| CA: San Francisco groups seek foster care parents for exploited youth (Includes video) |
| KTVU – February 17, 2022 |
| The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest rates of commercially sexually exploited youth in the United States, according to the FBI, and about 98% identified were involved with the child welfare system. Not only that, but according to a 2017 report, data from 22 agencies serving trafficking survivors in San Francisco, housing and shelter were among the top service gaps reported for youth ages 10-17. So, the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women partnered with the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center, Freedom Forward, Family Builders, Huckleberry Youth Programs, and West Coast Children’s Clinic to create a family-based foster care pilot for these children. That’s why the program, called Family and Me, or FAM, is seeking foster care parents. |
| https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-francisco-groups-seek-foster-care-parents-for-exploited-youth |
|
| CO: New Colorado Bill: Kids 12 And Under Not Allowed To Be Charged For Crimes, With One Exception (Includes video) |
| KCNC – February 17, 2022 |
| Children ages 12 and younger could no longer be prosecuted for any crime except murder under a bill at the state Capitol. State analysts say about 500 kids between the ages of 10 and 12 enter Colorado’s criminal justice system every year. Under the bill by Rep. Serena Gonzalez-Gutierrez those kids could no longer be prosecuted nor detained for any crime other than murder. “We’re talking about 10,11, and 12-year-olds. I just want to be very clear, we’re talking about children,” says Gonzalez-Gutierrez. The bill also prevents kids 13 and under from being charged as adults and 14-year-olds from being charged as adults only if it’s a class one or two felony. |
| https://denver.cbslocal.com/2022/02/17/colorado-bill-juveniles-age-12-under-not-charged-crimes-exception/ |
|
| FL: ‘Dancing for a Difference’: Tampa Bay non-profit helps make performing arts accessible to all kids (Includes video) |
| WFLA – February 17, 2022 |
| Dancing for a Difference is a non-profit organization that was founded about four years ago to help make dance and the arts available for all kids. The organization has more than 200 students and just opened up a new studio in Brandon to accommodate more dancers. The mission is to help make dance an activity that is available for local kids to learn, especially to those in need. “We just want to give kids the same opportunities that all kids get. Kids with special needs, kids in foster care. All kids, whether they are low income or anything,” Dancing for a Difference Director and Teacher Sara Battaglia said. |
| https://www.wfla.com/news/around-town/dancing-for-a-difference-tampa-bay-non-profit-helps-make-performing-arts-accessible-to-all-kids/ |
|
| FL: Police: Biological mother, boyfriend kidnapped 4-year-old from foster parent at knifepoint (Includes video) |
| WTLV – February 16, 2022 |
| The Tampa Police Department is sharing more information about the kidnapping of 4-year-old Terry Reed, which prompted an Amber Alert on Wednesday. Officers say the boy’s biological mother Kami George, 29, and her boyfriend Matthew Leighton, 33, showed up at his daycare facility while Reed’s foster parent was picking him up. That’s when Leighton held the foster parent at knifepoint while George removed the boy from a car before taking off, according to a press release. In the process of the kidnapping, police say the foster parent was injured by the duo with their car door. George and Leighton were arrested and are facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, armed kidnapping and interference with custody. |
| https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/amber-alert-tampa/67-1c598c59-85f2-4c9d-a6cb-4872b5e04dbd |
|
| MI: Embezzlement from children’s non-profit means prison time for ex-CEO |
| Catholic News Agency – February 17, 2022 |
| A former executive of a historically Catholic Michigan non-profit that serves neglected children and young adults has been sentenced to prison and must pay restitution after pleading guilty on a charge related to his embezzlement of almost $250,000 in funds. John R. Lynch, 57, was CEO of Holy Cross Services from January 2015 to April 2017. He was fired by the Holy Cross Services board after it found apparent evidence of embezzlement. He had joined the organization as its chief financial officer in March 2012. In September 2021 Lynch pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for victimizing the organization. |
| https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250416/embezzlement-from-michigan-childrens-non-profit-means-prison-time-for-ex-ceo |
|
| OH: Commissioners approve $2 million request from Children Services |
| Portsmouth Daily Times – February 17, 2022 |
| Scioto County Commissioners approved up to $2 million to go toward Scioto County Children Protective Services (CPS). During a lengthy Scioto County Commissioners meeting Thursday, the Commissioners discussed with CPS board members their need for 2 million dollars. “We’re in a crisis and I think it’s fair to say that,” said Commissioner Scottie Powell. “I also want people to understand it’s not the fault of the board, it’s not the fault of CPS when we are talking about doubling our population in the span of two years.” Powell said the growing population has the potential to break a system. |
| https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/news/72413/commissioners-approve-2-million-request-from-children-services |
|
| OR: Fact check: Are fewer children in foster care now than when Oregon Gov. Kate Brown took office? (May require subscription) (Includes video) |
| Salem Statesman Journal – February 17, 2022 |
| Gov. Kate Brown gave her final “state of the state” address as governor on Feb. 3, touting what she said are key accomplishments of her seven-year tenure. Brown has led the state through a pandemic, historic wildfires and a contentious political atmosphere. “We have reduced the number of children in foster care by 11% to just over 5,000 kids, our lowest number in 16 years, by investing dollars to connect families with resources earlier and more effectively.” The Statesman Journal is examining some of those claims for accuracy and to provide context. |
| https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2022/02/17/oregon-governor-kate-brown-fact-check-state-address-foster-kids/6758379001/ |
|
| SC: I-TEAM: Children stuck on the fault line in education (Includes video) (Commentary) |
| WRDW/WAGT – February 17, 2022 |
| Children are stuck on a fault line in education and falling into the gaps. For six months, our ITEAM has investigated the causes behind Augusta’s skyrocketing homeless population. We have been telling the stories behind the faces on the street, from mental illness and addiction to a lack of affordable housing and young people aging out of foster care. Now, we introduce you to another face on the streets, the youngest and most innocent with nowhere to go and no way to school. |
| https://www.wrdw.com/2022/02/17/i-team-children-stuck-fault-line-education/ |
|
