Minnesota’s new Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Abuse Prevention
Minnesota’s new Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Abuse Prevention
KARA – CASA Google Ad Grant Initiative ($120,000 annually)
KARA’s
Google Ad Grants
fully funded Initiative for
CASA’s & Service Providers
To At-Risk Children
KARA’s Invisible Children Traveling Community Conversations
This fall and winter, KARA is inviting universities, community centers, and businesses to engage our INVISIBLE CHILDREN COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
United Nations Youth Conference (2007 – what’s changed?)
Kids At Risk Action presented a workshop at the fourth annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations in New York
Who Will Speak For Abused & Neglected Children? video
Who Will Speak For The Children?
Child Protection work is hard. Community CASA volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocate) speak for abused and neglected children in County Child Protection.
Volunteer CASA Guardians ad Litem spend their days with abused and neglected children that have been raped, neglected, beaten, and tortured by other means.
KARA Presentation Janesville CASA (heart of the matter)
KARA Presentation Janesville CASA (heart of the matter)
Child Protection work is hard. Community CASA volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocate) speak for abused and neglected children in County Child Protection.
Volunteer CASA Guardians ad Litem spend their days with abused and neglected children that have been raped, neglected, beaten, and tortured by other means.
KARA – CASA Ad Grant Initiative ($120,000 annually)
KARA’s Google Ad Grant Initiative for CASA’s
The U.S. has 950 CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) organizations consisting of community volunteers trained as County Guardian ad Litems advocating for abused and neglected children in Court within Child Protection Services.
MN Child Abuse Reporting April 1 – May 9 2024
MN Child Abuse Reporting April 1 – May 9 2024 | INVISIBLE CHILDREN
CASA of Rock County’s Break The Cycle Luncheon
CASA of Rock County’s Break The Cycle Luncheon
Keep Minnesota children safe in Child Protection
Today’s Safe Passage for Children of MN’s action request to keep children safe in Child Protection: A small effort with big dividends. Share this with your State Representative (find them here). On Monday, a group of us gathered at the Capitol to meet with key legislators about Minnesota’s child protection system. We shared the stories…
KARA – CASA Ad Grant Initiative ($120,000 annually)
Google Fully Funded Initiative For
CASA’s & Service Providers
Thank you to the Edina Federated Women’s Club!
Mike Tikkanen (Executive Director) and Damon Kocina (Treasurer) smile for the camera as Kids At Risk Action receives the $38,884.00 grant from Edina Federated Women’s Club President Linda Larson on March 14th. We are so impressed with their club’s efforts and commitment to improving the community. For more information about this amazing group, please visit…
200 Child Abuse Calls Each Day (76,000 calls / year)
Currently, there is little information is available about an abused child’s safety when CPS makes the decision to investigate. “Family Assessment shouldn’t be the default. It should be the “alternative response” it was intended to be.
KARA Videos on Child Abuse
These short videos capture the realities of child abuse.
Share them widely and more of us will know how to do more for kids in painful places.
ACEs
New Linked In Group For Volunteer CASAs & All Guardian ad Litem (interactive)
KARA’s New Linked In Group Guardian ad Litems Exchanging Learning & Ideas is gathering and sharing information from the 950 CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates) in the U.S. and similar child advocacy models around the world. Please share this with your child advocacy friends wherever they may be: Search for: Guardian ad Litems sharing conditions,…
Professionalism In Child Protection
Professionalism In Child Protection “professionalize” the Guardian ad Litem role vs leveraging a both paid staff and trained volunteers
HUGE NEWS: Former Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz Appointed to MN Guardian ad Litem Board
After years of turmoil caused by GAL management’s efforts to end the Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer program, Minnesota’s former Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz has been appointed to the GAL board.
Chief Justice Blatz attended the recent GAL board meeting where the vote was being taken to end the CASA program. She made observations and asked questions that prompted enough board member no votes to stop the elimination process.
A Courageous Vote! Thank You Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Board For Saving CASA Volunteer Program
Thank you, Former MN Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz, for your comments and questions at this board meeting. Your words enlightened board members of the need for an open and objective investigation into the CASA volunteer program in the effort to provide safety and stability to Minnesota’s abused and neglected children.
