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| CA: California lawmakers pass landmark children’s online safety bill (Includes audio) (May require subscription) |
| Washington Post – August 30, 2022 |
| California state lawmakers passed a major children’s online safety measure on Tuesday that would require digital platforms to vet whether new products may pose harm to kids and teens before rolling them out and to offer privacy guardrails to younger users by default. Children’s safety advocates say the legislation, the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, would make the state a national leader in setting protections for kids and teens online. Its passage is part of a growing push nationwide to hold tech companies like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat accountable for how their services may affect children’s mental health and safety. |
| Also: AB-2273 The California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2273 |
| https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/08/30/california-online-safety-legislation/ |
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| CO: Demand grows for respite care for families in crisis in Colorado Springs |
| Gazette – August 31, 2022 |
| An unusual service in Colorado Springs that helps parents and guardians keep their families intact during a crisis and avoid foster care for their children is seeing a spike in need. “We’re in very high demand,” said Jillian Stephenson, a licensed clinical social worker who in fall 2019 founded the local chapter of Safe Families for Children. Safe Families for Children, which started in Chicago in 2003, provides free, voluntary respite care for kids when parents are in an unforeseen situation, such as being homeless, needing hospitalization, seeking a break from domestic violence, moving households or reassessing their lives. The organization’s annual $154,000 budget is funded by private donations, local churches and grants, Stephenson said. |
| https://gazette.com/news/demand-grows-for-respite-care-for-families-in-crisis-in-colorado-springs/article_de60d0ea-296a-11ed-a644-a3ca1fc1a58e.html |
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| LA: La. Dept. of Children and Family Services to face additional questioning Tuesday |
| BRProud – August 31, 2022 |
| The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will face more questioning from state officials on Tuesday, Sept. 6 as the agency faces legal action after the overdose death of a two-year-old child. The agency is scheduled to meet with the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare on Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. During questioning on Monday, Aug. 8 with the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, DCFS officials said the agency is severely understaffed and underfunded. DCFS said with less staff, caseworkers are being forced to take on more workload than recommended. |
| https://www.brproud.com/news/local-news/la-dept-of-children-and-family-services-to-face-additional-questioning-tuesday/ |
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| MA: Baker-Polito Administration Files $840 Million Fiscal Year 2022 Supplemental Budget (Press release) |
| Office of Charlie Baker, Governor for Massachusetts – August 31, 2022 |
| Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday is filing a final fiscal year 2022 (FY22) supplemental budget that proposes investments in transportation, health and human services, school safety and other fiscal year closeout needs. The proposal also recommends $37.3 million to support a number of school safety initiatives announced last week by the Administration, which includes $20 million for matching grants that will enable security and communications upgrades in K-12 schools and public higher education institutes and $10 million for child care providers to support safety measures and multi-hazard emergency planning. Other investments include $30 million to support the appointment of a guardian ad litem in Department of Children and Families custody cases. |
| https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-files-840-million-fiscal-year-2022-supplemental-budget |
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| OH: What happened to me? Kids can report sexual assault (Includes video) |
| WCMH – August 31, 2022 |
| It’s never a child’s fault when someone is inappropriate with them or they are sexually assaulted, and experts can protect kids and their families once they know a problem exists. The Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers said it saw 6,717 sexual abuse cases in 2021 for children ranging from birth to age 18. Additionally, NBC4 examined Columbus police records for the first six months of 2022 and found that 218 children reported they had been raped or sexually assaulted: 172 girls and 46 boys. Katherine Schiraldi, Director of Assessments Investigations for Franklin County Children’s Services, talked with NBC4 about what kids can do to report sexual assault or rape. NBC4 is doing a series of stories the week of Aug. 29, 2022, on children, rape and sexual assault. |
Also: Child rape: Numbers paint disturbing picture in Columbus (Includes video): https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/218-children-15-years-and-under-report-rape-sexual-assault/
Also: Parents: How to find help after a child’s sexual assault or rape (Includes video): https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/parents-how-to-find-help-after-a-childs-sexual-assault-or-rape/
Also: Boys and sexual assault: what to do, who to call (Includes video): https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/boys-and-sexual-assault-what-to-do-who-to-call/ |
| https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/what-happened-to-me-kids-can-report-sexual-assault/ |
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| OR: Rosenblum joins AGs in supporting federal law that protects Native foster children and adoptees |
| Oregon Capital Chronicle – September 01, 2022 |
| Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has joined 23 fellow attorneys general in supporting a federal law that protects Native American foster children and adoptees. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 was passed by Congress to combat a widespread and destructive practice of displacing Native American children by placing them with non-Native parents. Oregon passed its own law in 2020 to address the disproportionate number of Native American foster children in the system. Rosenblum and the 23 other attorneys general argue that the legal challenge would hurt Native children and erode tribal sovereignty. |