| TX: Texas Slow to Move Foster Children out of Hotels and Offices, Attorneys Say |
| Imprint – February 17, 2022 |
| Despite an ongoing crisis that has left hundreds of foster children living in hotel rooms and other unlicensed settings, Texas child welfare officials are not moving with enough urgency to find them safe homes, attorneys for the children say. “We consider this an emergency situation, and we think the state should consider it as well,” said attorney Marcia Lowry, executive director of the nonprofit A Better Childhood, in response to a new court filing detailing the state’s current plans. “The state has not come up with concrete plans on many of these recommendations to do the work we think that they need to do to develop additional placements, additional funding for placements and additional programs.” |
| https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/texas-slow-to-move-foster-children-out-of-hotels-and-offices/62696 |
|
| TX: This Travis County judge presides over a historic courtroom. She’s also making history herself (Includes video) |
| KVUE – February 17, 2022 |
| In 1946, a historic case took place in Travis County’s 126th district court. The case helped spark groundbreaking change for people of color wanting to enter the legal field in Austin. Now, Jones presides over that same court, fighting and advocating for children of color in the Texas foster care system. She is the first judge in Travis County history to solely oversee cases pertaining to children in foster care and CPS cases. “I’m the first Black judge on this bench and I feel like I’m in the right place, helping families of color,” Jones said. Part of her recent work is the launch of a pilot program assuring foster children in Travis County don’t have to sleep in State offices when they don’t get adopted. |
| https://www.kvue.com/article/life/family/forever-families/forever-families-travis-county-judge-aurora-martinez-jones/269-98ff0f7f-03f4-453f-b13c-9d0c5796467e |
|
| TX: Williamson County Juvenile Services awarded for helping youth ‘find their spark’ (Includes video) |
| KXAN – February 17, 2022 |
| A Central Texas juvenile justice system has taken home an award that has been handed out to only four child development programs in the nation. Williamson County Juvenile Services (WCJS) is now an ambassador for what’s known as having a trauma-informed intervention program inside its juvenile justice center. WCJS operates a system created to serve youth arrested for delinquent conduct, youth at-risk of entering the juvenile justice system and students referred through school expulsion. |
| https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/williamson-county-juvenile-services-awarded-for-helping-youth-find-their-spark/ |
|
| UT: Utah Legislature passes 2 bills aimed at helping children, families |
| KSL – February 17, 2022 |
| The Utah Legislature passed two bills Thursday aimed at helping families and children in the state. The Senate passed HB15, which aims to increase access to child care. It will allow unlicensed home child care providers to take care of up to six children instead of up to four. The bill also creates funding and other programs to promote the creation of additional child care centers for families and businesses. Bill co-sponsor Senate Majority Whip Ann Millner, R-Ogden, noted that child care is “extremely difficult” for some families to find. ‘We have a regulatory environment that is a little too tight,” she said. The Senate also approved HB153 to require those who perform child welfare interviews to establish the comfort of a child. If the child is not comfortable being alone with the interviewer, the interview would need to ask the child if they want another adult there to support them. |
Also: HB 15 Child Care Amendments: https://bit.ly/3gZZgJf
Also: H.B. 153 Child Welfare Interview Requirements: https://bit.ly/3uZAiSh |
| https://www.ksl.com/article/50351031/utah-legislature-passes-2-bills-aimed-at-helping-children-families |
|
| US: Submission for OMB Review; Regional Partnership Grants National Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation Technical Assistance (Press release) |
| U.S. Administration for Children and Families – February 18, 2022 |
| The Children’s Bureau (CB), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is requesting an extension with minor changes to the approved information collection: Regional Partnership Grants National Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation Technical Assistance (OMB #0970-0527). The proposed information collection will be used in a national cross-site evaluation of the fifth and sixth cohorts of CB’s Regional Partnership Grants (RPG). The cross-site evaluation will use surveys, interviews, progress reports, and data on participant enrollment, services, and outcomes. |
| https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/18/2022-03520/submission-for-omb-review-regional-partnership-grants-national-cross-site-evaluation-and-evaluation |
|
| US: Why We Use The Term ‘Emerging Adults’ (Opinion) |
| Imprint – February 17, 2022 |
| As the criminal justice system finally begins to take into account the research showing that 18- to 25-year-olds are different from older adults, the field is slowly adjusting to how it treats them. And following science’s recognition of this distinct developmental stage, competing terms have surfaced to describe it. Finding appropriate terminology to discuss this age group is important for guiding, shaping and driving these reform efforts. Words matter, as our language will play a role in shaping ongoing reforms. What are the options? |
| https://imprintnews.org/opinion/why-we-use-the-term-emerging-adults/62667 |
|
| US: Persons Who are Deaf-blind Need a Seat at the Legal Table (Opinion) (Requires free registration) |
| Texas Lawyer – February 16, 2022 |
| The unfortunate fact is that while there are many individuals and groups who are left underserved by society, the deaf-blind population is certainly one of the most underserved. This is particularly evident in the legal realm. Courts, lawyers, and other potential players must be reminded that equal justice for all is a basic doctrine. This core principle is assured for persons with disabilities in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as in Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These laws protect parents, prospective parents, and children with disabilities from unlawful discrimination in regard to child welfare programs, activities, the ability to present to a court as a litigant, and services to be provided through the court. |
| https://www.law.com/texaslawyer/2022/02/16/persons-who-are-deaf-blind-need-a-seat-at-the-legal-table/ |
|
| AK: Governor Dunleavy’s Budget Amendments Highlight Public Safety and Child Welfare (Press release) |
| Office of Mike Dunleavy, Governor for Alaska – February 15, 2022 |
| Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced $10 million to advance his number one priority of public safety by supporting the People First Initiative and assisting children, youth, and families through the Office of Children’s Services. |
| https://bit.ly/3GVLVw8 |
|
| IN: Monticello bestows blessing on Safe Haven Baby Box (May require subscription) |
| Monticello Herald Journal – February 17, 2022 |
