February Sad Stories (2016 KARA reporting)

February, 2016 in Child Death, Crime and Courts, Health and Mental Health, International Child Abuse, Invisible Children, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Resources, The States by Mike Tikkanen

Every month Kids At Risk Action draws attention to the plight of abused and neglected children by gathering the stories of at risk children from around the nation.  You will find your community on this page.  Please share this page with your friends and networks to make this conversation come alive with the hope that we will do more if we know more.  Join KARA’s Facebook Page

All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children

CA: Ex-DA hopes to open charter school for foster children, troubled youth
Santa Cruz Sentinel – February 28, 2016
Buller’s Legacy Academy likely would be the first public charter in California targeting foster youth and kids on probation as well as those expelled or chronically truant. It’s an idea that came to Buller, 58, before he retired in 2014 after serving as the county’s assistant district attorney, overseeing juvenile crime.
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CA: Police: San Jose principal failed to report sex-abuse claim before arrest, charge
San Jose Mercury News – February 26, 2016
Hearing that one of his teachers might be having sex with a student, the principal of a San Jose charter school did not alert law enforcement. Instead, he investigated the claim himself and decided it was nothing more than a rumor.
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IN: Lawmakers work to tighten loopholes to keep predators out of schools
Fox 59 – February 26, 2016
An alarming new report is still raising red flags about loopholes in teacher screenings in Indiana. Now, lawmakers are trying to fix the problem.
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LA: Judge rules in favor of priest who didn’t report allegations of sexual abuse (Includes video)
WBRZ 2 – February 26, 2016
Judge Mike Caldwell ruled a part of the state’s children’s code requiring priests to be mandatory reporters of abuse that they learn during “priviledged conversations,” is unconstitutional today. The ruling means Priests don’t have to speak up if they learn children are the victims of abuse during confessions.
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MI: Parents outgunned in child welfare cases
Hometown Life – February 26, 2016
McGaughy’s family was saved by the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy, a small agency that prevents foster care in nearly 90% of its cases by offering parents targeted legal help and social work that costs a fraction of what taxpayers spend on foster care.
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NC: Years Later, America’s Children Finally Start to Recover From Recession
Imperial Valley News – February 28, 2016
America’s children are starting to recover from the worst effects of the Great Recession, although some ill effects still linger, says a comprehensive new report on child well-being from Duke University. “Overall child and youth well-being has returned to levels near those attained in 2007 and 2008, before the Great Recession had its negative impacts,” said the report’s lead author, Kenneth Land, an emeritus professor of sociology at Duke.
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NH: DCYF cites high caseloads, looks at adding 24/7 staffing
Concord Monitor – February 27, 2016
Heavy workloads and high staff turnover at the state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families are impacting the agency’s ability to keep children safe, according to a recent report from the division. The topic will likely be featured prominently as the Commission to Review Child Abuse Fatalities, composed of lawmakers, state officials and advocates weighs whether to expand the agency’s staffing from eight-hour days to 24/7 coverage.
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NJ: Court says mom abused baby addicted to drugs
MyCentralNJ – February 26, 2016
Mom did not tell doctors about her addiction until three days after she delivered the newborn who was showing signs of withdrawal.
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NV: Olive Crest helps former foster care youths live on their own
Las Vegas Review Journal – February 28, 2016
The teens have been participating in Olive Crest’s Project Independence program, which provides assistance for employment and education for current or former foster care youths ages 17 to 21; and the nonprofit’s DREAMR Project, which stands for determined, responsible and empowered adolescents mentoring relationships.
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OR: Bills could bring big changes to embattled DHS (Includes video)
KOIN 6 – February 28, 2016
The Department of Human Services could be in for a major overhaul if state legislators move forward with 2 bills this week. House Bill 4080 already passed the Oregon House of Representatives and the Senate. It’s now awaiting Governor Kate Brown?s signature. The bill would create a commission to keep a close eye on the embattled department.
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PA: Lackawanna County settles foster child abuse case
Scranton Times-Tribune – February 27, 2016
Lackawanna County agreed to settle a federal lawsuit filed by the mother of a 7-year-old boy who was sexually abused his foster parents’ adopted son. The mother filed suit in August 2014, alleging the abuse could have been avoided had the county’s former Children and Youth Services, now called the Office of Youth and Family Services, heeded a written profile that warned the adopted son previously sexually abused others.
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SD: Judge calls arguments in ICWA case ‘frivolous at best’
Native Sun News – February 24, 2016
A three year old class action lawsuit, which involves the first 48 hours after an Indian child is taken from his or her family that alleges the State of South Dakota regularly violates the Constitutional Rights of Indian parents and provision 1922 of the Indian Child Welfare act, may now move forward.
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TN: Exposing Child Sex Slavery in Tennessee: The Help Available and How Kids Are Targeted
WZTV Fox 17 – February 25, 2016
Rachel Irby, who runs Unchained Movement, a rescue home for sex slaves, says “the girl didn’t really have good choices in front of her…she could stay in foster care where she was being abused or she could run away and experience the street life.” It’s a situation Irby understands. Her mother tried to sell her for sex as a child. She says her own mom was trafficked at the age of 14.
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TX: CPS makes changes after child deaths (Includes video)
KXAN – February 26, 2016
A new report details changes in a Texas agency after child abuse and neglect deaths across the state, including a central Texas case that galvanized the attention of the community.
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TX: Eradicating child abuse at all levels (Opinion)
The Leader – February 26, 2016
In one year alone, more than 65,000 cases of child abuse are confirmed in Texas. Of this total number, 71 percent of the children were involved in sexual abuse and 25 percent of them were younger than 5 years old. As a lawmaker in Texas, I have always been committed to strengthening the laws for the protection of our children by advocating prevention through education, strengthening laws against perpetrators or finding ways to best support victims to be able to overcome abuse.
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VT: Special Report: This never ends for him
VT Digger – February 28, 2016
Studies in the United States have estimated 1 out of every 4 girls and 1 out of every 6 boys are sexually abused before they turn 18. In the course of a single year, 1 out of 12 children are sexually victimized in some way. However, allegations of abuse from children are often murky, nonlinear or even nonverbal, and difficult to investigate.
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WA: New child welfare agency is needed, but don’t stop there (Opinion)
Herald Net – February 28, 2016
The timing was unrelated, but there was poignancy in the fact that Gov. Jay Inslee’s executive order to move toward breaking up the gargantuan Department of Social and Health Services and create a new child welfare agency, came just a week after the latest verdict against DSHS: $8 million for two Whatcom County girls placed in foster care with an accused child molester. Simply put, DSHS is too big to ably perform all the tasks assigned it. In a state that has long marginalized children, and is paying a $100,000 daily fine for neglecting their education, the DSHS Children’s Administration division generates lurid headlines and huge settlements and verdicts.
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WI: Vision evolves into mission for children
USA Today Network – February 26, 2016
A group called the SPROUT Partnership that has been meeting in the Fond du Lac community since 2010 is working toward the goal of assuring that all Fond du Lac County children receive nurturing and responsive relationships and supportive environments. What began as a vision evolved into a mission, that the infant and early childhood communities of Fond du Lac County would strengthen their ability to support the social and emotional health of young children.
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WV: Children suffer with parents’ addiction
Herald-Dispatch – February 29, 2016
“When your brain is addicted, you suffer from chemical deficiency,” Miller said. “Your brain becomes sick, and it doesn’t function properly. People ask, ‘How can they choose drugs over children?’ but it’s not a choice for those folks. They have disease, their brain is sick, and they don’t think like everyone else. How else can it be explained?”
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US: Child marriage in US decried: State bills would keep girls from becoming wives
Associated Press – February 29, 2016
Child marriage wasn’t an issue of note for Virginia state Sen. Jill Vogel until she heard the stories circulating in her district about a man in his early 50s marrying a girl in her mid-teens, warding off a police investigation of his relationship with her.
