KARA Public Service Announcement (30 seconds)
KARA Signature Video (4 minute)
Children traumatized severely enough to be removed from their homes have mental health and behavior problems.
It’s the rule, not the exception.
For most of us in Child Protective Services, KARE 11 / Lauren Leamanczyk’s investigative reporting on the absence of facilities for troubled foster and adopted State Ward children is a recurring nightmare. Adoptive & foster families, and the children that need help, count on the community to provide the resources at-risk youth need. When we ignore them, we all suffer the problems of abandoned children with untreated mental health issues.
Caring foster and adoptive families bring State Ward children in need of love and help into their home. They work with them to build skills and to control their (often violent) behaviors.
KARE 11’s short video powerfully demonstrates Minnesota’s failure to support at-risk children in the most critical area of child development. Statistics around crime, courts, jails and justice are abysmal. Our media is filled with carjacking, shootings and other violent behaviors visited upon our neighborhoods by broken youth.
From this CASA volunteer Guardian ad Litem’s experience, there is no upside in understaffing mental health services for these kids. They let us know every day that the costs become exponentially greater by ignoring them.
What’s it like to be foster/adoptive (any) parent and not get help for a really trouble child?
There is great courage in a family that fosters/adopts.
The least we can do is support them as a community
as they undertake this very important and often difficult endeavor.
Lauren Leamanczyk’s reporting should bring us to tears and to action.
Contact your State Rep and share this piece with them.
#juvenileinjustice
#justice
#kare11
#Lauren Leamansyck
#kidsatrisk
#kara