| Monica Kelsey made a stop in Monticello on Feb. 14 for an extremely special reason. It was Valentine’s Day and the founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc. was in town for a special blessing ceremony – activation of the device at the Monticello Fire Department. A Safe Haven Baby Box is a device provided for under the state’s Safe Haven Law that legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely and anonymously surrender her baby if she is unable to care for her newborn. The devices are installed in an exterior wall of a designated fire station or hospital. It has an exterior door that automatically locks upon placement of a newborn inside, and an interior door allows a medical staff member to secure the surrendered newborn from inside the designated building. |
| https://www.newsbug.info/monticello_herald_journal/news/local/monticello-bestows-blessing-on-safe-haven-baby-box/article_f4fde3b8-3406-563f-8c91-ef6ad7e4b542.html |
|
| IN: Children’s mental health suffers as staffing shortages ravage care centers (Includes audio) |
| Side Effects Public Media – February 16, 2022 |
| When Lutherwood Residential Treatment Center is fully staffed, it treats about 80 children and teens with severe emotional and behavioral health needs. But the Indianapolis facility is suffering such a major staffing shortage, and it can only help half that many people. Lutherwood is just one example of a much larger problem. As competition for low-wage workers heats up, youth treatment centers across the U.S. are suffering from staff shortages. In Indiana, facilities have been forced to drastically cut the number of beds and services they offer. The consequences can be dire for young people who may have to wait for care while they spend the night in offices or get shuffled between placements. |
| https://news.wsiu.org/health/2022-02-16/childrens-mental-health-suffers-as-staffing-shortages-ravage-care-centers |
|
| MO: Senator seeks to fix ‘oversight’ in child sex crime punishment |
| News Tribune – February 16, 2022 |
| A Mid-Missouri senator is looking to prohibit people who are found guilty of possessing child pornography from accessing public parks and museums. SB 751, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, seeks to extend the state’s current limitations on people found guilty of child sex crimes to people found guilty of possessing child pornography. Currently, state law prohibits people found guilty of certain child sex crimes from being within 500 feet of public museums and parks with playgrounds, swimming pools or athletic fields primarily used by children. |
| Also: SB 751: Modifies provisions relating to location restrictions for certain offenders: https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=71259771 |
| https://www.newstribune.com/news/2022/feb/16/senator-seeks-to-fix-oversight-in-child-sex-crime/ |
|
| ND: A year after expansion, children’s advocacy center has reduced wait times, helped more children (Includes video) |
| KFYR – February 16, 2022 |
| Last year, Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center expanded its facility to better help children that experienced abuse or another crime. Now, they are able to help more children. Advocates want to help make the process easier, but last year there were weeks-long backlogs of cases across the state. “They would disclose, and they would have to wait over two weeks for an appointment. Now, we have cut that down. We can see kids tomorrow,” said said Kori Weigel, forensic interviewer and program coordinator for the Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center. The Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center expansion doubled the number of children that could be assisted during traumatic events and difficult legal proceedings. They saw 600 children in 2021. |
| https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/02/17/year-after-expansion-childrens-advocacy-center-has-reduced-wait-times-helped-more-children/ |
|
| NY: New York City Mayor Proposes Investments in Foster Youth and Summer Jobs for Teens |
| Imprint – February 16, 2022 |
| In an otherwise thrifty budget plan announced today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams pledged to invest millions of dollars in foster youth transitioning to adulthood and summer job opportunities for young people ages 14 to 24. Adams said his $98.5 billion budget proposal for the coming fiscal year focuses on equity, safety and justice for all New Yorkers, particularly the city’s youth. Although he proposed cuts to city agencies and a gradual reduction in the local workforce, the mayor proposes a 50% increase in the Summer Youth Employment Program – an increase from $157 to $236 million. The increased investment would expand the program to offer 100,000 jobs. |
| https://imprintnews.org/uncategorized/new-york-city-mayor-proposes-youth-investments/62674 |
|
| PA: Allegheny County gave $3.7 million in pandemic aid to foster youth, who tend to lack safety nets |
| WESA – February 17, 2022 |
| Allegheny County distributed close to $3.7 million in pandemic aid to foster youth and young adults who have aged out of foster care, as part of a $400 million federal effort to help this group of vulnerable young people during the pandemic. “Of all the people struggling in the pandemic, this is one of the groups who was hardest hit both economically and socially,” said Courtney Lewis, transition age youth system coordinator at Allegheny County DHS. Young adults were eligible for aid if they were between the ages of 18 and 26 and had a foster care placement at age 14 or older. |
| https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2022-02-17/allegheny-county-gave-3-7-million-in-pandemic-aid-to-foster-youth-who-tend-to-lack-safety-nets |
|
| PA: Grands Stepping Up supports grandparents who are raising their grandchildren alone |
| Philadelphia Inquirer – January 20, 2022 |
| Grands Stepping Up (GSU), a nonprofit organization, provides support to grandparents raising their grandchildren and kinship guardians raising their family members. A lot of the grandparents raising grandchildren are living on fixed incomes. Some who do get governmental support say it is meager, but they are reluctant to get more involved with the child welfare system, even though it would mean more aid. Some profess a lack of trust in the foster care system. They say they don’t believe the intrusion would be in the best interest of their families. The bottom line, they say, is many of these family caretakers are struggling. |
| https://www.inquirer.com/life/grands-stepping-up-delaware-county-grandparents-20220120.html |
|
| US: Rollups: Private Equity Eyes Youth Treatment Centers as a Takeover Target (Opinion) (Includes audio) |
| American Prospect – February 17, 2022 |
| As I have said before, the most soul-crushing, exploitative, and just plain sleaziest industries in America today will invariably have private equity firms lurking behind them. So the revelations in a new report from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project should come as no surprise. In youth behavioral services like “troubled teen” centers, for-profit foster care, and services for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (in particular services for people with autism), private equity has increased its investments, capitalizing on government health care dollars and a steady stream of at-risk youth. Private equity’s goal isn’t to provide a safe and comfortable environment for those in its care, it’s to make outsized returns. |