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US: Lost in encryption debate: child abuse
New York Daily News – February 29, 2016
Lost in the debate: This fight is not just about stopping terrorists. It’s about protecting children and others from abusers. With current smartphone encryption, and even stronger encryption that Apple and other tech companies are developing, evidence of some of these most abhorrent and hard-to-prove crimes is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Staff at Safe Horizon saw such evidence all too often, until the new operating systems started rolling out in 2014. These images were key factors leading to the arrest and prosecution of several offenders.
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US: Addressing Multi-Generational Dysfunction in Foster Care (Opinion)
Huffington Post – February 26, 2016
As a researcher I typically rely on existing studies to support my theories and findings; however, multi-generational dysfunction within families is an issue I have first hand knowledge of. Having worked in foster care for the past 9 years, I’ve found a significant number (if not the majority) of families have a history of child welfare involvement.
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US: Child Welfare Agents Enjoy Immunity From Suit, 3rd Circuit Rules
FindLaw – February 26, 2016
Child welfare workers who took away a child from its mother during an investigation into her possible drug use enjoy immunity from suit because there was no notice that they were violating a clear constitutional right.
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US: Practicing positivity and resilience to help foster children overcome obstacles and prepare for success
Points of Light – February 26, 2016
The experience made Muizz think about “second and third chances, and the importance of being resilient.” She began drafting an idea for what would become known as Positive Resistance, a nonprofit with the motto, “A Broken Home Does Not Mean a Broken Life.”
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US: Religious Freedom Bills Surge After Last Year’s Same-Sex Marriage Ruling
BuzzFeed News – February 26, 2016
More than 100 bills have been introduced in this year’s legislative session to protect religious freedom or allow people to refuse services based on their faith. In at least eight states, legislatures currently are advancing bills. Related: MO: Dangerous Anti-LGBT Bills Pending in Missouri: Dangerous anti lgbt bills pending in missouri (hrc.org) Related: GA: Major Companies Denounce Georgia’s Religious Refusal Legislation: Major companies denounce georgias religious refusal legislation (hrc.org)
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US: Young People Reveal Holes in the Foster Care Safety Net
New American Media – February 26, 2016
Liberty Dycus, 23, who was adopted from Ethiopia as a child, ended up in foster care after being abused. She says that when she emancipated at 19, she “never felt more alone.” She wishes there had been ‘someone who’d said, ‘Let’s make a plan for you. Let’s get you in the right direction.'” Instead, like some other former foster youth during their transitional years, she became homeless.
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INTERNATIONAL

Canada: Hopeful Adoptive Parents Tackling “Unfair” Provincial Adoption Law
Pembina Valley Online – February 29, 2016
A local couple is hoping to change a Manitoba law they say unfairly limits their chance of adopting a child. Unlike residents of Ontario, B.C and the Yukon, hopeful adoptive parents like Jeff and Meghan in Manitoba are not allowed to publicly share their adoption profiles, either online or in print media. “So in other Provinces they’re allowed to make Facebook pages, hand out business cards, put up posters… in Manitoba were limited to going through agencies and word of mouth,” Jeff says. “Those are our only options in Manitoba.”
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Canada: Outcomes & priorities for action to address violence against indigenous women and girls
Morningstar – February 26, 2016
Inuit, Metis, and First Nations leaders, families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers today committed to ongoing urgent and coordinated action to prevent and address violence against Indigenous women and girls, and to continue this work during the National Inquiry on MMIWG.
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Maldova: Can Moldova’s Battered Teens Be Saved From Human Traffickers?
Daily Beast – February 29, 2016
Moldovan social workers say that such kids are easy prey for human traffickers, and the statistics bear them out. Moldova is among the countries with the highest incidence of human trafficking in Europe.
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South Korea: ‘Rod of love’ tradition hinders eradication of child abuse
Korea Herald – February 29, 2016
Corporal punishment, or “rod of love,” remains the most common justification behind what escalates into child abuse, according to the counselor.
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South Korea: Reunited twins give hope to adoptees
Korea Times – February 29, 2016
The incredible story of Samantha Futerman and Anais Bordier, identical twins born in South Korea who were separated at birth then found each other after 25 years, made headlines a few years ago. The sisters visited Seoul last week to promote “Twinsters,” a documentary about their own story which will hit the big screens on March 3.
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CA: State finds flaws in Monterey County CPS agency after child murders
KSBW – February 24, 2016
The California Department of Social Services was notified that Monterey County had an open case on Shaun and Delylah at the time they were killed, and the state conducted a three-day investigation into what went wrong. The state’s investigation report was also made public on Wednesday. Report: Letter to Monterey County CPS from state authorities (ksbw.com)
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CA: Why Are Child Welfare Advocates Sabotaging Data-Driven Efforts to Protect Children? (Opinion)
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 22, 2016
When Los Angeles County announced in July 2015 that it would begin using predictive analytics to help its social workers quickly identify the most at-risk children and help the county prioritize its efforts to deliver services more efficiently, child welfare advocates should have rejoiced. Instead, this and similarly promising approaches have encountered substantial opposition from a surprising number of advocates who worry that using data to assist with child welfare investigations would perpetuate racial discrimination, violate human rights, and ultimately cause more harm than good. Not only are these critics fundamentally wrong, but their resistance to using data to improve outreach and assistance is quite likely jeopardizing the wellbeing of children. Report: MinorityReport (nccpr.org) lso: Kids Endangered By Predictive Analytics? Child Advocate Says Yes: Kids endangered by predictive analytics child advocate says yes (forbes.com)
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CA: Los Angeles to Shutter Celebrated Center for Abused Children
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 11, 2016
Next month, Los Angeles County’s child protection department plans to shut down two centers meant to serve as children’s first stop on their traumatic journeys into foster care. But, some strongly oppose the department’s move, fearing that the successful, award-winning shelter for infants and young children is being sacrificed for the failings of the Youth Welcome Center. Also: Long-Standing Los Angeles Agencies Tapped to Shelter Children in Crisis: chronicleofsocialchange.org Also: Child Protection Chief Wants Courts Involved in Welcome Center Shakeup: chronicleofsocialchange.org Also: Parking Place “Shelters” Help the Helpers, Not the Children: chronicleofsocialchange.org
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GA: Georgia Feeling the Backlash From Passing Overreaching Anti-LGBT Bill (Opinion)
The New Civil Rights Movement – February 24, 2016
Georgia’s First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), or HB 757, would allow doctors to refuse treatment to patients if the doctor didn’t agree with that patient’s (or their family members) sexual orientation. It would allow foster and adoption agencies to deny qualified parents from adopting children, thus justifying using tax dollars to keep children homeless. Also: Breaking: Georgia Senate Passes Discriminatory Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill By Huge Margin: Breaking georgia senate passes discriminatory anti lgbt religious freedom bill (thenewcivilrightsmovement.com)
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IL: Illinois child welfare agency files 6-month plans to improve
Associated Press – February 24, 2016
The state’s troubled child welfare agency has submitted an improvement plan to a judge that details more oversight, pilot programs and training, things that officials said Wednesday will “help transform” the system that serves thousands of Illinois children.
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KS: Fixing foster care (Opinion)
Winfield Daily Courier – February 24, 2016
Sen. Forrest Knox is on a good track with foster care. His new bill, which passed the Senate this week, has drawn both laughs and support.
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KY: Domestic Violence Census: In KY, Demand for Help Outstrips Funds (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 25, 2016
According to an annual national census, on Sept. 16, Kentucky’s 15 domestic violence shelters turned away 129 victims because of a lack of funding or staff. “They just needed a roof over their heads, a bed to sleep in,” says O’Doherty. “And 14 of those requests for help were from children.”
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MA: Glare of the spotlight (Audio)
Reveal – February 21, 2016
Oscar season is upon us, and one of the best picture nominees is a film that hits pretty close to home for us at Reveal: “Spotlight.” In case you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a movie about The Boston Globe’s investigative team that exposed the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. In this hour of Reveal, we’re going to take you behind the scenes.
