Kids at Risk Action, the hosts address the growing mental health crisis in child welfare, particularly in emergency rooms and foster care systems. They reveal alarming statistics, such as the significant rise in ER visits for children’s mental health crises and the systemic failures that leave many without proper care.
KARA’s Critical Conversations bring attention to child abuse and protection issues that are rarely seen or spoken. Join us as we explore how the landscape of how Child Protection Services impacts the lives of abused and neglected children and the communities they live in. KARA podcasts give a passionate voice to the millions of voiceless children living among us—invisible children whose stories are never heard.
Check in every Saturday for our next conversation. Together, we can make a difference. Share KARA podcasts with your social media and most importantly, with your State Representative (they make the rules these children live by) Find Your Representative Here
FOSTER CARE SERIES (1-6)
Episode #1: Kids at Risk Action: In Custody, In Crisis
Audio: Kids at Risk Action: In Custody, In Crisis
Summary:
In this powerful episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike Tikkanen, Emma, and Michael dive into the “ground truth” of the foster care system — exposing the often unseen hardships children face even after being placed in protective care. Through heartbreaking stories like Alex’s and alarming statistics on abuse and neglect within the system, they reveal how systemic failures, placement shortages, outdated policies, and societal biases continue to harm vulnerable youth. They highlight the urgent need for trauma-informed support, policy reform, and public accountability, while also honoring the resilience of survivors and the efforts of dedicated foster families and workers. The hosts call on listeners to raise awareness, advocate for change, and stand up for the invisible children too often left behind.
Episode #2: Kids at Risk Action: The Problems and Solutions
Audio: Kids at Risk Action: The Problems and Solutions
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael uncover the harsh realities facing foster youth aging out of the system and the failures of Extended Foster Care (EFC) programs intended to support them. They reveal how systemic barriers — from unrealistic eligibility requirements to a lack of data tracking and overburdened caseworkers — leave many young adults homeless, unprepared, and isolated. Through survivor stories, expert insights, and practical solutions, the hosts emphasize the urgent need to shift the system from one based on compliance to one focused on resilience, healing, and true independence. Listeners are called to use their voices to advocate for reforms that truly prepare foster youth for adulthood.
Episode #3: Kids at Risk Action: LGBTQ Foster Care, Suicide, & Ground Truths
Audio: Kids at Risk Action: LGBTQ Foster Care, Suicide, & Ground Truths
Summary:
In this emotional episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael confront the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system — a population far too often isolated, unsupported, and at devastating risk of homelessness, suicide, and trauma. They share staggering statistics, heartbreaking stories, and expose how systemic failures, family rejection, and discriminatory policies compound the suffering of these vulnerable children. The hosts call for urgent reforms, including LGBTQ+ competency training, school protections, accessible mental health care, and policies that affirm rather than punish identity. Above all, they challenge listeners to listen, speak up, and fight for a foster care system that truly protects and uplifts every child.
Episode #4: Kids at Risk Action: Struggles for Foster Care Children In Education
Audio: Kids at Risk Action: Struggles for Foster Care Children In Education
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael reveal how foster youth are systematically failed within America’s education system. They expose how constant school changes, untreated trauma, and misdiagnoses isolate these children, often pushing them into special education, overmedication, or even the juvenile justice system. The discussion highlights the lack of trauma-informed care, the legal barriers that prevent foster parents from advocating, and the devastating long-term impacts on foster youth as they age out of the system. The hosts call for coordinated action between schools and child welfare, better funding for mental health resources, and policies that prioritize healing and academic stability over isolation and punishment.
Episode #5: Kids at Risk Action: The Media’s Role in Shaping Child Welfare Perception
Kids at Risk Action: The Media’s Role in Shaping Child Welfare Perception
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael examine how media coverage of child welfare too often focuses only on tragedy — fueling blame, misunderstanding, and reduced public support for the very systems meant to protect vulnerable children. They reveal how complex realities like trauma, poverty, and systemic resource gaps are overlooked in favor of sensational headlines, and how this damages both public perception and policy reform. The hosts call for more responsible journalism that amplifies the voices of children, frontline workers, and community solutions, while urging listeners to advocate for deeper understanding, ethical storytelling, and meaningful action to improve child welfare outcomes.
Epsiode #6: Kids at Risk Action: All Talk & No Action
Audio: Kids at Risk Action: All Talk & No Action
Summary:
In this powerful episode of Kids at Risk Action, Mike, Emma, and Michael confront the uncomfortable reality that, despite public rhetoric, America consistently underfunds, undervalues, and neglects the children it claims to protect. They expose how frontline workers like teachers, foster parents, and social workers are scapegoated while policymakers avoid accountability, leading to crises in daycare access, the overmedication of foster youth, and staggering racial disparities in child outcomes. Highlighting the stark contrast with other nations that invest in early childhood care and mental health, the hosts argue that real change requires prioritizing children through meaningful policies, funding, and support systems—not just empty promises. Listeners are urged to move beyond awareness and take action to demand better futures for all children.