Were Governor Walz State Board Members Misled About Volunteers (and what it could mean)?
There is a political battle being waged over the elimination of qualified community volunteers in Child Protective Services. There are too many pieces of this puzzle to include in this article, but one piece must be addressed to determine if wrongdoing has happened in the drive to eliminate the Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers. KARA has sent two requests to Governor Walz Guardian ad Litem State Board members over the past few months requesting a conversation about their role in making this critical decision.
Parental Drug Use Killing Children in Pennsylvania at High Rates (investigative report)
KARA follows investigative reporting on child death and near death by caregivers while the children are known to CPS (Child Protective Services). Please send us links to the reports in your state and we will make them available to a larger audience.Parental Drug Use Killing Children in Pennsylvania at High Rates (investigative report)
Have Governor Walz State Board members been mislead?
Dear Reader,Allowing the State board to eliminate 10,000 future volunteers (over the next 40 years) at a time when we are reporting on children murdered by their parents may be an unfixable mistake costing even more children their lives.
Rebuttals to the State MAD report from several top child advocates here;
Saving the MN CASA Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program (1 easy important thing)
To save the CASA volunteer program in MN your comments need to be heard by program management. Please review the report and the rebuttal and share your views in the link above. CASAMINNESOTA’s rebuttal to the MMB report appears below.
Saying Goodbye to the CASA Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Program
SAYING GOODBYE TO 1000’S OF VOLUNTEER CHILD ADVOCATES & Community Involvement & Trust In One More Community Institution. Since 1981, thousands of community volunteers have spent thousands of hours working to better the lives of Minnesota’s at-risk children. End this program, they will disappear and no more will follow.
This will result in weakened community awareness, less community involvement and an incalculable loss of…
Saying Goodbye to the CASA Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Program
SAYING GOODBYE TO 1000’S OF VOLUNTEER CHILD ADVOCATES & Community Involvement & Trust In One More Community Institution. Since 1981, thousands of community volunteers have spent thousands of hours working to better the lives of Minnesota’s at-risk children. End this program, they will disappear and no more will follow.
This will result in weakened community awareness, less community involvement and an incalculable loss of…
AMERICA’S CHILDREN IN 100 CHARTS (read book draft)
This is a book about childhood trauma, its impact on children and the impact traumatized youth are having on our communities and society. It is a guide to seeing and dealing with the most critical issues and causes of abuse, and solutions.
Visit KARA’s INVISIBLE CHILDREN Conversation in St. Paul Next Week
Neighborhood House in St Paul is hosting
KARA’s INVISIBLE CHILDREN Necessary Conversations Exhibit
April 24-28 for April – Prevent Child Abuse Month.
Stop by the Wellstone Center Atrium and Check us out
If You Live In MN You Should Do This
The Safe Passage Report on Child Maltreatment Deaths is a remarkable report – not in a good way. It demonstrates how common it is for Minnesota children to die from abuse in the home even after they have become known to CPS. This report is still only the the tip of the horrors facing abused children as;
DHS did not cooperate with the investigator,
Four counties did not respond,
Child deaths reported were only those that had court filings or had been reported in the media
If You Live In MN This Simple Act Can Help At Risk Children
If you read this blog, you know how hard it is for Minnesota’s abused and neglected children to find the help they need to thrive. If you have not read the investigative report of child fatalities known to CPS by Safe Passages for Children of MN, please read it here. Pages 22+ tells the sad…
Al McFarlane Conversation With Mike Tikkanen and Oliver Williams
The Conversation, with Al McFarlane, DR Oliver Williams and Mike Tikkanen exploring issues facing at risk youth in our community today (1 hour with video).
Short Powerful Videos on Child Abuse Issues (20-30 seconds)
These short videos capture the realities of child abuse.
Share them widely and more of us will know how to do more for kids in painful places.
ACEs
Give To the Max Day for KARA
Give To The Max Day Helps KARA Build our Financial Literacy Program!
KARA Current Initiatives
KARA Current Initiatives
Child Protection, Crime & Preteen Moms
Star Tribune Nowhere To Go For Most Troubled Youth, crime, preteen moms and juvenile injustice
Self-Destructive Habits & Institutions (Professionalism – Part 5)
Self-Destructive Habits & Institutions (Professionalism – Part 5)
Volunteers lack “professionalism” is a primary argument management is using to eliminate the community CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer guardian ad Litem program in Minnesota.