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MI: Data: Child welfare in Michigan
Lansing State Journal – February 25, 2016
This database provides a county-by-county profile of some of the child welfare situations in Michigan. Part 1 of the series broken families. Part 2: Data: Michigan child welfare by county: lansingstatejournal.com Part 3: Dad who lost parental rights: ‘I’m trying to be hopeful’: lansingstatejournal.com Also: CPS manager: ‘There’s always a nuance to the cases’ (Video): lansingstatejournal.com
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MO: Education professionals crucial in reporting child abuse cases (Includes video)(Opinion)
KMIZ – February 24, 2016
“When in doubt, report,” said Jerri Sites, Director at the Child Advocacy Center in Columbia. “The law says to report on the suspicion. So once it gets into the system, the people who are trained to investigate those concerns then look into it more thoroughly.”
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NC: DSS needs 2 more workers for foster care
Civitas Media – February 25, 2016
The Robeson County Department of Social Services needs additional social workers to handle a rapidly growing number of child foster care cases, according to the agency’s adoption and foster care program manager.
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PA: County supports human services funding outcry
New Castle News – February 25, 2016
The county opposes “rebalancing” initiatives for child welfare services that will force counties to reduce funding by a fourth, reduce payments to providers, shorten contract periods or use county property tax funds to cover the state’s obligation until a future budge makes a true allocation.
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TX: Texas CASA Honors Governor Greg Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Abbott as Champions for Children in the Texas Child Protection System (Press release)
Business Wire – February 24, 2016
Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) honored Governor Greg Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Abbott as champions for children and youth in the Texas child protection system during its annual Champion Recognition Luncheon held Feb. 23 in Austin.
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UT: Bill to Change Adoption Language to Include Same-Sex Couples Fails (Includes audio)
KUER – February 24, 2016
House Bill 234 would have swapped the words man and woman for couple or spouse to reflect the legalization of same-sex marriage
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US: The Question of Prayer for Foster Parents (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 24, 2016
Perhaps the best way we as foster parents can help our children in foster care is by taking a knee and lifting up our children and our concerns to God through our prayers. For many of these children, they have never had someone pray for them before they came into care. Indeed, they may not even be aware what prayer is. Simply because a child is placed in your home does not give you permission to force your religion upon a child, or to ignore their own.
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US: Unaccompanied children to leave Holloman
Alamogordo News – February 24, 2016
Given the recent decline in referrals of unaccompanied children to HHS in January and February, HHS is transitioning Holloman to reserve status. No more unaccompanied children will be sent to Holloman unless needed and pending availability. All unaccompanied children are expected to be off of the base by Friday, Feb. 26.
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US: U.S. refugee agency put Central American kids at risk, GAO report says
The Washington Post – February 22, 2016
The government agency tasked with placing thousands of Central American children into communities while they await immigration court decisions has no system for tracking the children, does not keep complete case files and has allowed contractors to operate with little oversight, according to a report released Monday by the Government Accountability Office. GAO Report: GAO 16 429T (gao.gov)
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US: Therapeutic Child Care: An Underused Tool in Family Preservation and Foster Care (Opinion)
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 16, 2016
We are investing almost nothing in early childhood programs to mitigate the effects of abuse and neglect for young children. Information Gateway resource: Treatment Foster Care: Treat foster (childwelfare.gov)
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US: What Should Trauma-Informed Cities and Counties Ask Their States for? (Opinion)
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 12, 2016
The people who are doing most of the pioneering work to integrate trauma-informed, resilience-building practices based on ACEs research (writ large) are doing so in cities and counties across the U.S. Now that more state agencies are learning about ACEs, many people in local communities are wondering what they can ask states for to help grow local efforts.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Bradyn Dillon’s death shows urgent need for family violence information reform: victims advocate
The Canberra Times – February 25, 2016
ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner John Hinchey has welcomed a probe into child protection systems sparked by the killing of Bradyn Dillon, 8, and said the case highlighted an urgent need for better information sharing on family violence matters.
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Canada: Supporting older kids in foster care has its own rewards (Opinion)
The Canadian Jewish News – February 24, 2016
There are countless children and teenagers in foster care throughout the country and abroad who are looking for stable homes and forever families, as well as young adults who are in need of a support system.
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India: Prospective adoptive parents and adoptive parents welcome 2015 CARA new guidelines
DNA – February 25, 2016
Prospective parents and those, who have adopted a child as per the 2015 Central Adoption Resources Authority (CARA), have formed an online group supporting the new guidelines and claiming that it has brought more transparency to the entire process.
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International: Research pinpoints devastating impacts of fetal alcohol syndrome
Medical News Today – February 24, 2016
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are affected by a range of problems, including anxiety, depression, aggression, delinquency and diminished learning capacity a new review of evidence reveals. Report: Peds.2015 (pediatrics.aappublications.org)
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International: Why is impulsive aggression in children so difficult to treat?
Medical News Today – February 24, 2016
Maladaptive and impulsive aggression is explosive, triggered by routine environmental cues, and intended to harm another person, making it a significant challenge for clinicians, family members, and others who interact with affected children and adolescents. Report: Cap.2015.0204 (online.liebertpub.com)
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Italy: Italian court turns away same-sex Portland couple’s adoption case
Associated Press – February 24, 2016
Italy’s constitutional court refused Wednesday to hear a same-sex adoption case involving two Oregon mothers, putting aside the question amid intense debate in Italy over legal recognition of civil unions and gay adoption.
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Sierra Leone: 60% of stateless population are children- UNHCR Officer-in-Charge
Sierra Leone News – February 24, 2016
A day to the commemoration of the 1st anniversary of the Abidjan Declaration to Eradicate Statelessness by 2024, the Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Moijama Siafa disclosed that about 60% of stateless population are children.
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United Kingdom: Pressure grows on Government to publish review of child abuse inquiry
Wales Online – February 24, 2016
The UK Government has come under even greater pressure to publish the findings of a review into a landmark investigation into the abuse of children in care in North Wales.
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AL: Bill would allow faith-based policies on adoptions
AL.com – February 23, 2016
Faith-based adoption agencies should be able to stick to their religious principles without fear of repercussions, says a state representative sponsoring a bill he says would protect those agencies. Information Gateway Resource: Ethics Related to Placement Issues: Ethics related to placement issues (childwelfare.gov)
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CA: Assemblymember Das Williams Introduces Foster Parent Bill of Rights (Press release)
Noozhawk – February 23, 2016
This legislation seeks to enable California’s foster parents to be more proactive, which not only benefits caregivers but also protects the children whom they care for, who are often already vulnerable.
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CA: California former foster youth to take charge as statewide ombudsman
Monterey Herald – February 23, 2016
Trochtenberg, 33, is the first former foster youth to hold the office representing 62,600 abused and neglected children here, and possibly the first in the nation.
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CA: Lawsuit Charges Group Home Operator with Harming Young Women (Press release)
National Center for Youth Law – February 23, 2016
Promesa Behavioral Health (Promesa) is harming foster youth placed in its care according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of current and former residents of Promesa group homes. The foster youth, as well as a former employee, allege that young women are being denied access to necessary reproductive and sexual health care. The foster youth further charge that they have been subjected to retaliation for trying to get the health care they need. Also: Where Foster Kids Can’t See OBGYNs Alone: Where foster kids can t see ob gyns alone (thedailybeast.com)
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GA: Foster care, domestic violence support center opens in Gainesville
Gainesville Times – February 23, 2016
The Supporting Adoption and Foster Families Together center’s arrival comes at a time when the foster care system is considered in crisis by Juvenile Court Judge Lindsay Burton.
