welfare agencies to screen all foster children for Social Security eligibility and notify their attorney or legal guardian if the child is eligible. The agencies then would be required to develop an individualized plan and personal account for each eligible child, so Social Security assets could be conserved to help the youth securing housing, education or job training after leaving foster care.
Many child-advocacy groups say such assistance could be crucial in reducing the high rates of homelessness, unemployment and substance abuse among the roughly 30,000 youths who age out of foster care each year without a permanent family of their own.
"Foster children are removed from their homes by the state for their own protection," said Robert Fellmeth, executive director of the Children's Advocacy Institute. "For the states to turn around and punish them by taking the children's own money and leaving them destitute when they age out of the system is a violation of these vulnerable kids."
At any given time, more than 460,000 U.S. children are in foster care, according to federal figures. The Congressional Research Service estimates that 30,000 of them receive Social Security benefits. FULL STORY
This report is actually named "The Fleecing of Foster Children: How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial Security" apparently hasn't been released yet.
To get an idea how HUGE the CPS bite into Social Security REALLY IS, see http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/ssact-toc.htm
March 15, 2011, 9:03 p.m. PDT
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — With a lawsuit, congressional efforts and a stinging new report, critics of current foster-care policies are accusing child welfare agencies of unfairly confiscating foster youths' government benefits and undermining their prospects when they age out of the system.
At the heart of the controversy is a practice common nationwide — state agencies taking control of Social Security benefits that are earmarked for foster children with disabilities or a deceased or disabled parent.
The agencies, many of them struggling with tight budgets, say they are legally entitled to use these benefits to help cover the basic cost of foster care. Critics say the policy is immoral and counterproductive, and the money should be managed in ways that will best assist the youths after they turn 18.
"In state after state, we are sabotaging foster children's futures rather than providing guidance and help," says a detailed report on the issue being released Wednesday by First Star, a national nonprofit which advocates for abused children, and the University of San Diego School of Law's Children's Advocacy Institute.
The report about "The Fleecing of Foster Children," urges Congress to mandate changes by supporting legislation that Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., plans to introduce soon.
Stark says his Foster Children Self-Support Act would "correct a long-standing injustice" by requiring child welfare agencies to screen all foster children for Social Security eligibility and notify their attorney or legal guardian if the child is eligible. The agencies then would be required to develop an individualized plan and personal account for each eligible child, so Social Security assets could be conserved to help the youth securing housing, education or job training after leaving foster care.
Many child-advocacy groups say such assistance could be crucial in reducing the high rates of homelessness, unemployment and substance abuse among the roughly 30,000 youths who age out of foster care each year without a permanent family of their own.
"Foster children are removed from their homes by the state for their own protection," said Robert Fellmeth, executive director of the Children's Advocacy Institute. "For the states to turn around and punish them by taking the children's own money and leaving them destitute when they age out of the system is a violation of these vulnerable kids."
At any given time, more than 460,000 U.S. children are in foster care, according to federal figures. The Congressional Research Service estimates that 30,000 of them receive Social Security benefits. FULL STORY
This report is actually named "The Fleecing of Foster Children: How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial Security" apparently hasn't been released yet.
To get an idea how HUGE the CPS bite into Social Security REALLY IS, see http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/ssact-toc.htm
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