| Also: The Kids Are Not Alright: How Private Equity Profits Off of Behavioral Health Services for Vulnerable and At-Risk Youth: https://pestakeholder.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/PESP_Youth_BH_Report_2022.pdf |
| https://prospect.org/power/rollups-private-equity-eyes-youth-treatment-centers-as-takeover-target/ |
|
| US: Sen. Gillibrand announces support for bills that help victims of sex trafficking (Press release) (May require subscription) |
| Office of Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator for New York – February 16, 2022 |
| Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference to announce her support of two bipartisan bills, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act and the Put Trafficking Victims First Act, that would support victims and survivors of human trafficking. She was joined by sex trafficking survivors and anti-trafficking advocates, including Shandra Woworuntu, founder and C.E.O. of Mentari, and Alexi Meyers, Director of Anti-Trafficking Policy at Sanctuary for Families and co-chair of the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. In 2020, the United States reported nearly 11,000 cases of human trafficking, and New York State is the fourth highest-ranked state in the nation for reported cases. The two bills would help to identify and rescue trafficking victims, support victims in recovery, and remove barriers to data collection on human trafficking. |
Also: Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2020: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2.3.2020_TSRA_2020.pdf
Also: Put Trafficking Victims First Act of 2021: https://bass.house.gov/sites/bass.house.gov/files/Put%20Trafficking%20Victims%20First%20Act.pdf |
| https://bit.ly/3HYaU3f |
|
| US: Why Some Argue Child Tax Credit Is Favorable To Welfare |
| GOBankingRates – February 16, 2022 |
| Since the expansion of the child tax credit as part of last year’s stimulus relief bill, there have been arguments for extending the advance payments beyond just this tax year. Some are now arguing that the expansion would actually be favorable to existing welfare systems, as the CTC has less restrictions on who is eligible compared to Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF) benefits. Although President Biden has called for the expansion of the advance child tax credit, there is currently no legislation in place to continue the payments. A study by the Columbia University Poverty Center found the advance payments of the CTC in 2021 alone cut childhood poverty by about 30%. |
| Also: Sixth Child Tax Credit Payment Kept 3.7 Million Children Out of Poverty in December: https://bit.ly/3uTgfVL |
| https://www.gobankingrates.com/taxes/refunds/child-tax-credit-favorable-to-welfare-tanf/ |
|
| Canada: 66 New Housing Units for Seniors and Youth in Chilliwack (Press release) (Includes video) |
| Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – February 16, 2022 |
| Today, John Aldag, Member of Parliament for Cloverdale-Langley City, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack, and Ken Popove, Mayor of Chilliwack, announced that construction on a 66-unit affordable rental housing project for independent seniors and youth is underway in Chilliwack. Located at 46187 Yale Road, the six-storey building called the Paramount will provide 58 units of affordable rental housing for seniors, and eight units for young adults between the ages of 19 and 25. This housing project is unique in Chilliwack, and one of only a few in the province to offer a continuum of affordable housing for youth transitioning from the child welfare system. |
| https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/02/n25678632/66-new-housing-units-for-seniors-and-youth-in-chilliwack |
|
| Wales: Details of the Welsh basic income pilot announced |
| Basic Income Conversation – February 16, 2022 |
| Today details of the Welsh basic income pilot have been published in a statement from Jane Hutt, Minister for Social Justice. The pilot will be targeted at care leavers. All young people leaving care who turn 18 over a 12 month period, anywhere in Wales, will be invited to participate in the pilot. It’s expected that this will be about 500 people. Participants will receive the payments for 24 months starting from the month after their 18th birthday. The pilot will run over 3 years, with a staggered start as each participant turns 18 and starts receiving their payments during the first year of the pilot. |
| Also: Written Statement: Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers in Wales (Press release): https://gov.wales/written-statement-basic-income-pilot-care-leavers-wales |
| https://basicincomeconversation.medium.com/details-of-the-welsh-basic-income-pilot-announced-c8cd8b37064d |
|
| AR: Little Rock City Board approves contracts with community organizations to deter crime (Includes video) (May require subscription) |
| KATV – February 16, 2022 |
| The Little Rock City board voted Tuesday to approve funding to nearly a dozen community organizations in an effort to deter crime in the city. One of those organizations is FAB44, a nonprofit that proposed a day labor program with Little Rock youth. “The crime is what pays for them now,” said founder Joe Vincent. “If we want to eliminate crime or combat crime, then we have to be able to provide employment, provide opportunities for them to flourish in the community today.” |
| https://katv.com/news/local/little-rock-city-board-approves-contracts-with-community-organizations-to-deter-crime |
|
| FL: Family Initiative launches Together We Succeed and Project Thrive programs for children in Sarasota (Press release) |
| Family Initiative – February 15, 2022 |
| Family Initiative, the Florida-based nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of families and children in the welfare system, is launching two new voluntary programs – Together We Succeed and Project Thrive – to Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. Located at 7345 International Place Unit 108 in Sarasota, Family Initiative partners with other Child Welfare agencies to educate and support foster families. The Project Thrive and Together We Succeed programs launching in Sarasota prioritize both the child and caregivers in separate developmental support initiatives. |
| https://www.prlog.org/12905267-family-initiative-launches-together-we-succeed-and-project-thrive-programs-for-children-in-sarasota.html |
|
| KS: We must talk about systemic racism if we want to dismantle it (Commentary) (Includes audio) (May require subscription) |
| Wichita Eagle – February 16, 2022 |
| Systems, processes and policies yield outcomes they were designed to produce. Many systems at work in our society disproportionately impact Black people and other people of color. This is systemic racism, and to dismantle it, we must acknowledge that our institutions and “systems” are not broken, but working precisely as intended. If we want different results and more equitable services, we need different systems and solutions. How is our system unjustly producing disparate results for Black people and people of color? |
