KARA’s Founding Board member and best friend David Strand has passed away after a long illness.
He brought a wealth of experience, passion and commitment to the cause of America’s abused and neglected children.
David came to know a great deal about how children are treated in other advanced nations because he helped to craft public policies on children’s issues while living and working in Northern Europe.
Yesterday, KARA’s best friend and founding board member Joe McCarthy passed away after a long illness.
We will miss him terribly. Joe had a big heart and remarkable mind. He was sharp as a tack with an interest in everything and a stunning memory.
20+ years ago, Joe encouraged and then guided me through the writing of the INVISIBLE CHILDREN book and founding of our nonprofit Kids At Risk Action.
Our small board spent many hours sorting through issues and ideas for making life better for abused and neglected children. We worked together to create our first board meetings and involve more people in the endeavor we are so passionately engaged in today.
Americans have always talked big about supporting equality, keeping children safe, supporting schools & better conditions for young families.
Today, our pro-child, pro-family discourse has become so vicious that many Americans rationalize our government taking immigrant babies and children from their mothers and then losing them so that these mothers may never see their children again. Children have become political footballs in immigration, education, health care and law enforcement and this should disturb us.
A great deal of money and political will has gone into denigrating immigrants, public schools, teachers and the front-line workers trying to keep children healthy and safe.
Tuesday’s election is about this.
Which candidates support more access and more resources for education, health and mental health and an end to racial injustice?
“What we do to our children, they will do to society” (Greek philosopher Pliny the Elder 79 AD)
Please vote – the next generation needs you to speak for them.
Friends of KARA, This Saturday at 2pm Central Time, KARA presenting at the TWIN CITIES NON VIOLENT event.
Link to participate (free)
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdOitpjIoE91gdtyUTY82STHThprRe7xc
Link to Mike and Damon’s time and presentation
https://twincitiesnonviolent.org/virtual-10-days-free-from-violence/virtual-10-days-detailed-schedule/
It’s been a busy summer for Kids At Risk Action. A Good morning shout-out and Thank You to KARA’S 30 new volunteers plus 2 new university engagements (thank you Sarah and Alyssa).
We are working with over 40 student interns (Melbourne Australia welcome Trevor, Anh Pham & all), MN, and 180 degrees – Canada welcome Vivian) and KARA’s new full-time administrator (welcome Darcy).
Most college students are engaged in the research and…
Dear Readers,
KARA regularly receives requests for help from families and children about child abuse issues.
We do not have staff and ask you to use our Links Button to find the services you need.
Contact your State Representatives and let them know your story and engage them in this conversation. Give them ideas for what needs to change.
Use articles from KARA to educate them and support your argument – you will find over 1200 articles at this site (they are searchable by category)
Join KARA at Tuesday’s Think Again & Brooklyn Park Human Rights Forum (January 21, 6pm)
Get the crash course on child abuse in America
& Advocate for At Risk Children
Until January 15th,
KARA is offering;
The INVISIBLE CHILDREN book
(hardcover, pdf, CD, online or e-book)
plus either the Give Kids A Voice
Ladies Tee Shirt, or Boy/Mens T shirt
or the
3 Ply Mask, or an Activity Mask,
For a $10/month online donation to support KARA’s mental health initiative for youth.
Addressing Generational Child Abuse As A Public Health Issue (14 minute video) & how to heal damaged children to make our communities happy and safe again
Take a moment and share your response to KARA’s short video overview of child abuse & child protection in America as an online comment to this post or by email; info@invisiblechildren.org.
Significant institutional change happens when those of us that know the critical issues and have seen better answers start to talk about those problems and solutions loudly and often.
By speaking out, more of our friends and neighbors will know that the punishment model is worsening the public health problem of generational child abuse/trauma is causing all our public institutions.
By speaking out, more people will come to understand that the ACEs model is critical for better results in schools, public health, public safety and happier, more livable communities.
As more of us speak out and advocate for these kids (37% of American children are reported to Child Protection by their 18th birthday) our friends and neighbors will understand the ground truth about why these children don’t do well in school and have so much trouble leading productive lives and spend so much time in the courts and jails.
4th Annual Law Enforcement and
Social Services Conference
October 17, 2019
Best Western Plus Kelly Inn 100 4th Avenue South St. Cloud MN, 56301
Sponsorships & Exhibitions • Panels & Discussion
Presentations & Workshops • Networking & Partnership Building
Greetings Law Enforcement, Social Services Professionals, and Honored Guests!
CASA MN supports the guardian ad litem child advocacy program gives grants to children in foster care through CASA Cares. This is our annual fundraiser and it’s great fun and a great cause.