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IA: Legislators to investigate Midwest Academy after abuse reports
Des Moines Register – February 23, 2016
Iowa lawmakers will launch a bipartisan investigation into Midwest Academy, a boarding school for troubled youth, after it was raided and shut down following allegations of abuse. Also: More boarding schools unregulated by DHS: desmoinesregister.com
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KS: Kansas Senate votes to approve bill creating foster care pilot program
Topeka Capital-Journal – February 23, 2016
The Kansas Senate voted to authorize a five-year pilot program Tuesday crafted to attract a precise type of foster care parent who is happily married, refuses to drink or smoke at home and stays regularly involved in community activities.
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KY: Opinion: Child advocacy program needs money
Cincinnati Enquirer – February 23, 2016
But the need in our state far outstrips the resources of this child advocacy program. In 2014, there were 20,396 cases of substantiated child abuse in Kentucky, a 36 percent rise since 2011. Yet CASA’s programs, stretched paper-thin over just a third of Kentucky counties, were able to serve less than 20 percent of those child victims.
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MO: Freedom for foster children targeted (Opinion)
Smithville Herald – February 24, 2016
This year, I’m working with the Missouri Children’s Division to address some of these issues. Senate Bill 979, which I’ve filed, would change the law to give foster parents greater freedom to make decisions regarding foster children taking part in extracurricular and social activities.
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OR: DHS mishaps discussed after years of inaction (Includes video)
KOIN 6 – February 23, 2016
After years of inaction, state leaders are opening up about thousands of cases of neglect and abuse with the Department of Human Services.
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PA: Pennsylvania Reduces Psychotropic Medication Use Among Medicaid-Enrolled Foster Children (Press release)
PR Newswire – February 23, 2016
The Department of Human Services (DHS) and PolicyLab at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today announced several new initiatives that will further reduce the use of psychotropic medication among Medicaid-enrolled Pennsylvania children.
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SD: 80,000 Reasons to Veto: South Dakota Gov Must Block Vile Legislation Attacking Transgender Kids (Press release)
Human Rights Campaign – February 23, 2016
Today, HRC joined with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of South Dakota, Believe Out Loud and Reconciling Ministries, Freedom for All Americans, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Transgender Law Center to deliver over 80,000 petition signatures to South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard urging him to veto HB 1008 – legislation that would prevent transgender students in public schools from using restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity.
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US: Kinship Is More Than Just Blood (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – February 23, 2016
One of the major goals of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 was to speed up the achievement of permanency so that children would not have to go through repeated separations or continued limbo. If a child has been in care for 15 out of the last 22 months, the state is required to file for termination of parental rights. But there is no such deadline for relatives to come forward. Even if the state files for termination of parental rights after a year, it may take as long as another year for an adoption to be concluded. If a relative comes forward during that time period, the child may be moved after two years or more with the foster/adoptive family.
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US: Senate holds hearing on opioid abuse epidemic
AHA News Now – February 23, 2016
He and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) also said they are drafting bipartisan legislation that would give states flexibility to use federal child welfare funds to address family substance abuse and other risk factors for foster care. Testimony: finance.senate.gov Also: Grassley, McConnell Bill Would Help Foster Children Affected by Opioids, Methamphetamine, Other Substance Abuse: Grassley mcconnell bill would help foster children affected opioids (grassley.senate.gov) Also: Shortage Of Addiction Counselors Further Strained By Opioid Epidemic: Shortage of addiction counselors further strained by opioid epidemic (wamu.org) Also: For Mark Willenbring, Substance Abuse Treatment Begins With Research: Mark willenbring addiction substance abuse treatment (nytimes.com)
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AR: 11 News Investigates: The state of foster care (Includes video)
THV11 – February 22, 2016
It has been difficult for a decade with federal numbers showing more children entering the system than exiting each year, steadily increasing the caseload for the department’s caseworkers. “Right now we have about 4,700 children in the foster care system,” said Amy Webb, the department’s director of communications. “That is much higher than we’ve seen in the past and it has increased substantially in the last few months.”
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CA: California Youth Connection pushes for policy reforms to protect foster kids (Video)
KCRA Sacramento – February 22, 2016
Members of the California Youth Connection were at the Capitol Monday, pushing for policy reforms to protect foster youth.
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FL: Villages of Hope gives former foster kids a future
Palm Beach Post – February 22, 2016
The Place of Hope affiliate provides independent living, support and life skills development for young adults who are in transition.
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FL: Local foster parenting efforts are an important first step toward solving an ongoing problem
Gainesville Times – February 21, 2016
Judge Lindsay Burton of the Hall County Juvenile Court speaks to civic clubs and other groups about the need for more foster homes in Hall County, where 215 children, the most ever, needed foster care in early January. About 85 percent of those children, she said, were placed in other counties because of the shortage of foster homes in Hall County.
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ID: Governor subtly weighs in on faith-healing issue
Idaho Press Tribune – February 21, 2016
You’ve probably been reading about developments in the state Legislature over so-called “faith healing,” which allows parents to not seek medical care for their children, or themselves, for that matter, for religious reasons. The Associated Press’ Kimberlee Kruesi quoted Governor Otter as saying, “At what point does that become child neglect or abuse is a question I can’t answer. I think everybody cares about the health of children, but we have to understand the No. 1 thing in the First Amendment was freedom of religion.”
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IN: A judge has dismissed a lawsuit in which an Indiana Department of Child Services case manager claimed she had an excessive caseload that put children at risk
Associated Press – February 22, 2016
Marion Superior Court Judge Heather Welch said plaintiff Mary Price has no right to bring the claim under an Indiana law setting a maximum caseload at 17. There is no ground for the court to issue a mandate changing caseloads, and Price should take her complaint to the State Employee Appeals Commission, the 12-page ruling said.
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IN: Adoptee birth-records bill passes
Indiana Lawyer – February 22, 2016
“Today marks a tremendous victory for hundreds of thousands of people adopted in Indiana. Through Senate Bill 91, all adoptees will have equal access to their birth certificate and medical records, regardless of the year they were born,” said Pam Kroskie, president of Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records.
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KS: The State Senate has given first-round approval to a conservative Republican’s bill to create a new pilot program to encourage couples who have stable marriages and don’t use tobacco or alcohol to serve as foster parents
Associated Press – February 22, 2016
The GOP-dominated chamber gave first-round approval on a voice vote to a bill from Sen. Forrest Knox, of Altoona. Senators expected to take a final vote Tuesday to determine whether the measure passes and goes to the House. Knox’s proposal would create a new category of foster homes known as CARE families, for couples who have been legally married at least seven years.
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KS: Schools dealing with transgender issues more frequently
Wichita Eagle – February 20, 2016
“We were talking about civil rights and human rights, and I just said, ‘You know, I don’t want to die for being trans, but that could literally happen,'” said the student, a freshman at a suburban high school near Wichita.
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KY: Let sun shine on child protection (Opinion)
Lexington Herald-Leader – February 22, 2016
Appellate Judge Irv Maze was the latest to use the term “culture of secrecy” to describe the stubborn bureaucratic mind-set that has ill served too many young Kentuckians. Maze was writing for a three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals that last week upheld more than $1 million in penalties and fees against the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services for violating the Open Records Act by withholding records of child deaths.
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MD: Reporting error inflates Md. child abuse cases
Baltimore Sun – February 20, 2016
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services included a startling statistic: The number of abused or neglected children in Maryland in 2014 had climbed 27 percent, the second-sharpest increase in the nation. But state officials say that the figure was inflated because of a reporting error. It turns out that the number of cases depends on how a state defines a victim.
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MO: BILL LANT: House sends bills to the Senate
Neosho Daily News – February 22, 2016
House Bill 1877, dealing with re-entry of children into foster care, was passed with a nearly unanimous vote. It makes allowances for a child who leaves foster care at age 18 to re-enter until age 21 if for good cause.