Also: Haaland v. Brackeen: On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Brief of the American Civil Liberties Union and Fourteen Affiliates as Amici Curiae in Support of Federal and Tribal Defendants: https://bit.ly/3KieSWk
Also: House Bill 4214: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2020S1/Measures/Overview/HB4214 |
| https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2022/09/01/rosenblum-joins-ags-in-supporting-federal-law-that-protects-native-foster-children-and-adoptees/ |
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| PA: Hiring difficulties continue as Lancaster County commissioners extend incentives for new hires |
| LNP/LancasterOnline – August 31, 2022 |
| Lancaster County commissioners approved a pair of measures Wednesday that will keep pay increases in place for some county workers, as department heads report they are still struggling to recruit and hire. As part of their approval of a budget for child welfare services, commissioners kept in place a $3-per-hour wage increase, which took effect in July, for all positions in the Children and Youth Agency. A report from the Children and Youth Agency presented to commissioners this week noted “a consistently high vacancy rate of approximately 36-40% for caseworker positions” in that department. The $3-per-hour wage increase will carry over to the next fiscal year. With the pay hike, the starting annual salary for a caseworker at the Children and Youth Agency is $41,500. Pay for a senior-level caseworker now starts at about $45,000 a year. |
| https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/hiring-difficulties-continue-as-lancaster-county-commissioners-extend-incentives-for-new-hires/article_8965e366-295e-11ed-a3a5-676f402c386b.html |
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| PA: York County sets wage increase for child welfare, other employees (Includes video) (May require subscription) |
| York Dispatch – August 31, 2022 |
| On Wednesday, the York County Board of Commissioners signed off on $2-per-hour increases for workers at the the York County Youth Development Center, York County Area Agency on Aging and Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF). Short-staffing has been an ongoing problem for the county’s child welfare office. Last year, staff described systemic problems surrounding heavy caseloads and employees being forced to do work they were not properly trained to complete. According to Chief Clerk Greg Monskie, the agreements between the county and business agents for Teamsters Local 776 and Service Employees International Union Local 668 will take effect next month. |
| https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/york-county-sets-wage-increase-child-welfare-other-employees/7949692001/ |
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| SD: Council approves $200 per student for school assistance (Includes audio) |
| Lakota Times – August 31, 2022 |
| On Monday, during a special session at the Prairie Wind Casino hotel conference room, the tribal council voted 18-0-1 to use $4 million in ARPA funds to assist pre-school to high school students on and off the reservation with $200 each for school assistance, supplies, electronics, remedial help, tutoring or school clothes. |
| https://www.lakotatimes.com/articles/council-approves-200-per-student-for-school-assistance/ |
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| WY: Wyoming Considers State Law Making Non-Native Families Last Resort For Foster Care, Adoption Of American Indian Kids |
| Cowboy State Daily – August 31, 2022 |
| With the possibility of a change in federal law looming, Wyoming lawmakers on Monday considered drafting a law requiring American Indian foster children to be placed as much as possible with extended family or in tribal homes, rather than non-tribal families. A federal law- the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 – does just that. But that law is now being questioned by the U.S. Supreme Court and could be overturned in the coming months. Meeting in Riverton on Monday, members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations contemplated making a Wyoming version of the endangered federal law, but they have not yet drafted such a bill. |
| Also: Haaland v. Brackeen: On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Brief of the American Civil Liberties Union and Fourteen Affiliates as Amici Curiae in Support of Federal and Tribal Defendants: https://bit.ly/3KieSWk |
| https://cowboystatedaily.com/2022/08/31/wyoming-lawmakers-consider-state-tribal-first-foster-care-law-for-american-indian-children/ |
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| US: Assistant Secretary Monthly Update | August 2022 (Press release) (Includes audio) |
| U.S. Administration for Children and Families – August 31, 2022 |
| August was a busy month as we continue our work to promote the well-being of children and families across the nation. As part of my continued commitment to keep you informed and engaged, I’d like to share a few reflections from the past month, including announcements and burgeoning partnerships, that I hope you find useful. |
| https://www.acf.hhs.gov/policy-guidance/assistant-secretary-monthly-update-august-2022 |
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| We are always eager to get your feedback or to know how you are using Child Welfare in the News. To comment on this service, contact cwn@childwelfare.gov. |
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| CA: Invest Now in Foster Youth, or End Up Paying Later (Commentary) |
| Imprint & Knock LA – August 30, 2022 |
| As someone who spent 17 years in Los Angeles County’s child welfare system – one of the largest systems in the US – and specifically in the American Indian child welfare unit, I am no stranger to the apparent statistics on my foster brothers and sisters. Foster youth are one of the most vulnerable populations in the world. We, as a society, are responsible for providing a safety net to them. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, Black and Indigenous children are represented in foster care at a rate that is respectively 1.66 and 2.84 times greater than their percentage of the overall population. Unfortunately, Black and brown children are disproportionately impacted in the child welfare system and have adverse outcomes when they are emancipating. These outcomes include incarceration, homelessness, low educational attainment, mental illness, premature death, unemployment, and poverty. |