Gather a group of friends or co-workers for a team or come and join a team to compete in a fun night of trivia.
Last night’s KARA party and fundraiser was great fun and a super success. The food was remarkable and between the banana ice cream cinnamon wonder and the multiple courses of beefy and veggie creations, I was hard pressed to not have two of many things.
We met new volunteers and supporters and raised significant money for KARA’s INVISIBLE CHILDREN Campus program
Damon & I had the pleasure of engaging many of you in KARA’s mission and strategy. We have high hopes of keeping your interest in our efforts in the years to come as we build an army of people that want to improve the lives of at risk children.
We are all in this together.
Pliny the Elder stated 2000 years ago, “what we do to our children they will do to society”.
Let’s do better.
The Heart of the Matter Chapter One
What You Don’t See;
If it’s not seen, it’s not spoken of.
If it’s not spoken of it’s not an issue.
If it’s not an issue there’s not a problem.
If it’s not a problem it needs no solution.
Generational child abuse is a problem festering in America for decades. It is having a profound impact on taxes, public schools, public health and public safety.
Children don’t have a voice in the homes they live in, the media, or in the courts. Speak for an abused child in court and give that child a chance to be heard as a CASA guardian ad litem volunteer. Come learn about what it takes and how it works to stand up for a frightened abused child in the court system.
KARA needs children’s issue videos for our traveling INVISIBLE CHILDREN Campus Program
Do you know someone with a compelling video story about child abuse, foster care, child protection or other at risk children’s issues?
Forward this to them and help Kids At Risk Action as we build awareness and support for the people, policies and programs that improve the lives of abused and neglected children.
Contact info@invisiblechildren.org with video project in the subject line
This is a great organization – they give FREE bikes to kids. They need volunteers this Saturday for the MN Ironman Bike ride.
Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) – 2155 — Special guest Mike Tikkanen — Friday, 06/07/2019
Direct URL:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/naasca/2019/06/08/stop-child-abuse-now-scan–2155
Tonight’s special guest is Mike Tikkanen from Hopkins, Minnesota, a returning NAASCA family member, founder and President of KARA (Kids at Risk Action), a non-profit action tank supporting people, policies, and programs that improve the lives of at-risk
ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS, EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO STAND UP AND RAISE THEIR VOICE FOR CHILDREN.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 8:30am – 4:30pm
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, 2300 S 15th Ave, Minneapolis
Pay what you can.
STAR-Lite is a single-day, evidence-based training integrating neuropsychology, trauma healing and resilience, restorative justice, nonviolent conflict transformation, and …
Last year, 33 states held children and juveniles with mental illness in detention centers without any charges.
In 2001, nearly 2/3 of California local law enforcement departments did not have written guidelines governing the care of children whose sole caretaker had been arrested (Marilyn Moses, article in Police Chief, Sept 2005
This is unlike any other volunteer experience. The impact you can have on a child’s life is tremendous. Currently, there are hundreds of children in Hennepin County alone, waiting for a GAL, their spokesperson, their advocate.
Thank you for your interest in — and for considering advocating for — the abused and neglected children in our community! We look forward to seeing you and please feel free to invite others!
TAt a Governor’s Task Force Oversight Meeting (on Child Protection in MN in 2014) the head of Hennepin County Commissioners Jan Callison showed genuine anger and concern when she found out* that Social workers weren’t available on weekends or evenings for abused and neglected children and that she directed the department to “fix it”.
Project need – Volunteer Coordinator (please share this)
Estimated 2-3 hours each week working with our executive director to find and manage volunteers for Kids At Risk Action projects.
September 25th 4 to 5pm – Chapel
Dayton Av Presbyterian Church
217 Mackubin Street Saint Paul, MN 55102
How childhood trauma evolves into chronic illness, dangerous lifestyle & early death and shadows children into adulthood impacting schools, public safety, public health and quality of life in the community.
What we need to know & need to do to interrupt abuse, heal children and fix our community
Part 1: Child Trauma – What We All Need to Know. Mike Tikkanen rejoins the program to share his decades of experience with the child welfare system. While there are many great people working within the system, it is broken
Long time CASA volunteer guardian ad Litem, Fonder of Kids at Risk Action (KARA)Founding board member of CASA MN & Friends of Children (now CASA Cares), author (1000 articles Star Tribune & the book INVISIBLE CHILDREN, national speaker (including United Nations & Women Prison Warden’s conference), CASA volunteer Hennepin County guardian ad-Litem, founding board member of CASAMN, CASA CARES), and Kids At Risk Action.
Mike advocates for abused and neglected children making the rest of us see the profound impact the crisis of childhood trauma is having on our schools, public health, public safety and neighborhoods.