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NE: Morfeld: Faith-based foster care groups should lose federal funding if they discriminate
Omaha World-Herald – February 23, 2016
A state senator says Nebraska should cut off federal funding for some faith-based organizations that provide foster care services if an investigation shows they engage in religious discrimination. Also: Lincoln senator calls for investigation into faith-based adoption agencies: Article 790d51b6 6194 5a3b afbe fcdf397bc781 (journalstar.com)
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NE: Bill to promote normal experiences for foster kids advances
Associated Press – February 22, 2016
Senators on a 37-0 vote gave first-round approval to the measure that would make it easier for foster youths to enjoy normal childhood experiences. Nebraska has faced criticism for imposing too many restrictions on foster youths in the name of safety. The group Nebraska Appleseed released a report in October that highlighted several of the requirements, such as mandatory background checks for everyone at a home where a foster child wants to attend a sleepover.
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NM: Children’s Advocates Criticize 2017 New Mexico State Budget (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 23, 2016
Children’s advocates say they are deeply disappointed with the 2017 state budget approved last week by the New Mexico Legislature. Lawmakers passed a $6.2 billion budget that includes no new funding for public schools, Medicaid, child-protective services and other key programs for children and families.
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NY: Advocates back NY college aid boost following foster care
Associated Press – February 22, 2016
A coalition of community groups is asking for more money to help cover college costs for youths who have been in New York’s foster care system. The Cuomo administration has proposed continuing $1.5 million for the program in the coming year.
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OR: DHS and Klamath Promise joined at the hip
Herald and News – February 22, 2016
The number of children Jeremy Player’s division of the Oregon Department of Human Services helps every month could fill three Klamath elementary schools.
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PA: Life for homeless schoolchildren means isolation, struggle
Associated Press – February 23, 2016
In the days, weeks and months that followed, Gentry would fully commit to her sobriety, adhering to a rigorous schedule of group meetings and one-on-one counseling sessions. For her daughter, now 11, the move would mean adjusting to life as one of Pennsylvania’s roughly 22,000 homeless students in grades pre-K through 12.
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SC: DSS Director Explains Changes to Agency Over Last Year (Includes video)
WLTX – February 23, 2016
It’s been a year since Susan Alford officially took over as the director of the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Alford: “Well coming into DSS one of the big things that was a primary issue was looking at how our case loads were affecting our staff in terms of how our staff’s ability to really do good work with kids. I was not happy about what I found, in terms of over a period of time, those case loads have gotten quite high, in our metropolitan counties in particular. So one of the things about that is an ongoing thing in any agency where we deal with children, you have to constantly look at what our case load sizes are.
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SC: Proposed bill would increase number of eligible State foster families
Post and Courier – February 20, 2016
The rule is intended to set a reasonable limit on the number of children living under one roof and to discourage potential foster parents from taking on additional children for financial gain. But some say the law has become an impediment for large families who want to help, but can’t, in a state struggling to find more foster homes.
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SD: Federal Court Again Backs Native American Families in ACLU Lawsuit (Press release)
American Civil Liberties Union – February 22, 2016
The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the ACLU and Rapid City attorney Dana Hanna on behalf of two South Dakota tribes, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and Native American parents who suffered the loss of their children at the hands of the state. Also: ICWA: Victory for Tribes as Judge Reaffirms South Dakota Decision: Icwa victory tribes judge reaffirms south dakota decision (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com) Information Gateway Resource: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): childwelfare.gov
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TX: McClure: Texas must improve foster care system (Opinion)
El Paso Times – February 20, 2016
The recent federal court decision against Texas’ foster care system reads like a horror movie screenplay. But reading it sickened me, because I knew this was not fiction. Almost 100 of the decision?s 260 pages detail real-life atrocities and wrecked childhoods suffered by the plaintiffs. What makes their tales so appalling is not just the abuse or neglect that landed them in foster care, but what happened once in the state’s “protective” custody. As Judge Janis Jack wrote in her decision, “foster children often age out of care more damaged than when they entered.”
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UT: Working to update family laws after Supreme Court decision
Daily Universe – February 20, 2016
Lawmakers have been examining ways to update existing marriage and family laws to provide equality to the LGBT community, but one adoption bill proposing preferential treatment to heterosexual couples will appear soon.
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WA: Aging homeless youth face the world of adult services
Crosscut – February 22, 2016
What they do share is their age, all either 24 or 25, about as old you can be and still stay at ROOTS. By this point, they’ve already begun to age out of programs. Places to stay and meals to eat are harder to come by. “If you’re younger, you’ve got more shelters,” says John. “Once you reach 22, 23, you start aging out of facilities and you’re kind of screwed. Once you reach 25, there’s like two facilities.” The weekends are especially hard.
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WI: Meth costing the county thousands
Rice Lake Chronotype – February 22, 2016
From January-November last year, a total of $871,453 alone was spent in the Youth and Family Program Unit on a variety of services for people in meth-related cases, said Frolik. That figure includes about $320,000 on assessments, $173,000 on case management, $139,000 on foster care and $109,000 on in-home family therapy.
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US: Federal Education Law Delivers Vital Protections for Foster Youth (Opinion)
Youth Today – February 22, 2016
Children involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems face countless barriers to educational success. Our historic failure to address these challenges has resulted in a dramatic achievement gap between these youth and their peers. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law in December, provides an opportunity, and a responsibility, for states to begin narrowing this gap.
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US: State, local governments try creative financing to help homeless
Stateline – February 22, 2016
This week, he moves into his own place, thanks to an innovative financing program to address homelessness, the first of its kind in California, and one of a very few in the country. As part of the pilot program, he will receive intensive support from a battery of caseworkers, housing specialists and psychiatrists. It’s what’s known as a pay-for-success project, which relies on outside investors, rather than taxpayers, to provide working capital to nonprofit service providers trying to tackle thorny social problems like homelessness, juvenile delinquency and mental illness.
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INTERNATIONAL

Democratic Republic of the Congo: 150 adopted children leave country after two-year wait
Reuters – February 22, 2016
Democratic Republic of Congo will allow some 150 children adopted by foreign parents, mostly Americans, to leave the country after spending more than two years in legal limbo, the interior ministry said on Monday. Also: 159 Congolese Children Released To Adoptive Families: 159 congolese children released to adoptive families (newsghana.com.gh)
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International: There’s no question, reporting abuse is a must, Cardinal O’Malley says
EWTN – February 16, 2016
After recent media reports suggested the Vatican is telling bishops to cover up sexual abuse, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has said that reporting abuse is not just a civil responsibility, but a moral one.
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United Kingdom: Significant new study shows importance of help for childhood sexual abuse victims
Medical News Today – February 22, 2016
While the sexual abuse of children is currently an issue at the forefront of public life, concern has focused on the protection of children and the identification of perpetrators. However, a new study by the Universities of Bristol and Durham for the NSPCC, hopes to refocus attention on what can be done to help the victims of childhood sexual abuse. Study: Letting the future in evaluation (nspcc.org.uk)
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AR: Panel tables new gun rule for foster families
North West Arkansas Times – February 19, 2016
A legislative committee deferred action Tuesday on a state Department of Human Services rule change that would require foster families to keep guns and ammunition locked up separately.
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AZ: Pastor Redefines ‘Church’ For Transgender Youth
National Public Radio – February 21, 2016
Some churches have become inclusive of gays and lesbians, but for transgender people, church can still feel extremely unwelcoming. A congregation in Phoenix is working to change that by focusing on the everyday needs of its members, many of whom are homeless trans youth.
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AZ: Bill limits child abuse investigations from hotline calls
Associated Press – February 19, 2016
Arizona lawmakers are working to limit the number of child abuse hotline calls that require full investigations, with backers saying the change would allow child safety workers to focus on cases that actually involve abuse and neglect.
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CA: Supervisors looking for ways to pay for plan to tackle homelessness
Los Angles Daily News – February 21, 2016
The plan has been lauded as a comprehensive effort to bring together other areas of the county that work with homeless individuals, including health, criminal justice and social services. For example, under the plan, the county will provide bridge housing for individuals who are discharged from hospitals, jails and foster care, who might otherwise become homeless.