Summary of mental health crisis podcast audio:
Tip of the Mental Health Iceberg (podcast)
Summary of podcast audio:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action: Invisible Children, hosts Jamie and Alex delve into the harrowing issue of children dying within the Child Protective Services (CPS) system. They discuss a groundbreaking report revealing that 200 children have died while within the CPS system, often due to abuse by their caregivers, with the true scale of these deaths likely much higher. The hosts explore the systemic failures that keep these tragedies hidden, including data gaps, overuse of HIPAA laws, and a lack of transparency. Through real-life examples like the case of Eric Dean, they emphasize the need for better tracking of important child metrics and accountability in CPS to keep children from death and egregious harm. The episode concludes with a call to action for greater transparency and public advocacy to protect vulnerable children in the system.
Audio: Invisible Children: The 200 Lives Lost in CPS
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Emma and Michael discuss the tragic case of 8-year-old Tayvion Davis, who died after years of chronic abuse that included physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and severe maltreatment. Despite numerous reports to child protection services and medical evidence of his suffering, the system failed to intervene effectively, repeatedly relying on Family Assessment rather than removing him from his dangerous home environment. In 2018, Tayvion froze to death in a garage, and after his death, his siblings were briefly placed in protective custody before being returned to their mother. The hosts highlight systemic failures, including a lack of accountability, poor communication between agencies, and the failure to act on abuse reports. They call for urgent reforms to protect vulnerable children and prevent future tragedies.
Audio:
Kids At Risk Action: 8 Year-old Tayvion Davis
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Emma and Michael discuss the tragic case of two-month-old Eli Hentges, who died from severe child abuse in 2017. Despite clear signs of abuse, such as bruises noticed during a well-baby check just days before his death, no immediate action was taken, and the warning signs were dismissed. The episode explores systemic failures in child welfare, including inadequate protocols for medical professionals, lack of coordination between hospitals and child protection services, and missed opportunities for intervention. The hosts call for updated hospital policies, more training for medical providers, better resources for struggling parents, and stronger mandatory reporting systems to prevent future tragedies like Eli’s. They emphasize the importance of listening to warning signs and advocating for changes to protect at-risk children.
Audio:
Kids at Risk Action: Eli Hentges – 1 of 88 stories of Child Death at the Hands of Caregivers
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Emma and Michael discuss the heartbreaking case of five-month-old Aaliya Goodwin, who died of positional asphyxia while under the care of her drug-abusing parents. Despite multiple reports of neglect, substance abuse, and unsafe conditions, Aaliya remained in the home due to systemic failures in Minnesota’s child protection system. The hosts highlight two key issues: lenient chronic neglect policies that give parents multiple chances despite clear risks, and the prioritization of family reunification over child safety. They call for mandatory statewide guidelines for handling chronic neglect cases and a stronger focus on the safety of vulnerable infants and toddlers. The episode urges listeners to advocate for policy changes and take action to protect at-risk children.
Audio:
Kids at Risk Action: Aaliya Goodwins death & Why From Safe Passage For Children Investigation
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Emma and Michael delve into the failures of Minnesota’s child protection system, highlighting the tragic case of six-year-old Eli Hart, who was murdered despite being known to Child Protective Services (CPS). They discuss the lack of data on the full scope of abuse and neglect within the system, pointing out how this lack of transparency and accountability contributes to the ongoing crisis. The hosts emphasize that the root cause of these failures lies in systemic issues like underfunding, high caseloads, and insufficient resources, rather than blaming individual social workers. They urge listeners to get involved by educating themselves, advocating for legislative reforms, and demanding better oversight to ensure that at-risk children are protected. The episode concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to push for change and ensure that no more children suffer in silence. You can find your state representative by following this link: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative all you need to do is enter your zip code.
Audio:
Kids at Risk Action: What Childhood Protection Means in Minnesota
Summary:
In this episode of Kids At Risk Action, hosts Emma and Michael share the tragic story of Sally, an 8-year-old girl who suffered abuse by her biological father and her mother’s boyfriend, Joe. Despite clear signs of trauma, including inappropriate behavior and explicit statements, Sally’s case was dismissed by child protection services as “unfounded” because she had developmental disabilities and was deemed unreliable. Her mother reportedly concealed evidence, and the system failed to protect her, ultimately forcing her back into an unsafe home environment. The hosts highlight the larger issue of children with disabilities and trauma being disbelieved, and call for better protocols, more funding for child protective services, and a greater willingness to listen to children’s concerns. They emphasize the importance of action and encourage listeners to support organizations like Kids At Risk Action and report suspected abuse.
Audio:
Kids At Risk Action: It Can’t Happen Here (Sally’s Story)
Summary:
In this episode of Kids at Risk Podcast, hosts Emma and Michael discuss the staggering economic and societal costs of untreated childhood trauma, which exceed $12 trillion annually in the U.S.—more than half of the country’s GDP. They explore the far-reaching effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including higher healthcare costs, increased rates of high school dropouts, crime, and incarceration. Despite overwhelming evidence, the system continues to fail vulnerable children, leading to generational cycles of trauma and its costly consequences. The hosts stress the need for trauma-informed care, early intervention, and policy changes that prioritize prevention over punishment to break the cycle and save lives. They urge listeners to advocate for child welfare and support organizations working to make a difference.
Audio:
Kids at Risk Action: Numbers Too Big to Believe
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