| https://imprintnews.org/youth-voice/invest-now-in-foster-youth-or-end-up-paying-later/137954 |
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| MI: Policies helped Northeast Michigan’s kids (Opinion) (May require subscription) |
| Alpena News – August 31, 2022 |
| All children deserve a Michigan where their basic needs can be met, where they can thrive in their communities and schools, and where they can grow up strong and healthy. For child advocates and policymakers alike, the recently released Kids Count in Michigan Data Profiles give us the information we need to make that Michigan a reality. Those data offer a snapshot of how children are doing across communities, race, family structure, and income levels, showing us where children may need more support from Michigan leaders, and where children and families are much better off. |
| Also: 2022 Kids Count in Michigan Data Profiles: https://mlpp.org/kids-count/2022dataprofiles/ |
| https://www.thealpenanews.com/opinion/editorials-and-columns/2022/08/policies-helped-northeast-michigans-kids/ |
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| MI: Court gave custody of 16-month-old to father accused of killing him near Montrose |
| WJRT – August 30, 2022 |
| The 39-year-old accused of killing his toddler son near Montrose last week had a long history of violence and authorities recommended against giving him custody of the boy. The death of young Chaos was the culmination of a 16-month life filled with abuse and uncertainty without a stable place to call home. Leyton said the family was “essentially homeless.” Eventually Chaos and his mom and siblings ended up in a homeless shelter. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services removed three of the children from their mother’s care. Authorities from the department recommended Chaos be placed in temporary foster care, but the court awarded custody to Butler instead. Leyton said state officials did not want the child placed with the father. |
| https://www.abc12.com/news/crime/court-gave-custody-of-16-month-old-to-father-accused-of-killing-him-near-montrose/article_30e38160-28b1-11ed-bda3-af2035b12c14.html |
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| NC: NCDHHS Launches New Integrated Early Childhood Data Dashboards (Press release) |
| North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services – August 30, 2022 |
| Today, new interactive online dashboards show how North Carolina’s children from birth to age 5 receive services like child care, food benefits and protective services, providing insight into program successes and elevating continued needs. The dashboards use data from the North Carolina Early Childhood Integrated Data System (NC ECIDS) and reflect the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ commitment to comprehensive child and family well-being. Making the data easily accessible and relevant for use by policymakers, researchers, communities and families will support investments and decisions that foster equity. |
| https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2022/08/30/ncdhhs-launches-new-integrated-early-childhood-data-dashboards |
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| NY: Hudson Valley Man Accused of Sexual Abuse At Daycare, Foster Care |
| WPDH – August 30, 2022 |
| The New York State Police Child Abuse Unit recently announced the arrest of 59-year-old John Olsen from the town of Warwick for allegedly sexually abusing multiple juvenile victims. The alleged sexual abuse occurred at daycare/foster care homes in the town of Warwick in Orange County and the town of Andes in Delaware County, according to New York State Police. “The arrests were the result of a joint investigation by the New York State Police working in conjunction with Orange County Child Protective Services. It stemmed from allegations made that Olson sexually abused multiple juveniles in both Orange and Delaware counties,” New York State Police said in a press release on Thursday. |
| https://wpdh.com/hudson-valley-man-accused-of-sexual-abuse-at-daycare-foster-care/ |
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| PA: Lack of PA Juvenile Detention Space Reaches Critical Stage (Includes audio) |
| Public News Service – August 31, 2022 |
| One goal of youth and family support services is to keep kids out of juvenile detention, but for those who are accused of serious crimes, Pennsylvania doesn’t have enough space in its detention centers, and it is being described as a crisis. A report by the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission outlined the effects of facility closures on accessibility to services. Since 2006, some 15 juvenile detention centers have closed in the state. “Sometimes the youth need doesn’t match the facility that they’re being sent to,” Wilson pointed out. “Sometimes there are staffing challenges because, in detention centers, there has to be a certain staff-to-youth ratio. And if they can’t meet that, they can’t continue to accept youth. There are sometimes medical concerns that can’t be addressed at the facility.” |
| Also: Report: Pennsylvania Secure Detention Analysis: Impact of Facility Closures on Accessibility of Services: https://bit.ly/3AEc15o |
| https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2022-08-31/juvenile-justice/lack-of-pa-juvenile-detention-space-reaches-critical-stage/a80459-1 |
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| TX: Texas’ child welfare agency told staffers to keep quiet about gender-affirming care investigations, documents show |
| Texas Tribune – August 30, 2022 |
| The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services took rare steps – like instructing staffers to avoid written communications – to keep details of child abuse investigations related to gender-affirming care in secret, according to internal agency communications reviewed by The Texas Tribune. The agency’s actions are detailed in more than 900 pages of emails and other records that were recently released through an open records request filed by American Oversight, a government watchdog group. They show how the agency tried to limit the public trail of the cases and control public communications about the controversial investigations while employees across the state internally raised concerns. |
| https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/30/texas-dfps-gender-affirming-care-investigations/ |
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| VT: DCF creates new position for state custody proceedings involving Native American children |