| https://www.kansas.com/opinion/guest-commentary/article258313643.html |
|
| KY: Kentucky Senate Advances Child Welfare Overhaul Bill |
| Imprint – February 15, 2022 |
| A child welfare overhaul bill that recently sped through the Kentucky Senate would, among other things, explicitly distinguish neglect from poverty in child welfare cases. According to WHAS11, it would also permit the state to open cases earlier in circumstances where children are at moderate risk of removal. Senate Bill 8, an emergency measure introduced by Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams on Jan. 20 was sent to the House on a 32-4 vote in early February. Lawmakers appear motivated to address a number of matters that have made Kentucky lead the nation in the rate of child abuse and neglect cases for three years running, according to a press release. Another aspect of the bill would allow the state to open cases earlier when children are considered at moderate risk of being removed from a home. This would allow child welfare officials to offer aid and services to the family before separation becomes necessary. |
| Also: Senate Bill 8: https://legiscan.com/KY/bill/SB8/2022 |
| https://imprintnews.org/news-briefs/kentucky-senate-advances-child-welfare-overhaul-bill/62634 |
|
| KY: Stimulus aid for former foster youth isn’t reaching most eligible Kentuckians |
| Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting – February 15, 2022 |
| A federal stimulus package was meant to provide financial relief to current and former foster youth during the pandemic. But less than 30% of Kentucky’s $7.3 million allotment has reached young people who may need it. Kentuckians 18 to 26 years old who spent time in foster care were eligible for a $2,000 cash payment and help with other needs between March and September last year. The state distributed almost $2.2 million. But only about 1,000 Kentucky youth successfully applied and received relief – leaving more than $5.2 million unclaimed. The state recently reopened registration and has until the end of September to distribute the rest of the funds. But federal rules changed, and now it’s only available up to 23 years old. |
| https://kycir.org/2022/02/15/stimulus-aid-for-former-foster-youth-is-failing-to-reach-most-eligible/ |
|
| US: Bipartisan senators introduce Kids Online Safety bill |
| Hill – February 16, 2022 |
| A new proposal backed by bipartisan senators would require social media platforms to take additional measures to keep children under 16 safe online. The Kids Online Safety Act, which will be introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday, builds on months of momentum in Congress for social media platforms to take accountability for risks posed to children – especially after a Facebook whistleblower released internal company documents. The legislation calls for social media platforms to provide families with tools and additional transparency aimed at protecting children online. |
| https://thehill.com/policy/technology/594458-bipartisan-senators-introduce-kids-online-safety-bill |
|
| US: AHA Senate Statement: “Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II – Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care” (Press release) |
| American Hospital Association – February 15, 2022 |
| On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the American Hospital Association (AHA) appreciates the opportunity to submit this statement for the record as the Committee on Finance examines ways to protect the mental health of our nation’s youth. As America enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care providers are confronting a landscape deeply altered by its effects, including the emergence of behavioral health care as an even greater challenge than in previous years. |
| Also: Part 1: https://bit.ly/3JogITU |
| https://www.aha.org/testimony/2022-02-15-aha-senate-statement-protecting-youth-mental-health-part-ii-identifying-and |
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| US: Path to Federal Foster Care Prevention Funds Overlooks Tribal Programs, Experts Say |
| Imprint – February 15, 2022 |
| When Indigenous communities seek to support and heal their wounded children and families, they often turn to time-tested practices that haven’t been measured by statistical models, causal inferences and confounding factors. But under a sweeping change to federal funding for the child welfare system, only programs that meet rigorous, Western-defined scientific standards can expect to draw on the potentially unlimited entitlement funds. Proponents say that ensures the programs are grounded in solid evidence, and merit the public spending. |
| https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/tribal-practices-overlooked-family-first/62641 |
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| US: Youth Peer Support Can Help BIPOC LGBTQ Youth Come Out, and Thrive (Commentary) |
| Imprint – February 15, 2022 |
| The models for youth peer support vary greatly across states depending on their infrastructure for Medicaid billing or other funding. Some jurisdictions have essentially open enrollment for youth who are interested in receiving this support, while others don’t have funding structures in place for these programs to run. Often the main form of youth peer support people know of is the informal version of friends supporting each other, but formal peer support is so much more. With proper youth peer support, youth affected by systems can get support from someone who is trained to be trauma-informed like a clinical worker, but who is also relatable in life experiences – like a friend. |
| https://imprintnews.org/youth-voice/youth-peer-support-can-help-bipoc-lgbtq-youth-thrive/62618 |
|
| GA: Bright House opens in Savannah to help children in foster care (Includes video) |
| WTOC – February 14, 2022 |
| There’s a new place in Savannah for families and children in crisis. Savannah CASA opened the doors to the new Bright House foster care center. CASA is an organization of volunteers who help and support children in foster care. This new center gives parents the opportunity to visit their child in a warmer environment. |
| https://www.wtoc.com/2022/02/15/bright-house-opens-savannah-help-children-foster-care/ |
|
| IL: A New Day for Voiceless Children in Cook County: An Expansion of CASA of Cook County Advocacy (Press release) |
| CASA of Cook County – February 14, 2022 |
| Every day, there is a foster child languishing in psychiatric hospitals after being cleared to leave. These children are held beyond medical necessity in Illinois. On Monday, February 14th, 2022, Cook County Presiding Judge Robert Balanoff extended the child advocacy services of the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cook County (CASA) through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Cook County Juvenile Courts to specifically assist the courts with Beyond Medical Necessity (BMN) cases. The new MOU assigns CASA of Cook County Volunteers to foster children who are in psychiatric hospitals beyond the time of their medical clearance, otherwise known as Beyond Medical Necessity (BMN). |