Poor public perception & misguided policies, lack of institutional transparency, awareness and accountability are compounding serious failures in our child protection systems that directly impact each and every one of us in many ways.
By generating conversation around the issue and exposing facts that have for too long been left unspoken, Tikkanen brings attention to ACES, (adverse childhood experiences) and solutions that reverse trends of generational child abuse to make our communities safer and happier places.
Ignite a Nation’s Rabbi Eric Walker and KARA’s Mike Tikkanen have a wide ranging In depth television interview about child trauma, child abuse and child protection and what we can do to heal and save at risk children
Please join me, as I talk about my book Invisible Children on Igniting a Nation, Inc. LIVE June 12 at 12 PM CT/1 PM ET. You can join the conversation and watch my interview LIVE. Join us here: https://ianbn.com/watch-live-now/ #InvisibleChildren #KidsAtRiskAction #FBLive #RevealingtheTruth IANBN.COM
Mike Tikkanen’s interview with Ben Ball at North Carolina’s Coastal Daybreak WTKF radio – a powerful discussion of child abuse, trauma and child protection in our nation today;
CASA Minnesota is hosting a Trivia Night and Silent Auction on Thursday May 31, 2018 at Lake Calhoun Event Center. Gather a group of friends or co-workers for a team or come and join a team to compete in a fun night of trivia.
Doors open at 5:30PM and trivia will start at 6:30PM. Come early to network and bid on some great silent auction items!
A table of up to eight people is $250 and individual tickets are $35 if purchased in advance and $40 if purchased at the door. Note: There is an additional Eventbrite fee for ticket purchases.
Included in the ticket price is a taco bar and a drink ticket. All proceeds will go to support CASA Minnesota and CASA Cares.
CASA Minnesota hopes to see you there!
CASA guardian ad litem: Please join us as we come together as a community in the name of abused and neglected children!
When: Thursday, February 8, 2018 @ 6:30pm Where: SeilerSchindel, PLLC
5901 Cedar Lake Road Minneapolis, MN 55416
Food & drink provided!
Discussion Topics:*What is a volunteer Guardian ad Litem/Court Appointed Special Advocate?
*What are the requirements & training aspects to serve as a volunteer? All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children (share this)
guardian ad-Litem, founding board member of CASAMN, Founding member of the Friends of Children Foundation (now CASA CARES), and founder of the 501c3 nonprofit KARA, Kids At Risk Action. Mike has a mission to speak for abused and neglected children about what impacts their lives and their profound impact on our communities and institutions.
How does generational child abuse impact schools, teachers, public health and public safety?
Could a few policy changes in your community improve graduation rates, reduce crime and make neighborhoods safer?
A clear view of the economic impact of child abuse will change many minds.
By generating conversation around the issue and exposing facts that have for too long been left unspoken, Mike brings attention to solutions that will reverse the direction of current problematic trends that are overwhelming our communities and institutions today.
Breaking this cycle of child abuse and the resulting quality of life issues permeating our neighborhoods and institutions is Mike Tikkanen’s mission.
Presentations are designed to address issues specific to your community & provide insights and answers for improved outcomes for children and families where you live.
Join us for discussions on the future of early childhood with Minnesota’s next governor!
Hosted at People Serving People – Center of Excellence
2400 Park Ave. South, Minneapolis 55404
Minnesota has made significant progress in investing in our state’s earliest learners, but much work remains. Looking ahead, a new Governor in 2018 will play a pivotal role in deciding the direction and importance of early childhood care and education in Minnesota.
MinneMinds is excited to announce the GOP candidates for governor, to discuss their plans for addressing early childhood issues in our state. These conversations are a great way for advocates, parents, providers, and any Minnesotan interested in the future of early childhood to hear about the priorities of leading candidates for governor.
Make your college a catalyst for involving the community in ending child abuse and healing the traumas of abuse where you live.
Changing the way America treats at risk children
Preferred child protection practices currently allow alleged abusers opportunities to coach and intimidate children before workers can interview them individually. These include giving advance notice of the worker’s visit, and interviewing children in front of their parents as the first step in the process. Safe Passage is weighing state legislation to end these practices
We understand our proposal raises concerns about parental rights.
But consider this: there are no similar situations – such as domestic violence or sexual harassment – where alleged perpetrators are provided access to their purported victims before fact-finding is completed.
We believe keeping children safe takes priority, and that shielding children from potential intimidation gives workers the best chance to get the information needed to protect them.
We welcome your views on this issue. Please share them here.