| VTDigger – August 30, 2022 |
| The Department for Children and Families is hoping to build stronger relationships with Vermont’s Abenaki tribes by hiring its first coordinator for state custody proceedings involving Native American children. The role has been named the “Indian Child Welfare Act coordinator,” referring to a 1978 federal law that aims to keep Native American children under the care of relatives or tribe members whenever safe and possible. Determining whether a minor is a registered tribal member or is eligible to register is an important factor in court cases involving “a child in need of care or supervision.” When a child could have tribal affiliation or heritage, the coordinator will be responsible for verifying that information with the relevant tribes, said Lindsay Barron, policy and planning manager with DCF’s Family Services Division. The coordinator is expected to begin the part-time job in October. |
| https://vtdigger.org/2022/08/30/dcf-creates-new-position-for-state-custody-proceedings-involving-native-american-children/ |
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| WA: New committee aims to develop long-term strategies to ensure behavioral health care for Washington youths |
| State of Reform – August 30, 2022 |
| A new committee created to develop long-term strategies to ensure access to behavioral health care for Washington families in the perinatal stage, children, and youths discussed some focus areas during its first meeting on Monday. The Prenatal to 25 Behavioral Health Strategic Plan Advisory Committee was formed during the 2022 legislative session with the passage of House Bill 1890. The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG) recommended the development of the committee to the legislature, directing it to develop a strategic plan to address behavioral health needs across the state. The committee must submit a strategic plan to the governor and legislature by Nov. 1st, 2024. |
| Also: House Bill 1890: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1890&Year=2022 |
| https://stateofreform.com/featured/2022/08/new-committee-aims-to-improve-behavioral-health-care-for-washington-youths/ |
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| US: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commend the United States of America on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, Ask About Absence of a National Human Rights Institute and Measures to Address Gun Violence (Press release) |
| United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner – August 12, 2022 |
| The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today concluded its consideration of the combined 10th to 12th periodic reports of the United States of America, with Committee Experts commending the State on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and asking about the absence of a national human rights institute and measures to address gun violence. The child welfare system was one topic discussed. Some points raised include “How did the State Party plan to address the overrepresentation of children and families of African descent and Indigenous families in the foster care system?” and “The Office of Civil Rights was responsible for ensuring that Government agencies complied with non-discrimination laws. Racial disparities occurred at every decision-making point, and black children, native American children and Latin American children were more likely to be placed in foster care than white children. The State had increased funding for support services for minority children by 10 billion dollars.” |
Also: United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (OHCHR): https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/cerd
Also: Concluding observations on the combined tenth to twelfth reports of the United States of America: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CERD/Shared%20Documents/USA/CERD_C_USA_CO_10-12_49769_E.pdf |
| https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2022/08/experts-committee-elimination-racial-discrimination-commend-united-states-america |
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| AZ: Pascua Yaqui & state of Arizona agree on roles in foster children cases ahead of Supreme Court decision |
| Tucson Sentinel – August 29, 2022 |
| Pascua Yaqui children taken into state custody in Arizona will continue to learn and grow up according to the tribe’s customs and traditions, and the tribe will still be able to intervene in custody proceedings such as adoptions and the termination of parental rights. The state and tribe signed a memo of understanding last week cementing that state-tribal partnership. The agreement comes ahead of a Supreme Court decision, expected in the fall, that could end federal standards for the states’ treatment of Native American children that were set out by the Indian Care Welfare Act in 1978. |
| Also: Haaland v. Brackeen: On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Brief of the American Civil Liberties Union and Fourteen Affiliates as Amici Curiae in Support of Federal and Tribal Defendants: https://bit.ly/3KieSWk |
| https://bit.ly/3Rg8gd6 |
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| AZ: Arizona’s Children Association has been re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) (Press release) |
| Arizona’s Children Association – August 12, 2022 |
| Arizona’s Children Association has been re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA)! What is COA? Accreditation from COA is the international standard for high-quality care in the fields of child welfare, behavioral health, and prevention services. With this recent re-accreditation, Arizona’s Children Association is approved through 2026. |
| https://www.arizonaschildren.org/re-accredited/ |
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| FL: More than $8 million funding boost for foster care on Suncoast (Includes video) |
| WSNN – August 29, 2022 |
| Agencies helping at-risk children in the foster care system receive a boost in funding. This morning, Safe Children Coalition hosted a Legislative Advocacy Day at its headquarters, celebrating an additional $150 million statewide in core funding for community-based care agencies. This includes an $8.6 million increase in Circuit 12, which includes Sarasota and Manatee Counties. This is about a four-million-dollar increase from last year. |
| https://www.snntv.com/story/47187650/more-than-dollar8-million-funding-boost-for-foster-care-on-suncoast |