| https://www.rfdtv.com/story/45867354/a-new-day-for-voiceless-children-in-cook-county-an-expansion-of-casa-of-cook-county-advocacy |
|
| IL: Illinois Foster Care Numbers Climb During Pandemic, Bucking National Trend |
| Imprint – February 14, 2022 |
| Fewer entries and fewer exits from foster care were near-universal among states nationwide, according to data released in November by the U.S. Administration for Children and Families, with just a handful of states revealing a different pattern. But on both fronts, Illinois stood apart. In that state, 1,128 more children entered foster care from September 2019 to September 2020, compared to the previous year, totaling 7,837 entries. That 17% increase represents the only meaningful increase in foster care cases of any state in the country during the pandemic. |
| https://imprintnews.org/foster-care/illinois-foster-care-numbers-buck-national-trend/62520 |
|
| KS: Kansas high school students are thriving under JAG-K. A $3.5M investment could help thousands more (May require subscription) (Includes video) |
| Topeka Capital-Journal – February 13, 2022 |
| The first day Devin Russell-Unger ever set foot in a JAG-K classroom, he wasn’t sure he deserved the opportunity to change his life. The Augusta High School student, having gone through the state’s foster care system, had become bitter with his situation. But when he was enrolled in Christy Pray’s JAG-K classroom, he found a family of students who face similar challenges in their lives. He found a safe place that would push him to succeed in school. Russell-Unger and about 4,000 other students across Kansas are enrolled in Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas – the state’s chapter of a national program focused on getting students not only across the graduation stage but also to careers and education after high school. |
| https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/education/2022/02/13/jobs-for-americas-graduates-helping-kansas-high-schools-boost-graduation-rates/6691922001/ |
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| NC: Nonprofit helps provide homes for foster children by easing the process (Includes video) |
| WSOC – February 14, 2022 |
| “There’s always been a need for foster families but with the amount that are coming in, it’s hard to keep up,” explained Tiffany Straw-Botts, a Foster Parent Licensing and Recruiting specialist for Pinnacle Family Services. “I have families that come to me and say, ‘I just wish I had an extra room.'” That’s where H3 Collective comes in, the nonprofit partners with North Carolina-based Fostering Hopes. The duo works with churches, businesses and contractors to provide homes for foster families. |
| https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/nonprofit-helps-provide-homes-foster-children-by-easing-process/FOF5BJEN3ZGWNJWZXOMZASAU4I/ |
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| NC: Commissioners look at facility needs during retreat |
| News Herald – February 13, 2022 |
| The Burke County Board of Commissioners met Feb. 3-4 for its budget retreat in Morganton. The county budget retreat is a time for commissioners to talk about what the board and staff may need to tackle in the coming year. The Burke County Human Resource Center on East Parker Road in Morganton houses the health department, social services and the Burke County Public Schools administrative staff. For years, county officials have known the building is crowded and has had issues. Commissioner Vice-Chairman Johnnie Carswell said he’s concerned about having adequate rooms and privacy for families who may have some intimate issues with which they are dealing. After hearing from the directors, Mulwee asked Josh Bennett, vice president of Moseley Architects, what his recommendation for the building would be. Bennett said his recommendation would be to replace the building. The county has contracted with Moseley Architects to do a study on county facilities that will include projected renovations or new construction. Pierce said the county hopes to have a final report from Moseley Architects for its 2022-23 budget preparation. |
| https://morganton.com/news/local/commissioners-look-at-facility-needs-during-retreat/article_295ae434-8ba3-11ec-b3d1-3748bb599340.html |
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| PA: Child deaths and injuries from abuse in Philadelphia and Pa. rose sharply in 2020 (Includes audio) |
| KYW – February 14, 2022 |
| Tazmir Ransom lived a short, painful life and died at his mother’s hand in 2020, his undernourished, 7-year-old body covered in bruises and bite marks. Ransom was one of 17 child fatalities in Philadelphia that pandemic year, a sharp increase over the nine fatalities reported in 2019. Near fatalities were up from 21 to 29. Pennsylvania saw a similar increase. Child fatalities went from 51 in 2019 to 73 in 2020. |
| Also: Report: Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Annual Report 2020: https://bit.ly/3uLWeQW |
| https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/philadelphia-child-deaths-injuries-increase-2020 |
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| TN: Daycare staff didn’t move napping kids during fire, police say; 1 arrested (Includes video) |
| WTVC & CNN – February 13, 2022 |
| A fire at a Tennessee daycare on Thursday was very close to turning tragic. When deputies arrived on scene, they arrested a daycare worker, who admitted to drinking on the job. Thankfully, all 27 children made it out of the burning building OK. An arrest report indicated the staff didn’t want to wake kids who were sleeping. |
| https://www.wkyt.com/2022/02/13/daycare-staff-didnt-move-napping-kids-during-fire-police-say-1-arrested/ |
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| TX: Children sleeping in CPS offices won’t end unless Texas officials take bolder action, lawyers say (May require subscription) (Includes audio) |
| Dallas Morning News – February 14, 2022 |
| Texas is in danger of simply slapping a Band-Aid on “the ongoing tragedy” of kids sleeping in Child Protective Services offices and won’t cure root causes unless it acts with more urgency and taps some of the state’s huge budget surplus for improvements to foster and kinship care, two lawyers for plaintiff children in a long-running lawsuit said Monday. Reacting to a new filing by two state agencies in U.S. District Court in Corpus Christi, plaintiffs’ lawyers Marcia Robinson Lowry and Paul Yetter labeled the state’s response to an expert panel’s recommendations deficient. |
| https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/02/14/children-sleeping-in-cps-offices-wont-end-unless-texas-officials-take-bolder-action-lawyers-say/ |
|
| AZ: Recreation, education combine to help foster kids succeed (May require subscription) (Includes video) |
| Arizona Republic – February 10, 2022 |
