Current Kids At Risk News | INVISIBLE CHILDREN

Apr22006

The Longest Day

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child ProtectionBy Mike Tikkanen April 2, 2006

From a legal perspective the most under-protected persons in America are sexually abused children.

One study indicated that 11% of judges and 51% of prosecuting attorneys admitted that they had deliberately confused the child (witness) during the proceedings.

What this means in practice, is that the nine-year old girl sitting on the stand in the courtroom is being bullied by intense and deliberately confusing cross-examination about her abuse.

Everyone at the sysmposium agreed that children are not mentally capable of undergoing adult type cross examination, but it is clear that this still happens in many cases.

Details

Mar112006

The Christian Spirit

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Religion, Politics + the LawBy Mike Tikkanen March 11, 2006

Boston’s Catholic Charities to halt adoptions (Star Tribune 3.11.2006) because of the churches concern with sexuality issues. There are not nearly enough loving adoptive homes for the multitude of waiting children. Because of budget cuts, war, and some would argue, misplaced priorities, state and federal programs to help at risk children are in jeopardy all…

Details

Mar52006

Talking About It

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and DeathsBy Mike Tikkanen March 5, 2006

My family has a one-hundred year history of chronic alcoholism and some drug abuse. I have had friends and family with schizophrenia, and relatives with other serious mental health issues. Many of my friends have suffered from depression. I have attended multiple funerals for suicides that were my workmates and friends. Does it help anyone…

Details

Feb192006

Another Day in Family Court

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child ProtectionBy Mike Tikkanen February 19, 2006

Mom (Carol) was in court today with her daughter (Ann) even though mom’s parental rights were terminated seven years ago. The social workers and I thought that there might be a mutual benefit for mother and daughter to reattach (supervised visits with a therapist) after all these years because Ann was such a mess and…

Details

Feb32006

Worth Reprinting

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Day Care and EducationBy Mike Tikkanen February 3, 2006

State must make early childhood investments a priority KELLY DORAN During a speech in Hong Kong near the end of his China trade mission late last year, Gov. Tim Pawlenty expressed his amazement at the “scope” of China’s rise to economic superpower status. Then, in an apparent moment of sober revelation, Pawlenty reportedly proclaimed that…

Details

Jan192006

Rebuilding Our Schools

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Day Care and EducationBy Mike Tikkanen January 19, 2006

Retired teacher Carolyn Light Bell’s Star Tribune article today has brought me to reflect on the rich Minneapolis Public School education I received and how it helped me to build a terrific life. Without my public school education, I would have been one more low-skilled worker in a nation with a $6/hour minimum wage and…

Details

Jan12006

Policy Making

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Religion, Politics + the LawBy Mike Tikkanen January 1, 2006

The following is one of my best of all times policy making efforts I have ever encountered. It was a note from MaryJane Westra from Fergus Falls MN; Greetings, Mike and Happy New Year! The hour really flew by (our radio interview with Ember Reichgott Jung). I wanted to tell you about what we did…

Details

Dec302005

Ember Reichgott Jung’s Radio Show

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, KARA News and EventsBy Mike Tikkanen December 30, 2005

Yesterday, (December 29th,2005) I had the opportunity to speak on Ember Reichgott Jung’s radio show* on the topic of Invisible Children. It was a terrific conversation that has further convinced me that there exists a core issue that must be addressed before meaningful change can take place. It is that people in positions of power…

Details

Dec172005

Missouri Model

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Reporting and News - US BasedBy Mike Tikkanen December 17, 2005

We know what works to keep our children safe and out of trouble. The question is will we actually provide the support for all at-risk children? Our children deserve the chance to survive and thrive and to be protected from the cradle to prison pipeline that steals too many young dreams and futures.

Details

Dec42005

Is Undertreatment of Mental Health Counter-Productive?

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Mental Health + Over MedicationBy Mike Tikkanen December 4, 2005

Children suffer more abandonment & more trauma when their therapist prematurely leaves (quits the patient) than they would have experienced without treatment. I have yet to witness my county provide timely or adequate mental health therapies to any of the truly damaged children I have come to know through the Court System. Most of them take multiple prescriptions of psychotropic medications with very limited access to mental health professionals. The children’s behaviors and development are living proof of ongoing mental trauma.

Details