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| FL: New report finds DCF’s human trafficking screening tool may not identify all victims (Includes video) |
| WFTS – August 29, 2022 |
| A screening tool the state uses to help identify child victims of human trafficking is not very reliable, a new report shows, and “may not successfully identify” all kids. Despite years of recommendations, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has made no changes to the interview guide since it was first implemented seven years ago. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA), in its 2016 Annual Study on Commercial Exploitation of Children, stated the importance of the screening tool measuring what it is intended to measure. But in its new annual report, released in July, the government accountability office said DCF had not made any changes to the screening tool, it was unable to validate the screening tool, and it may not successfully identify all youth victims of sex trafficking. |
Also: Placement Challenges Persist for Child Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation; Questions Regarding Effective Interventions and Outcomes Remain: https://oppaga.fl.gov/Documents/Reports/16-04.pdf
Also: Annual Report on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Florida, 2022: https://oppaga.fl.gov/Documents/Reports/22-05.pdf |
| https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/i-team-investigates/new-report-finds-dcfs-human-trafficking-screening-tool-may-not-identify-all-victims |
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| KS: KU professor files brief as Supreme Court considers Indian Child Welfare Act |
| WIBW – August 29, 2022 |
| A professor at the University of Kansas has filed an amicus brief on behalf of two women who have struggled to reconnect with their tribal roots as the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act. The University of Kansas says the U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear the case of Brackeen v. Haaland, which will consider the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act. KU noted that Sarah Deer, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies and the School of Public Affairs & Administration, has filed an amicus brief with the court. |
| Also: Haaland v. Brackeen: On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Brief of the American Civil Liberties Union and Fourteen Affiliates as Amici Curiae in Support of Federal and Tribal Defendants: https://bit.ly/3KieSWk |
| https://www.kctv5.com/2022/08/29/ku-professor-files-brief-supreme-court-considers-indian-child-welfare-act/ |
|
| MD: Maryland Delegation Members Announce Nearly $4 Million for Early Childhood Education Projects (Press release) |
| Office of Ben Cardin, U.S. Senator for Maryland – August 17, 2022 |
| U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Anthony Brown, and Jamie B. Raskin (all D-Md.) today announced $3,961,485 in federal funding for EasterSeals Head Start projects in Prince George’s County and across the region. EasterSeals is a nonprofit provider of early childhood education services that focuses on promoting school readiness for children in low-income families by meeting children’s emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. Through the Head Start program, children build literacy, math, and social skills with the support of well-trained teachers and an engaging curriculum. |
| https://www.cardin.senate.gov/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-announce-nearly-4-million-for-early-childhood-education-projects/ |
|
| MN: First-of-its-kind Survey Examines Trauma and Healing Among Indigenous Survivors of Family Separation |
| Imprint – August 29, 2022 |
| The questions now being asked of American Indian survivors of boarding schools, foster care and adoption are expansive. They may require deep introspection. And they might hurt to answer. The Minneapolis-based National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, the First Nations Repatriation Institute, and the University of Minnesota are collaborating on a first-of-its-kind survey asking those difficult questions. Researchers have compiled close to 1,000 accounts, submitted on paper and online, for the Child Removal in Native Communities survey, which concludes September 11. They seek to document not only experiences of government-imposed abuses, but the wisdom of survivors and their descendants who’ve found ways to thrive. |
| Also: Child Removal in Native Communities: An Anonymous Survey: https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_01w9CignFk8dF2Z |
| https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/survey-of-indigenous-survivors-of-family-separation/138026 |
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| NV: Nevada officials weigh in against case that threatens to erode Indian Child Welfare Act |
| Nevada Current – August 29, 2022 |
| Several Nevada lawmakers, tribes, and state leaders are urging the U.S. Supreme Court in an amicus brief to reject a challenge to the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, saying that disturbing the law would damage Native American families and could ripple through other important aspects of Native American law. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, or ICWA, imposes federal standards for state child custody cases involving Native American children. Tribes in Nevada say challenges to ICWA will have far-reaching consequences that will be felt for generations. Native American rights groups, including National Indian Child Welfare Association, warn that if ICWA is dismantled it could set legal precedent leading to far-reaching consequences for other issues like tribal economic development and land rights. |
| Also: Haaland v. Brackeen: On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: Brief of the American Civil Liberties Union and Fourteen Affiliates as Amici Curiae in Support of Federal and Tribal Defendants: https://bit.ly/3KieSWk |
| https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/08/29/nevada-officials-weigh-in-against-case-that-threatens-to-erode-indian-child-welfare-act/ |
|
| NY: Administration for Children’s Services expands ‘A Safe Way Forward’ to Brooklyn |
| Brooklyn Daily Eagle – August 29, 2022 |