| The Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation helps foster kids and their caregivers cover the cost of athletic registration and equipment, citizenship and immigration fees, educational camps, tutoring, class photos, graduation expenses and more. In 2021, the Scottsdale-based group helped more than 4,800 children with social, athletic and educational activities throughout the state. Many of them will spend their childhood in the system, aging out at 18. The group’s mission is to give these children the chance to participate in fun educational activities that pave the way for a brighter future and a more successful transition into adulthood. |
| https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/02/10/group-used-season-sharing-grant-foster-care-childrens-expenses/6722634001/ |
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| CA: Black and Brown Youth Are Most Vulnerable to Human Trafficking During the Super Bowl |
| HipLatina – February 10, 2022 |
| With Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Los Angeles officials are preparing for the influx of crowds in Inglewood but they’re also ensuring safety measures are in place to combat a possible human trafficking situation. City officials, alongside advocacy groups, are warning people of a possibility of increased human trafficking during one of the biggest sporting event in the U.S. Human traffickers tend to target the more vulnerable populations in the country including, Native Americans, undocumented immigrants, runaway youth, the LGBTQ+ community, and low-income individuals. Martinez explains how this is especially harmful to minority communities: “Black and brown youths are very susceptible to the preying of a predator and a sex trafficker. A lot of our kids are in the system and they’re not always being protected. They are easy prey for predators.” |
| https://hiplatina.com/super-bowl-human-trafficking/ |
|
| DE: Kids Department seeks funding for foster care and behavioral health services (Includes audio) |
| Delaware Public Media – February 10, 2022 |
| The state agency focused on the well being of Delaware children seeks additional funds to address behavioral health and staffing challenges. Thousands of Delaware children interact with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families on a daily basis – through behavioral health, juvenile justice and child welfare services. An increase in mental health issues resulting from the pandemic has led to a greater need for crisis care. And a lack of proper treatment space means some children find themselves stuck in hospital emergency rooms for weeks; a place not designed to treat mental health. |
| https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2022-02-10/kids-department-seeks-funding-for-foster-care-and-behavioral-health-services |
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| FL: 154 kids, 1 case manager: Hillsborough’s foster care staff crisis. (May require subscription) |
| Tampa Bay Times – February 11, 2022 |
| The care and safety of foster children depends on their case manager. It’s a heavy burden, which is why the Child Welfare League of America recommends that those in the job oversee no more than 17 cases at a time. But in Hillsborough County, child welfare experts are sounding the alarm that case managers are overburdened with dozens of cases, kids and families. An internal report reviewed by the Tampa Bay Times showed LifeStream Behavioral Center, one of four nonprofits that provides case managers to Hillsborough’s primary foster care agency Eckerd Connects, had seven employees managing 80 or more children and four responsible for at least 90. One caseworker juggled 154 foster kids. |
| https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2022/02/11/154-kids-1-case-manager-hillsboroughs-foster-care-staff-crisis/ |
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| FL: Police: Adoptive parents locked up boy, 13, in 8×8 garage structure (Includes video) |
| KWTX – February 10, 2022 |
| During an interview with police detectives, 13-year-old boy who ran away from his adoptive home told investigators he was forced to live in an 8×8 structure within a garage for five years. Police arrested the boy’s adoptive parents, Tracy and Timothy Ferriter, on aggravated child abuse charges. On January 30, 2022, detectives visited the Ferriter residence after the 13-year-old was reported as a missing runaway. After numerous interviews, police learned the 13 year-old has been physically abused and forcibly confined to live within the garage structure by his adoptive parents since at least 2017. |
| https://www.kwtx.com/2022/02/10/police-adoptive-parents-locked-up-boy-13-8×8-garage-structure/ |
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| IL: Foster kids may get exit interviews when removed from a home, according to house bill (Includes video) |
| WGEM – February 10, 2022 |
| Advocates of a bill heading to the house floor said that foster parents can remove foster kids from their home with little more than a two week notice. Their proposal heading through the house would require exit interviews of the foster children, which they hope will inform the Department of Children and Family Services on whether or not some foster parents are suited for the work. The interviews will ask about their basic needs, security, safety, inclusion and the child’s access to social workers, according to the bill. If a child makes a claim of abuse or neglect, that would be referred to DCFS for investigation. Other issues will be recorded and considered when the foster parent is up for license renewal. |
| Also: Full Text of HB4304: https://bit.ly/3uCUHfY |
| https://www.kfvs12.com/2022/02/10/foster-kids-may-get-exit-interviews-when-removed-home-according-house-bill/ |
|
| IN: Bill advances to expand what Indiana must disclose in child and abuse deaths (Includes video) |
| WRTV – February 10, 2022 |
| Indiana lawmakers are moving forward with efforts to improve how the state shares information about child abuse and neglect deaths. The state’s 2020 child fatality report revealed 50 children died from abuse and neglect that year, but some say the report does not provide enough detail to protect Hoosier children. House Bill 1247, authored by Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, is inspired by Judah Morgan and the dozens of children who die in Indiana each year from abuse and neglect. |
Also: House Bill 1247: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/bills/house/1247
Also: 2020 Annual Report of Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities in Indiana: https://bit.ly/3Ll24yq |
| https://bit.ly/3oG8bDM |
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| KY: Judge holds Kentucky’s child welfare agency in contempt of court over abuse, neglect cases (Includes video) (May require subscription) |
| Louisville Courier Journal – February 10, 2022 |
| Citing the “dismal state” of the local child welfare office – and conditions statewide – a Barren County judge has found the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services in contempt of court for failing to provide sufficient staff and resources to manage child abuse and neglect cases. The Feb. 8 order by Family Court Judge Mica Wood Pence cites chronic staffing shortages and high turnover in the cabinet’s Barren County office in southern Kentucky leading to delays, late reports, missed deadlines and repeatedly postponed hearings on children’s cases. |