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CA: Court to rule on suit to scrap K-12 funding system
KPCC – February 19, 2016
Schools like Whittier have benefitted from a 2013 overhaul of California’s funding system that increased per pupil funding and added significantly more money for schools with high proportions of student in poverty, English learners, and in foster care. Those additional funds are called Local Control Funding Formula. “There’s considerable evidence that despite the efforts we’ve made as a state in recent years to improve funding for schools, we still have a long way to go to reach an adequately funded school system,”University of Southern California school finance expert Larry Picus said.
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CA: Stable funding sought for forensic center
San Diego Union Tribune – February 19, 2016
Two years ago, the aging Escondido office where police detectives took victims of rape or child abuse for their medical exams and to document their attacks was on the brink of closing. The problem: not enough money. Today, Forensic Health Services has regained its footing and has started a small endowment that it hopes will grow and keep the center operating for years to come.
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CA: Tortured children inspire legislation for background checks on guardians
Monterey Herald – February 19, 2016
The tragic demise of two children found in a storage unit in Northern California has inspired a new bill that would require formal scrutiny of individuals who take on children from incarcerated relatives.
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CA: Two more bills aim to protect California foster youth from dangerous psychiatric drugs
Inside Bay Area – February 19, 2016
Doctors could lose their medical licenses if they overprescribe psychiatric medications to California’s foster youth under a new Senate bill that for the first time targets the source of the often-questionable drugs being used to sedate troubled kids in the country’s largest child welfare system. Another bill, introduced Friday, would sanction government agencies that fail to offer nondrug therapy alternatives to help foster youth recover from their traumatic childhoods. Information Gateway resource: Use of Psychotropic Medications: Psychotropic (childwelfare.gov)
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FL: Celebrate Service: Anchorage Children’s Home reaches out to homeless youth
Panama City News Herald – February 19, 2016
For homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 22, Anchorage has a transitional living program, giving them a safe place to live and access to basic amenities while they continue their education or secure employment. Anchorage’s newest addition is a sibling group home that’s designed to keep large family groups together while their parents work on reunification.
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GA: Children needing foster homes reaches alarming high (Includes video)
WTVM – February 19, 2016
An alarming number of children entering the state of Georgia’s child welfare system is concerning Muscogee County leaders and human services workers.
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IA: Many Working to Solve Issue of Disproportionality of Children of Color in Foster Care (Includes video)
KCRG – February 21, 2016
According to data from Iowa KidsNet, an organization that works with the Department of Human Services to support foster families, in Linn County, 51 percent of the 196 children in foster care last summer identified as something other than Caucasian. In Johnson County, 73 percent of the 48 kids in foster care identified as a race other than Caucasian. The U.S. Census data shows that about 92 percent of Iowans are white.
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IL: Child advocacy groups denounce anti-trans legislation
Chicago Sun Times – February 19, 2016
National child advocacy groups have joined the nation’s largest LGBT rights agency to denounce legislation that restricts the rights of transgender children and youth.
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KY: Pilot project could allow public view of family court
CNHI News Service – February 19, 2016
Some family court proceedings might soon be opened to public view under a bill passed by the state Senate Friday.
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MS: Mississippi bill: OK to not help with same-sex marriage
Associated Press – February 19, 2016
State officials, private business owners and others who provide services to the public couldn’t be punished for acting on religious beliefs that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, under a bill advancing in the Mississippi Legislature. Also: ACLU of MS Opposes HB 1523, Religious Liberty Accommodations Act: Aclu ms opposes hb 1523 religious liberty accommodations act (aclu-ms.org)
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MT: Missoula project scoops up kids in crisis, prevents unnecessary hospitalization
Missoulian – February 21, 2016
Just as mental illness can’t be classified in black-and-white terms, neither should the response. That’s why five Missoula community mental health centers, Youth Homes, AWARE, Full Circle, Western Montana Mental Health Center and Youth Dynamics, joined forces to fill in the gray. The knee-jerk response, typically, is to throw a kid suffering from a mental illness or emotional disturbance in the hospital. Probation officers wanted to cut back, and a year later the Shirley Miller Attention Home was born. It gives short-term care to youth ages 10 to 18 in a crisis.
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NC: Wake Tech Program Helps Foster Kids Through College
WUNC – February 19, 2016
Wake Technical Community College is the only community college in the state with a program to help foster kids transition to college. The program, Fostering Bright Futures, guides the students through graduation at Wake Tech and assists in transfers to bachelor’s degree programs.
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NJ: Child Welfare Agents Immune from Civil Suit, Circuit Says (Requires free registration)
New Jersey Law Journal – February 19, 2016
New Jersey child welfare caseworkers who took a child from its mother during an investigation have qualified immunity from a due process suit because they had no notice, established by case law, that they were violating a clearly established constitutional right, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has ruled in a precedential opinion.
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OH: Below the Line: Tennessee-based YVLifeset helps former foster care youth find success as adults (Includes video)(Requires Free Registration)
WCPO – February 21, 2016
In 2015 in Hamilton County alone, 84 former foster youth aged out. That’s down from 116 in 2010 because of the emphasis county officials have placed on helping teens reunite with family or find adoptive homes before they leave the system, said Moira Weir, director of Hamilton County’s Department of Job & Family Services.
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OK: State treasurer on budget woes: ‘We can’t cut our way out of the problem’
Tulsa World – February 20, 2016
“We will likely need a lot of creativity to find answers to the serious issue of the state’s inability to adequately fund important state functions such as education, public safety, child welfare and the physical and mental health of our people, as well as human services and the basic infrastructure,” he said.
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OK: Moving on: Meadows of Hope auctioning off former boys-home facility
Stillwater News Press – February 19, 2016
A Perkins foster care community will be auctioning off a piece of its property to further grow its mission. On Wednesday, Meadows of Hope, a foster care community for boys and girls, will say “goodbye” to the massive, seven-bedroom facility, which was an integral part to its former mission.
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OR: Ground broken for Native American project
Portland Tribune – February 18, 2016
NAYA Generations Intergenerational Living is a comprehensive community development project designed around an early learning center, community longhouse, and housing community in the Native American tradition. The plan is to bring foster children, permanent families, and elders together into a mutually supportive and service-intensive community.
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SD: Major Child Advocacy Groups Urge Nation’s Governors to Reject Attacks on Transgender Child
Human Rights Campaign – February 19, 2016
As South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard faces a decision on whether to veto HB 1008, outrageous legislation that would prevent transgender students in public schools from using restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity, seven national health, education, and child advocacy groups joined the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in calling on Daugaard and other governors across the nation to reject the alarming and discriminatory bills being promoted in state legislatures targeting transgender children and their fundamental rights. Also: Yes, South Dakota’s Anti-Transgender Bill Really Is That Bad (Opinion): South dakota daugaard transgender veto (thinkprogress.org)
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TX: Buckner Child and Family Services Project HOPES mentors fathers to become better parents
Longview News-Journal – February 21, 2016
Buckner Child and Family Services Project HOPES started its 12-week “24/7 Dad” classes in January. It’s the first of its kind in Gregg County. Buckner Project HOPES is an initiative with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to serve children and families in at-risk situations.
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TX: How Family & Protective Services Has Shifted Focus to Prevention
KUT – February 19, 2016
There’s a new acronym Texans may want to memorize, PEI, or Prevention and Early Intervention. Instead of sending kids into foster care, the state is now aiming to prevent abuse and neglect altogether.
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UT: Lawmaker’s bill: State should be able to ignore court on gay marriage
Salt Lake Tribune – February 19, 2016
Sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, HB393, which is titled Sovereign Marriage Authority, seeks to grant Utah sole authority over domestic relations within its borders, including marriage, child welfare and adoption.