| The Administration for Children’s Services announced on Monday an expansion of the “A Safe Way Forward” program, which seeks to provide support to the survivors of domestic violence and intimate partner violence, along with the “persons causing harm” and their children. Previously, the project offered services to families in The Bronx and Staten Island. The ACS is now partnering with three providers and will expand to serve families in Brooklyn through MercyFirst. In 2019, A Safe Way Forward was launched for specifically families receiving court-ordered supervision. The goal of the program is to interrupt the intergenerational impact that domestic violence can have on families, specifically to create behavior change and protect the survivor and children. |
| https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2022/08/29/administration-for-childrens-services-expands-a-safe-way-forward-to-brooklyn/ |
|
| SD: Red Cloud Indian School will dig for graves |
| Indian Country Today – August 23, 2022 |
| Leaders at the Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Reservation have announced they will digging up a portion of the basement in a former school dormitory in search of unmarked graves. The announcement came after a search with ground-penetrating radar in May was inconclusive about whether remains might be under what is now a concrete slab in a corner of the large basement. The excavation is part of what the school calls its own search for truth and reconciliation as the U.S. and Canada continue to search for unmarked graves at former Indian residential or boarding schools. |
| https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/red-cloud-indian-school-will-dig-for-graves |
|
| US: The Costs of a Failing System (Opinion) |
| Imprint – August 29, 2022 |
| We have set up a system where we take children away from their families, most of those removals happen because of a reporting category called “neglect” that is being overused and misused, oftentimes because neglect is being conflated with poverty. Some scholars and advocates in the field say child protective services is weaponizing this category of neglect and punishing families for being poor. Ultimately children are being taken away from their parents because of problematic and unfair policies. I ask, what is the cost of this failing system, to our children, their families and citizenry at large? |
| https://imprintnews.org/opinion/the-costs-of-a-failing-system/138080 |
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| US: This Teen Was Prescribed 10 Psychiatric Drugs. She’s Not Alone. (May require subscription) |
| New York Times – August 27, 2022 |
| Psychiatrists and other clinicians emphasize that psychiatric drugs, properly prescribed, can be vital in stabilizing adolescents and saving the lives of suicidal teens. But, these experts caution, such medications are too readily doled out, often as an easy alternative to therapy that families cannot afford or find, or aren’t interested in. These drugs, generally intended for short-term use, are sometimes prescribed for years, even though they can have severe side effects – including psychotic episodes, suicidal behavior, weight gain and interference with reproductive development, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Moreover, many psychiatric drugs commonly prescribed to adolescents are not approved for people under 18. And they are being prescribed in combinations that have not been studied for safety or for their long-term impact on the developing brain. |
Also: We Really Need Clear Guidelines and Recommendations for Safer and Proper Use of Aripiprazole and Risperidone in a Pediatric Population: Real-World Analysis of EudraVigilance Database: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7738432/
Also: New York Times does the “oh-my-God-it’s-spreading-to-the-white-middle-class!!” story about overuse of psychiatric meds on kids (Opinion): https://www.nccprblog.org/2022/08/new-york-times-does-oh-my-god-its.html
Also: Complete Guide to Multiple Medications: https://childmind.org/guide/parents-guide-to-children-and-multiple-medications/ |
| https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/27/health/teens-psychiatric-drugs.html |
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| Denmark: Bullying and Sex Abuse Scandal Engulfs Elite Danish School (May require subscription) |
| New York Times – August 29, 2022 |
| Denmark, like most of Scandinavia, likes to see itself as a fair and equal society, with a nonhierarchical structure, high levels of happiness and trustworthy institutions dedicated to everyone’s well-being. But one of the country’s most famous boarding schools, long attended by the children of the elite and members of the royal family, has recently become embroiled in a scorching scandal, in jarring contrast to Denmark’s trademark values. Multiple accusations of sex abuse and bullying have overrun the red brick classrooms and austere dormitories of the boarding school, Herlufsholm, revealing brutal pecking orders and violence among students. |
| https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/28/world/europe/denmark-bullying-private-school.html |
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| Niger: Interview: New Niger Law Protects Girls’ Rights to Education |
| Human Rights Watch – August 30, 2022 |
| Girls in nearly a third of African countries face significant barriers to education when they become pregnant. But this is changing. In 2019, Niger passed a law directing schools to allow pregnant girls to continue their studies and return after they have their babies. Mariama Mamadou is program director of Femmes, Actions et Dévelopement (ONG FAD) Niger. She spoke with Human Rights Watch researcher Kaem Kapalata Machozi about this law’s potential to change lives, and what other African countries can learn from Niger. |
| https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/30/interview-new-niger-law-protects-girls-rights-education |
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| AR: Lack of available foster homes affects Arkansas placement agency (Includes video) |
| KTHV – August 26, 2022 |
| The need for foster parents in Arkansas has been extremely dire, with thousands of kids in the foster care system, but not enough people that could care for them. Second Chance Youth Ranch knows that the dream for any child is to be in a safe place, and they’ve made it their mission to help. “Nothing more devastating than to know that there out there who have been rejected or hurt or abused,” said Rachel Hubbard with Second Chance Youth. |
| https://www.thv11.com/article/life/family/lack-of-available-foster-homes-affects-arkansas/91-a3e91869-5515-4fc9-a04d-c90878c353d7 |
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| CA: As passage deadline nears, 9 LGBTQ bills sent to CA Gov. Newsom |