| https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2022/02/10/kentucky-child-welfare-agency-held-contempt-barren-co-judge/6727079001/ |
|
| ME: Rep. Golden introduces bill to allow Maine tribes to benefit from future federal Indian laws (Includes audio) |
| Portland Press Herald – February 10, 2022 |
| Rep. Jared Golden introduced a bill Thursday that would allow Maine’s Indian tribes to benefit from new federal laws that might dilute Maine’s jurisdictional authority over them. Maine tribes have been excluded from federal laws and programs under an agreement negotiated with the state decades ago, and have long sought to benefit from changes to federal law that apply to all other tribes. The measure proposed by Golden, a Democrat representing Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, was announced along with statements of support from the chiefs of three of Maine’s four tribes. It would only apply to future laws, though it has language that will allow the Houlton Band of Maliseet and Aroostook Band of Micmacs (also spelled Mi’kmaq) to join the other two Maine tribes in benefiting from the Indian Child Welfare Act. That 1978 law increases a tribal court’s authority in child custody matters and limits a state’s ability to remove Indian children from their families. |
| https://www.pressherald.com/2022/02/10/rep-golden-introduces-bill-to-allow-maine-tribes-to-benefit-from-federal-indian-laws/ |
|
| MI: Michigan’s child welfare system has improved over the past decade, state says (Includes audio) |
| WDET – February 10, 2022 |
| Michigan’s child welfare system has been monitored by the federal government since 2008. That’s the result of a lawsuit filed in 2006, claiming the system had harmed children in its care. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that significant progress has been made in the past 13 years and that the agency is making substantial steps to exiting federal oversight. Through the past decade or so, the agency and the state at large have implemented new practices to change the relationship families and youths have with the beleaguered child welfare system. Speaking in court last month, MDHHS outlined the ways the state has improved its child welfare system, including a 47% decrease in the number of children in foster care; the number of children in congregate care facilities dropping from 1,200 in 2008 to 450 today; and a decline in overdue investigations of suspected child abuse and neglect, from 1,260 in July 2019 to 22 at the end of 2021. |
| https://wdet.org/2022/02/10/michigans-child-welfare-system-has-improved-over-the-past-decade-state-says/ |
|
| NE: State aims to avoid repeating mistakes made in ‘bad bid’ from St. Francis Ministries (Includes video) |
| Nebraska Examiner – February 10, 2022 |
| In 2019, the state made what would later amount to a $158 million mistake in awarding a state contract to St. Francis Ministries. It’s widely acknowledged that the $197 million bid by the Kansas-based nonprofit organization to oversee the state’s child welfare system was horribly low. A year ago, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services had to provide another $158 million to St. Francis to avoid the organization’s financial collapse. The infusion meant that the state was now spending more on the five-year contract with St. Francis than the state’s previous contractor, Nebraska-based PromiseShip, had bid. So now, given that admittedly “bad bid,” and what one state senator called a “pattern” of procurement problems in state government, questions are being raised about whether DHHS and the agency that handles state contracts, the Department of Administrative Services, can do any better when a much more lucrative state contract is awarded later this year. |
| Also: Changes in state procurement sought after failed Omaha-area child welfare contract (May require subscription) (Includes video): https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/changes-in-state-procurement-sought-after-failed-omaha-area-child-welfare-contract/article_1258cab2-8ab8-11ec-b354-cfe5decd33d2.html |
| https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/state-aims-to-avoid-repeating-mistakes-made-in-bad-bid-from-st-francis-ministries |
|
| NY: New York City Court Dysfunction Found to Have ‘Caused Harm to Thousands of Families’ (Commentary) |
| Imprint – February 10, 2022 |
| In its review of the local courts from March 2020 through last December, authors of the 40-page report found that delays had “caused harm to thousands of families.” and “serious constitutional issues” in the pandemic-hobbled system which primarily serves low-income families and communities of color. The courts were forced to turn to virtual hearings and curtail the number of cases that could even be presented to a judge. That created a staggering backlog in sensitive issues involving juvenile crimes, child maltreatment, foster care, termination of parental rights and adoption, custody and visitation and domestic violence. |
| Also: The Impact of COVID-19 on the New York City Family Court: Recommendations on Improving Access to Justice for All Litigants: http://moderncourts.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NY-Family-Court-Report-1-22-2022.pdf |
| https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/report-new-york-city-court-dysfunction/62532 |
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| TN: DCS Families Muzzled in Children & Families Committee Hearing (Opinion) |
| Tennessee Tribune – February 10, 2022 |
| Families who came to testify before the House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee on Wednesday February 9, 2022 were not allowed to address lawmakers. Committee Chairwoman Mary Littleton had a list of speakers two days before the meeting, as required, but Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton did not approve them. So they sat in the audience waiting for a chance to speak that never came. Nichols presented a number of slides showing custody numbers, number of foster homes, and calls to the Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline. She didn’t tell lawmakers the number of children who entered DCS custody and the number who exited custody back to their birth families last year. DCS has not disclosed those numbers publicly since 2013-14. |
| https://tntribune.com/dcs-families-muzzled-in-children-families-committee-hearing%ef%bf%bc/ |
|
| WI: Experts Mull How to Meet WI’s Child-Care Issues (Includes audio) |
| Public News Service – February 10, 2022 |
| The pandemic has exacerbated long-standing issues in Wisconsin’s child care infrastructure, and experts are weighing how to restructure the system to provide equitable care for kids and fair pay for caregivers. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, half of teachers who are based in child care centers plan to leave the field in the next five years. Alejandra Ros Pilarz, assistant professor of social work at UW-Madison, said nearly 40% of family care providers also plan to leave in the same time frame. |
| https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2022-02-10/childrens/experts-mull-how-to-meet-wis-child-care-issues/a77786-1 |
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