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VA: Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging LGBTQ protections for schoolchildren
Washington Post – February 19, 2016
A Virginia judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to overturn protections for gay and transgender students in Fairfax County Public Schools. Andrea Lafferty, the head of the conservative Traditional Values Coalition, and an unnamed student sued the county school board in December in Fairfax County Circuit Court. The lawsuit argued that the board overstepped its authority when it changed its policies to ban discrimination against gay and transgender students and staff because state law does not include such protections.
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VA: Vulnerable children at risk of parental sexual abuse
Fairfax Times – February 19, 2016
There is a problem with the Child Protective System in Northern Virginia which often fails to detect cases of sexual abuse, particularly when the abuser is a parent. Decreased capacity to detect cases of parental sexual abuse is largely due unrealistic expectations of the child’s disclosure of abuse, gender bias and irregularities in the conduct of abuse investigations, thereby placing children at further risk of abuse.
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VT: Law would protect kids’ IDs
Times Argus – February 21, 2016
Lawmakers are contemplating legislation intended to protect children from identity theft. Rep. Tom Burditt, R-West Rutland, is the lead sponsor on H.613, a bill with quadpartisan support, democrat, republican, independent and progressive, that would allow a parent or guardian to freeze a child’s credit, and would require a credit reporting agency to create a credit report for a child upon request. Burditt said he was motivated to create the proposed legislation after hearing from a foster parent in Rutland County who said many of her teenage charges had been exploited by their biological or adopted parents.
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WA: Governor seeks to improve children’s services
Columbia Basin Herald – February 21, 2016
Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order Thursday to create a commission focused on creating a new agency for child welfare. “Today we do not have a department that is specifically designated to the aspirations of our children,” said Inslee, while surrounded by young children and their parents.
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US: Keep heroin’s destruction out of the reach of children (Opinion)
Vindy – February 22, 2016
That’s a risk that this nation can ill afford to accept as the ruinous impact of substance-abusive parents on their children widens. Child-welfare authorities argue that in addition to a heightened risk of mistreatment, drug-dependent parents too often raise children who exhibit poor cognitive skills, delayed social and emotional development, depression, anxiety, and other mental-health symptoms, physical health maladies and substance-use problems.
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US: For Talia’s sake
Daily News – February 20, 2016
Having another agency involved in looking after the welfare of children living in military families will provide a stronger safety net for them. This bill would reduce the likelihood of another tragedy that took the life of Talia Williams. She deserved much better, and it’s in her memory that lawmakers should move this proposed legislation through the process and turn it into law.
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US: Early behavior therapy better than medication in treating children with ADHD
Medical Xpress – February 19, 2016
In the United States, medication is the first line of treatment for 90 percent of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, Florida International University (FIU) researchers have determined behavioral therapy, when used first, is more effective in treating children with ADHD than medication. It is also more cost-effective.
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US: Efforts intensify to curtail child marriage
Associated Press – February 19, 2016
Child marriage wasn’t an issue of note for Virginia state Sen. Jill Vogel until she heard the stories circulating in her district about a man in his early 50s marrying a girl in her mid-teens, warding off a police investigation of his relationship with her. Now Vogel is lead sponsor of a bill advancing in Virginia’s legislature that would sharply curtail child marriage. “Our marriage laws in Virginia are not protecting children,” she said. A similar measure has been introduced in Maryland, and a pending bill in New York goes even further, it would make the state the first to ban marriage altogether for anyone under 18.
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US: How Routine Can Help Your Foster Child Heal
Huffington Post – February 19, 2016
All families have some sort of routine and patterns of behavior that exist within their home. If your family is like my own, your own family has a routine that you follow on a daily or regular basis. Depending upon the type of household your foster child came from, he may not be familiar with your day to day routine. Indeed, he may come from a home that had no set routine or schedule. Many of my own foster children have come from such a household. Even more, your foster child may have lived in a home where there were no expectations of him, and no rules for him to follow. It is important that you include your foster child into your family, and into your routine
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US: Mass Incarceration’s Toll on Women
Huffington Post – February 19, 2016
Women are the invisible casualties caught not only in our warehousing of people, but our failed Drug War. Our nation’s war on drugs has resulted in tens of thousands of children displaced into foster care and later-homelessness.
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INTERNATIONAL

Barbados: EDITORIAL: Foster care needs expanding
Barbados News Leader – February 20, 2016
Hundreds of youngsters across Barbados, the products of one-night stands, prostitution or teenage sex that didn’t begin with a desire for pregnancy are in need of care, putting the onus on the Child Care Board. Barbados’ eight children’s homes are already raising about 100 youngsters, evidence of our long-standing interest in children’s welfare. There is an obvious need to expand our existing child protection services. Yes, in these tough financial times with prolonged high unemployment, finding the money to do it wouldn’t be easy. But Government must do it.
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Canada: Indigenous Children Denied Medical Care In ‘Standard’ Practice: Critic (Includes video)
The Canadian Press – February 19, 2016
Aboriginal children are denied critical medical and orthodontic procedures as a matter of standard government practice, says NDP indigenous affairs critic Charlie Angus, who is demanding answers from Health Minister Jane Philpott.
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AZ: State promises cost control during payroll system overhaul (Opinion)
KHON – February 18, 2016
Kolea’s next major phase will at least double or triple its current scope by adding qualifications for food and cash assistance, child welfare and adult protection. That should be out for bid this year, but at what cost to taxpayers and can we make a crucial deadline?
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CA: TAY Collaborative Curriculum Chosen for Innovative Foster Youth Jobs Initiative (Press release)
PRWeb – February 19, 2016
Hosted by The Los Angeles Transition Age Youth Collaborative (TAY Collaborative), Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC), iFoster, Los Angeles Trade Tech College, and the Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) and facilitated by Hillsides Youth Moving On, the series of five workshops use the World of Work curriculum, developed by Columbia University and customized by the TAY Collaborative for the unique employment needs of Los Angeles foster and crossover youth. Information Gateway resources: Support Services for Youth in Transition: Employment: Support services for youth in transition employment (childwelfare.gov)
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GA: Clergy oppose First Amendment Defense Act
Associated Baptist Press – February 18, 2016
Georgia has 16,000 children in state foster care, and the so called First Amendment Defense Act would give nonprofit adoption agencies that receive state funds the ability to discriminate against LGBT couples who are looking to adopt, as well as non-celibate singles.
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KS: North Newton case latest reason to worry about DCF (Opinion)
Wichita Eagle – February 18, 2016
The Legislature recently authorized a sweeping audit of whether the Kansas Department for Children and Families is ensuring the safety of children in foster care, a needed response to an alarming number of deaths in the system since 2014.
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KY: Kenton County case raises questions on same-sex parents’ custody rights
Associated Press – February 18, 2016
A lesbian fighting for joint custody of a child borne by her ex-partner when they were still together won a court ruling Thursday in Kentucky that lets her case go forward.
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LA: DCFS worker says she didn’t create fake reports; bosses condoned skirting rules
The Advocate – February 18, 2016
The former child welfare worker accused of failing her job of checking on foster children is explaining her actions through her lawyer, a day after she was arrested on counts of filing fake paperwork in her cases.
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LA: State lawmakers are learning that agency cuts made during former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s tenure may have gone deeper than the efficiencies that were described
Associated Press – February 18, 2016
For example, Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters told the House Appropriations Committee that the state pays so little to foster parents, it has been unable to find enough people to take in Louisiana’s foster children.
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MI: An Insider’s Look Into the Foster Care System (Audio)
WDET – February 18, 2016
Saba Gebrai, the Director of the Park West Foundation, joins Bankole Thompson on to Redline to share an inside look into the Foster Care system.