| Bay Area Reporter – August 26, 2022 |
| As the deadline fast approaches for California legislators to adopt legislation this year, nine LGBTQ-related bills have now been sent to Governor Gavin Newsom to either veto or sign into law. Another three bills are awaiting final votes ahead of lawmakers’ final legislative session on August 31. A number of the bills sent this week for Newsom’s signature will improve health care access and other services for transgender and gender-nonconforming Californians. One authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Senate Bill 923, would require medical professionals who interact with transgender, gender-nonconforming, and intersex patients to receive cultural competency training, and health providers would need to create searchable online directories of their gender-affirming services. Protections for LGBTQ foster families would be bolstered under AB 2466 authored by lesbian Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona). It explicitly prohibits an agency that places foster children from declining to place a child with a resource family because a resource family parent identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. It would also scrap the usage of the phrase “hard-to-place children” in state codes. |
Also: Senate Bill 923: https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB923/2021
Also: AB 2466: https://openstates.org/ca/bills/20212022/AB2466/ |
| https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=latest_news&id=318471 |
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| GA: Lowndes Co. facing foster care crisis (Includes video) |
| WALB – August 28, 2022 |
| There are almost 12,000 children in foster care in the state of Georgia and not enough homes for all of them. WALB News 10 Investigates reported in July that many foster kids are staying temporarily in hotels. Now, the crisis is so bad in Lowndes County, that children in foster care there, may have to be moved to other regions. Currently there are 233 children in foster care and only 24 available homes for them. The ongoing shortage of foster homes could mean children in Lowndes County can be displaced. Camp Rock of Georgia Foster Agency and Perimeter Road Baptist Church are making a plea to the public so these children will not be ripped away from their community. |
| https://www.walb.com/2022/08/29/lowndes-co-facing-foster-care-crisis/ |
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| LA: Car seat initiative keeps children safe (Includes audio) |
| Observateur – August 26, 2022 |
| Car seat use reduces the risk of children being injured in a crash by an estimated 71% to 82% compared to seat belt use alone, according to the CDC. Yet, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission estimates that 96% of all child restraints are installed incorrectly, reducing effectiveness in the event of a collision. In St. John the Baptist Parish, Blessed to be a Blessing Founder Eliza Eugene has partnered with Louisiana State Police and LCMC to keep children safe on roadways. |
| https://www.lobservateur.com/2022/08/26/car-seat-initiative-keeps-children-safe/ |
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| MN: New Voices: Being LGBTQ in foster care is to encounter discrimination, ambiguity (Opinion) (Includes audio) |
| Star Tribune – August 26, 2022 |
| Being a queer foster is an isolating and challenging experience. While we have learned to celebrate our identities, it’s bittersweet to do so when we’ve experienced discrimination from the very system that is meant to protect us. We represent a group of LGBTQ and two-spirit fosters who worked with nonprofit organization Foster Advocates to explore issues that impact LGBTQ and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) foster youths and identify solutions to make our vision for systems change possible. Our group had fosters from all corners of Minnesota and across the range of LGBTQ2S+ identities. We’d like to elevate some key issues and opportunities we identified for you. |
| https://www.startribune.com/new-voices-being-lgbtq-in-foster-care-is-to-encounter-discrimination-ambiguity/600201539/ |
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| OH: Ohio Schools Seek to Adapt to Mental Health Crisis (Includes audio) |
| Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration – August 29, 2022 |
| Over the past few years, mental health issues among teens in the U.S. have skyrocketed. In addition to a rise in depression and anxiety, this also had an impact on students’ development. “A lot of the behaviors that are exhibited are exhibited because students are not in a good situation, either physical environment or mental health-wise,” said Debbi Bailey, a consultant for one of Ohio’s State Support Teams, which are groups of educators who help local school districts improve student experiences and outcomes. With fewer options to interact with others, many children and teens turned to social media for communication. However, some experts believe that this increase in social media use without a proper school environment had a negative effect on the children’s development. |
| https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2022-08-29/education/ohio-schools-seek-to-adapt-to-mental-health-crisis/a80406-1 |
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| OR: As Oregon government embraces remote work, extent of out-of-state employment is murky |
| Oregonian – August 26, 2022 |
| Oregon’s state government workforce is undergoing a major long-term shift toward remote work, as a result of changes wrought by the pandemic and the tight national labor market. Oregon Department of Human Services, which handles a wide variety of assistance programs along with child welfare and is the largest state agency, also has the largest number of employees approved to work remotely out-of-state: 157. Spokesperson Jake Sunderland did not address how any of the specific employees’ job duties can be completed remotely from other states and instead sent a general statement noting that not all jobs require employees to come to the office or visit clients. “Some (child welfare) positions require working in offices or in communities directly with clients and families,” Sunderland wrote. “Other positions are focused on program design, oversight, consultation, policy or training and do not require working directly with individuals and families in the community and can be done remotely.” |
| https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/08/as-oregon-government-embraces-remote-work-extent-of-out-of-state-employment-is-murky.html |
