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Apr92023

Child Suicides, Self Harm & Statistics

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Mental Health + Over Medication

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association have joined forces to declare a national emergency in children’s mental health, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Today’s declaration is an urgent call to policymakers at all levels of government — we must treat this mental health crisis like the emergency it is,” said AAP President Lee Savio Beers, MD, in a statement.

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Apr72023

Expecting Different Results From Prison for Kids

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Gun Violence and Control, Juvenile + Criminal Justice, Mental Health + Over Medication, Reporting and News - MN Specific

MN A.G. Keith Ellison’s response to the public outcry for punishment is normal (And that’s a shame).  Our need for punishment over restorative justice is the American way. We don’t care if charging children and youth as adults brings more crime and recidivism.

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Mar312023

Suicidal Children & Hospital Beds

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child self harm and suicide, Mental Health + Over Medication

For every six-year old foster child’s successful suicide (Kendrea Johnson), there are hundreds of attempts and many hundreds of self-harming incidents in hospitals and Child Protective Services (CPS) – many if not most of these incidents are never reported.

For every child killed while in child protection (recent Safe Passage investigative study of child maltreatment deaths) there are hundreds of children starved, beaten, raped and otherwise abused that  are never known outside the home

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Feb272023

Police vs Social Worker (when the wrong one shows up)

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Juvenile + Criminal Justice, Mental Health + Over Medication, Reporting and News - MN Specific

People suffering from untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed in interactions with law enforcement. Recently in Utah, a 13-year-old boy with autism was shot several times by police after his mother dialed 911 to request help as her son was experiencing a mental breakdown.

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Dec92022

Florida’s Child Protection System Today (it can’t happen here?)

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, Juvenile + Criminal Justice, Mental Health + Over Medication, Reporting and News - US Based

“I’m not for killing kids and stuff” (officer Omar Bellow). For eight seconds officers fired 66 rounds from Glock service weapons towards the children. You can read the NY Times article details here. There is nothing easy about being in law enforcement in America today (or teaching, or social work, health services or child care). The numbers of seriously troubled youth are off the charts and so many children have serious often violent behavior problems. 

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Nov232022

Childhood Trauma + Historical Trauma = Generational Trauma

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Mental Health + Over Medication

Terrible trauma (like generations of slavery) and the behaviors and conflicts it creates need to be identified and discussed if they are to be fixed. Do we want higher graduation rates and lower crime and recidivism rates for our at risk youth and families? 

Charlamagne Tha God has Launched a Mental Wealth Alliance Foundation to establish fundamental and far-reaching generational support for Black Mental Health. 

Share this widely.

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Nov142022

Trauma, Children & Overwhelmed ER’s in Minneapolis

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Mental Health + Over Medication, Reporting and News - MN Specific

Fairview Masonic Children’s hospital has been overwhelmed with 145 emergency pediatric psych cases since September. A makeshift shelter in an ambulance garage is all that’s available at Fairview Masonic to protect children suffering from the traumas of child abuse and homelessness.

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Sep162022

Kendrea Johnson, Gabriel Fernandez & Child Suicide

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Protection, Mental Health + Over Medication, Their stories

Not far from my home, six year old Kendrea Johnson suicided by hanging while in foster care.   Gabriel Fernandez & Seven year old Gabriel Myer suicides drew national media attention about the same time.

My first visit to a four year old State Ward as a CASA volunteer guardian ad Litem was at the suicide ward of a local Hospital.  That visit to a tiny little girl who failed to kill herself has caused me to rethink child protection.

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