Self-Destructive Habits & Institutions (Guardian ad litem program in MN Today – PART 4)
MN Senior Judge Lyonel Norris has stated that, “…an all employee model can create an institutionalizing effect upon a child”. I would add “an even greater” institutionalizing effect upon a child”.
Self-Destructive Habits & Institutions (Predicting the future – Part 3)
Eliminating the Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) will hurt children, institutions, and our quality of life for years to come. Minnesota youth and young families are struggling. They need more, not less help.
Financial Literacy GRANT & Training for Foster Youth (free)
The KARA financial GRANT & literacy program is a place to learn, discuss and ask questions, skill building and meaningful guidance to help teenagers and young adults start their financial journey off on the right path.
Removing 100’s of Community Volunteers from Child Protection (why?)
Removing 100’s of Community Volunteers from Child Protection (why?) an accurate and troublesome picture of the conditions facing Minnesota’s at risk children today.
COVID-19 Impact on Child Welfare in Colorado
Calls to Colorado’s child abuse hotline fell during coronavirus, but harm to kids likely didn’t – COVID-19 is Stressing Colorado’s Child Welfare System -A growing number of Colorado children have lost a caregiver due to COVID
April is Financial Literacy Month (Fostered/Adopted Youth Invited)
Financial Literacy and Grant Program: The KARA financial literacy program is a place to learn, discuss and ask questions, find meaningful guidance and help teenagers and young adults start their financial journey off on the right path. Join our monthly peer group discussions about personal financial issues and real-world financial tools, seed funding, and problem-solving for each participant.
Virtual Child Advocacy Week in MN (Making a difference quickly & effectively)
Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota wants you to join them in making laws that keep at risk youth safe. Their approach is a quick call to your State Legislator. Helpers from Safe Passage make this easy for those who have not done it before. I really does make a difference. Click Here to learn how to help!
Free Financial Literacy Program for MN’s Fostered & Adopted Youth
Too Many Youth aging out of foster care don’t have the skills to make it in our community. 80% of them go onto lead dysfunctional lives.
To fix this, KARA is launching a FINANCIAL LITERACY PEER GROUP program that will give at risk youth the tools, training, and opportunities they need to succeed.
Financial Literacy – The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Discover KARA’s FREE Financial Literacy Program Here
KARA Is Unable to Respond To Requests For Child Protection Issues
Friends of KARA,
PLEASE
Use the Kids At Risk Action
resource library
to find help for child protection and wellbeing issues.
KARA Financial Literacy Program
Kids At Risk Action is excited to launch our financial literacy groups and grant program in Minnesota! The financial literacy peer group program is a resource to learn, discuss, get help and answers to personal questions. It’s a resource for better answers and personal tools for avoiding money mistakes and growing financial wellbeing. KARA’s facilitated…
Free Bikes For Kids Needs Help (to give away bikes)
KARA advocates for the people, policies and programs that improve the lives of abused and neglected children. KARA Signature Video (4 minute) For years FREE BIKES FOR KIDS MN has given away tons of bikes each summer. This year they have put out a call for volunteers to help them make it happen. CLICK here…
Draft KARA Book Chapter 1
KARA’s team is collecting information from teachers, law enforcement, social workers, foster / adoptive parents, university students, adult survivors and traumatized youth to identify and address the causes of child abuse
Holiday Best Wishes To Everyone & the Best Foster Child Blogs
Be very careful what you believe to be true. There are many good people, the challenge is to find them.
Thank You & Happy Holidays
For the New Year, KARA is asking everyone to support the people, policies and programs that make life better for struggling families and children.
Call and write policy makers where you live and let them know about conditions for and needs of at risk children where you live.
Let’s all strive to make this a better, safer year for at risk children everywhere.
Stay on top of the issues by signing up and sharing KARA’s Free weekly email updates with people that can make a difference for the children that need it the most.
Christmas for Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA radio talk show)
During the virus scare .. let’s each of us re-double our effort online and via the phone to inform
those around us of the devastating consequence of suffering childhood sexual abuse (CSA),
violent or physical abuse, emotional and mental trauma and neglect.