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| PA: Ex-CYF staffer: Agency in crisis (May require subscription) |
| Altoona Mirror – August 27, 2022 |
| A former supervisor for Blair County Children, Youth & Families said she sees no immediate relief coming for the office in crisis due to significant understaffing and lack of leadership. Deawna Wyandt, who worked 10 years for the county until her Aug. 17 firing, told the Mirror this week that she is doing OK, but remains worried about the people who still work for CYF. She called them dedicated employees who keep trying to do a good job despite poor working conditions, heavy caseloads and low salaries. Wyandt was dedicated too, her co-workers told the Mirror. “Deawna was the one who was running the office when there was no administrator, the one who could put out fires,” said one of her co-workers who asked not to be named for fear of job-related reprisals. “The people who work in my office are now worried because they’re thinking that if they get rid of Deawna, then who’s next?” Commissioners Bruce Erb, Laura Burke and Amy Webster, who approved Wyandt’s firing this week, regularly decline to discuss reasons for an employee’s termination. |
| https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2022/08/ex-cyf-staffer-agency-in-crisis/ |
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| TX: Connie Ricketts appointed to national leadership post |
| Daily News – August 26, 2022 |
| Connie Ricketts, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Galveston County, has been appointed to a two-year term on the Suburban Leadership Council of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association for Children, according to the local group. Ricketts, along with child welfare leaders from across the nation, will play a role in voicing the needs of 950 local programs that make up the special advocates and guardian ad litem network. In 2021, the network served more than 242,236 children who have experienced abuse and neglect, according to the announcement. |
| https://www.galvnews.com/news/free/article_58375c0a-17e9-58f8-bb7f-2e1ac0442e53.html |
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| VA: Latisha’s House in Williamsburg changes the lives of sex trafficking survivors (Includes audio) |
| Virginia Gazette – August 27, 2022 |
| In 2013, the Elizabeth Ameling and her husband, Jeff, founded the Latisha’s House Foundation, a long-term safe house program for adult female survivors of human trafficking. The nonprofit operates homes in Williamsburg, where the Amelings moved in 2012, and Orlando, Fla., both national hot spots for the crime. Over the past nine years, it has sheltered more than 155 women. The foundation also helps women pay for college and vocational programs, find housing and employment, and file to regain custody of children in foster care. |
| https://starexponent.com/news/state-and-regional/latishas-house-in-williamsburg-changes-the-lives-of-sex-trafficking-survivors/article_84b760e6-023b-55e4-bab9-b50867385346.html |
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| VT: Youth Services Expands Access |
| Eagle Times – August 27, 2022 |
| Friends for Change, an after-school program in Bellows Falls operated by Youth Services, expanded its summer camp piloted last year, engaging on average, 30 youth per week between the end of June and mid-August. It was seven weeks of play-based, restorative, trauma-informed, no-cost day camp for youth ages 11-20. Using Compass School campus as a base, the thirty young people were able to try new things ranging from kayaking to community reciprocity and restorative practices. |
| https://www.eagletimes.com/youth-services-expands-access/article_99e5ef2f-0d71-5188-9073-97d8d631e39f.html |
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| US: How Should Researchers Proceed if They Suspect Neglect or Abuse? (Commentary) |
| Medical Ethics Advisor – August 26, 2022 |
| When researchers interview a child during a minimal risk study at a school, what if they suspect the child is a victim of abuse or neglect? Investigators are ethically obligated to respond to this. “Researchers should have a plan in place for disclosure to the appropriate authorities, should it be necessary. That should be in the assent form as well as parental permission form, if the study uses them,” according to Ryan Spellecy, PhD, professor of bioethics, medical humanities, psychiatry, and behavioral health at Medical College of Wisconsin. |
| https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/how-should-researchers-proceed-if-they-suspect-neglect-or-abuse |
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| US: Trans Youths Need Data Sanctuary (Opinion) |
| Global Diaspora News – August 26, 2022 |
| A growing number of states have prohibited transgender youths from obtaining gender-affirming health care. So these youths and their families must travel out-of-state for necessary health care. The states they visit are health care sanctuaries. These states must also be data sanctuaries for transgender youths. Earlier this year, the governor of Texas ordered state child welfare officials to launch child abuse investigations against parents whose transgender children received gender-affirming health care. We can expect such state officials to investigate parents who travel with their children out-of-state to receive this care. Those officials will seek evidence from the places where the care occurred. To address this problem, California State Sen. Scott Wiener authored S.B. 107. EFF is proud to support this bill. In three ways, it would protect families coming to California for gender-affirming care for transgender youths, by limiting disclosure of their personal data to out-of-state entities seeking to punish this care. |
| https://www.globaldiasporanews.com/trans-youths-need-data-sanctuary/ |
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| International: UNICEF Warns: Drought Causes the Risk of Infant Mortality in Africa to Increase to “Devastating Amounts” |
| Lasexta – August 28, 2022 |
| The drought situation has aggravated and widespread in much of the world. However, it does not affect all places in the same way. A large number of families have chosen to move to other places to try to survive, having to give up what little they had and causing children to have their studies interrupted, thus increasing the risk of child labor and child marriage. |
| https://247newsagency.com/top-news/192200.html |
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