This compelling interview covers the landscape of how abuse and trauma impact children and communities throughout America and shines a spotlight on what has to change to save children and build healthy communities. Bill Murray conducts a powerful in depth review of child protection, Prozac and very young children, foster homes and much more. Click below for the whole show;
Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) – 1678
Tonight’s special guest is Mike Tikkanen from Minnesota, a returning NAASCA family member who founded KARA (“Kids at Risk Action”). He’s also the author of the free book “Invisible Children; the American cycle of abuse and its… more
Have you thought, “people need to see or hear this” when experiencing a powerful video or radio interview or story about how children are treated in America? KARA wants to include those links in a child abuse / child protection exhibit we are sending for free to colleges around the nation. Take a minute to…
When the court is making decisions that will affect a child’s future, the child needs and deserves a spokesperson — an objective adult to provide independent information about the best interests of the child. While other parties in the case are concerned about the child, the Guardian ad Litem is the only person in the case whose sole concern is the best interests of the child and he or she is assigned as an advocate for the child for the duration of the court process.
This is unlike any other volunteer experience. The impact you can have on a child’s life is tremendous. Currently, there are approximately 375 children in Hennepin County, alone, waiting for a GAL, waiting for their spokesperson, their advocate. Thank you for thinking of the abused and neglected children in our community!
We look forward to seeing you and please feel free to invite others!
RSVP, yes’s only please, before July 28th to Monica Bordonaro: mjbordonaro@gmail.com
CASAMN’s keynote speaker and honored guest Star Tribune investigative journalist Brandon Stahl, was surprised to come face to face with his biggest fan club.
Brandon has been so busy investigating and reporting on Minnesota’s child abuse, child death and child protection news that he was caught off guard by a room full of people
Mari Frankel’s video documentary “Foster” below is stunning. Although it is about Florida’s foster system (by a CASA GAL just like me) it demonstrates the problems within the child protection system and the traumas & medications foster children live.with.
Mari Frankel’s video is aligned with KARA’s book and documentary projects that address child protection stories that are happening in MN.
Share this with people you know and/or,
Contact me to talk about ideas for making this video in MN (we have begun the process and have been partnered with TPT) but need help to complete the project.
Let’s be a voice for children
All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children
https://vimeo.com/139417634
The password is foster
Part 1 of a 3 part series looking into Child Abuse and the Child Welfare System. This episode we are joined by Mike Tikkanen, world leader in advocacy for abused children. He explains the state of the system, the secrecy and lack of transparency inherent in the system and why it is a widespread phenomena.
Hear Episode and Read Article
Part 1 of a two part series looking into Child Abuse and the Child Welfare System. This episode we are joined by Mike Tikkanen, world leader in advocacy for abused children. He explains the state of the system, the secrecy and lack of transparency inherent in the system and why it is a widespread phenomena.
All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children Please donate now and support these pages & 1) Our documentary on the needs of at-risk children and breaking the cycle of abuse 2) Our second book, a collection of micro-bios following at-risk children through their journey Accepting all donations, small and large. Their lives will not…
The perfect way to part with treasures that can keep on giving (and to children). St Paul and Georgia locations provided below & please read the book donation rules.
KARA supports this effort and asks you to share this link on Facebook and other social media.
All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children
Donate Books
Books For Africa appreciates all book donations. It costs 50 cents to ship each book to Africa. Consider making a financial donation to cover the costs of shipping the books you donate. Please send financial donations separately in an envelope to the BFA office: Books For Africa, 26 East Exchange Street, Suite 411, St. Paul, MN 55101, USA. Or make a donation online.
KARA advocates for better understanding of child abuse policies and programs and supports eople making a difference for abused and neglected children. Share these short videos with your networks.
Help KARA make our next book and first documentary happen.
Kids At Risk Action is pleased to report over 185,665 reader minutes spent learning about child protection issues on KARA’s website this past year. This represents 50,907 of you (way more than last year).
Many thousands of you are also sharing KARA information on Twitter, Facebook and other social media. Our goal for next year is to double these numbers and turn learning into action.
For the New Year KARA is requesting your participation in creating a positive vision & plan for system reform that is effective and easy to begin using in your community.
The latest draft will always be here (share your ideas as comments on this page).
Dear Readers,
Every so often we receive requests for hands on help and it it is necessary to remind you that KARA is a small group of people working to improve our child child well-being and child protection by raising awareness and promoting better programs, people, and policies that make life better for abused and neglected children.
We are unable to provide direct help except for on the Links page (button at the top of the home page) where we list the Child Advocacy and Resource organizations we know of. Most national organizations will have a chapter in your state. Always ask if they know of other service providers that might be of assistance in your circumstances. Every state has its own array of nonprofits and service providers. The trick is to ask the right questions of the people you connect with to find them.
Please share with KARA those service providers that you find that are helpful (info@invisiblechildren.org)