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MT: ‘Protect Montana Kids’ Commission Hears From Foster Kids For First Time (Includes audio)
Montana Public Radio – February 18, 2016
On Thursday, the Commission spent the afternoon listening to stories of child abuse, abandonment and neglect from six kids who have gone through the state’s foster system. Also: Teens relate uncertainty, frustrations in foster care: Article 2677bdae 2c29 52fc 8357 84ec1d357f24 (mtstandard.com) Also: Panel hears about growing number of abuse cases: greatfallstribune.com
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MT: Panel hears about growing number of abuse cases
Great Falls Tribune – February 18, 2016
Judges on Thursday told a panel looking at child protection services in the state that they have taken measures to expedite moving cases through the system in the wake of reports showing a large increase in court filings over the past five years.
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NC: As foster kids transition to adult life, Wake Tech program offers special help (Includes video)
WRAL – February 18, 2016
Fostering Bright Futures is a program that connects those students with the care they need–at no cost.
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NE: Debate continues over faith-based child welfare organizations in Nebraska (Includes video)
KETV – February 18, 2016
Sen. Adam Morfeld wants the state to investigate whether some faith-based child welfare organizations violated federal law. The call comes after leaders of the organizations testified they turn away some prospective foster parents because of their religion. Also: Legislative issues heating up (Opinion): Legislative issues heating (catholicvoiceomaha.com)
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NY: City to Target Teen Dating Violence With Workshops for Foster Care Youth
The Observer – February 19, 2016
It can be hard for a teenager to figure out what kind of behavior is healthy, and what kind isn’t, when navigating a romantic relationship for the first time, especially so if they’re already dealing with the challenges of being in foster care. But today, the city will announce plans to reach 5,000 of those young people a year with workshops on how to recognize unhealthy relationships, just in time for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
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OH: Children’s Services to return to voters with levy request in November
WCPO – February 19, 2016
The agency, which hasn’t had an increase in levy funding for two decades, will again present a new levy request to voters in November. Whatever they ask, the levy request will come on the heels of the agency’s deadliest year since 2010. Three children with cases at Hamilton County Children’s Services died from abuse or neglect last year.
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OR: Ground broken for Native American project
Portland Tribune – February 18, 2016
NAYA Generations Intergenerational Living is a comprehensive community development project designed around an early learning center, community longhouse, and housing community in the Native American tradition. The plan is to bring foster children, permanent families, and elders together into a mutually supportive and service-intensive community.
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SC: Senators: High DSS caseloads mean children still at risk
Associated Press – February 18, 2016
Despite the hiring of 170 caseworkers, high caseloads persist in South Carolina’s troubled Department of Social Services. Deputy director Taron Davis told a Senate panel this week that 73 caseworkers still have caseloads of more than 50 children, more than double the caseload goals set in 2014 amid increased scrutiny from legislators
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TX: Mother Arrested On Charges Of Filing Five Years Of False CPS Reports
Opposing Views – February 18, 2016
“It’s devastating,” Waddell continued. “It’s very detrimental to the case for one, but it could be devastating to that particular parent socially, financially. They could possibly lose their job, lose their child, temporarily or forever.”
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WA: Remann Hall of today: Fewer kids in detention, more court proceedings for child abuse and neglect
News Tribune – February 18, 2016
So, with fewer offenders to oversee, is there less work for the juvenile court to do at Remann Hall? No, because at the same time criminal cases have gone down, dependency cases, in which the state steps in for a child’s welfare, have gone up. “These are kids that are being abused and neglected, and being referred to the court at a higher rate than before,” Bohl said.
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US: For Talia’s sake: Proposed bill would offer more protection for military children (Opinion)
Watertown Daily Times – February 19, 2016
The Talia Williams Child Abuse Notification Act, also known as Talia’s Law, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in November as H.R. 3894 and approved last week. It was sent to the U.S. Senate and assigned to the Committee on Armed Services.
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US: Renew Help to Homeless Youth (Opinion)
Huffington Post – February 18, 2016
The modest investment in Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs has laid the foundation for a national system of services for our displaced youth. These essential programs must continue through passage of a fully funded and inclusive Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act.
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US: KidCheck Childrens Check-In Leads Child Protection Policy Workshop at Childrens Pastors’ Conference (Press release)
PRWeb – February 16, 2016
Providers of secure children’s check-in software KidCheck’s “The Child Protection Policy Unwrapped” workshop is designed to help identify the most current and essential elements of an effective Child Protection Policy. It is led by Angela Lewton, KidCheck’s child safety expert and Darkness to Light Facilitator. The workshop provides helpful insight and ideas whether an organization is updating an existing plan or starting from scratch.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Helping foster carers form closer bonds to their children
The Age – February 19, 2016
Professor Gillian Schofield, who has been researching foster care for close to 20 years, advises foster parents and the case workers who support them to go “a step beyond common sense”.
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Canada: “No wait period” to report missing child, says child protection agency (Includes video)
Global News – February 18, 2016
Families reeling from the uncertainty of their child’s whereabouts have resources and support they can turn to in times of need.
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United Kingdom: Child abuse trials highlight conflict over punishment versus treatment
Northern Echo – February 18, 2016
Organisations like the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) have added their weight to the campaign and called for “the gap to be plugged”. Chief executive Pete Saunders said: “We are deeply disturbed by the tendency of offenders to be given non-custodial sentences when found guilty, based on the plea that, if they don’t receive a certain time in prison they will not be able to receive treatment.
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United Kingdom: Young people in care ‘twice as likely to be unemployed’
Belfast Telegraph – February 18, 2016
More than 350 people aged between 16 and 21 in the local care system are either out of work or not in education or training, according to the study commissioned by Business in the Community and Include Youth. Also: New report provides solution to NEET challenge in UK and abroad: Newreportprovidessolutiontoneetchallengeinukandabroad (hud.ac.uk) Report: eprints.hud.ac.uk
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AZ: Arizona Child Welfare System Struggling To Retain Caseworkers
KJZZ – February 17, 2016
Arizona’s child welfare system says it needs money for staff to lighten crushing caseloads. But legislators at Tuesday’s committee hearing questioned the agency’s turnover rate. The Arizona Department of Child Safety is operating with fewer caseworkers than the state allotted. In the last nine months, DCS has lost nearly 200 case-carrying workers.
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AZ: Lawmaker amends adoption bill amid concerns
Arizona Republic – February 17, 2016
A southern Arizona lawmaker has amended a bill that would allow counties to help families adopt children, amid concerns that it could unintentionally lead to discrimination against other would-be adoptive parents, including same-sex couples. Senate Bill 1330 would allow counties to provide free legal work to end a parent’s custodial rights so someone else can move forward with an adoption. These are often cases in which family members or foster parents would like to adopt a child they are already caring for, but can’t locate the biological parent.
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CA: City of Sacramento joins efforts to prevent black children’s deaths
Sacramento Bee – February 17, 2016
The Sacramento City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to invest $750,000 in a $26 million county-led program designed to bring down the region’s alarming number of African American child deaths, marking a commitment to improving outcomes in one of Sacramento’s most disadvantaged communities.
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CA: Five Acres Announces National Re-Accreditation
Pasadena Now – February 17, 2016
Five Acres has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). Five Acres provides community-based, deaf services, residential, foster care and adoption programs and a nonpublic school. Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of Five Acres’ programs, services, management, and administration.
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GA: State Senate merges 2 bills protecting same-sex marriage objectors
Associated Press – February 16, 2016
A bill headed toward a vote in the Georgia Senate would allow faith-based organizations to refuse services to same-sex couples without government penalties, including loss of taxpayer funding.
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IN: Proposed adoption adaptation offers more secure child placement
The Exponent – February 17, 2016
A Purdue professor has suggested a change in the adoption process. Karen Foli, an associate professor of nursing, recommends screening for depression in an overlooked member involved in the adoption: the parents.
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KS: Kansas Senate committee considers trial foster care program
Associated Press – February 17, 2016
A Senate committee is considering legislation that would establish an experimental foster care program in Kansas open exclusively to adults in stable marriages of at least seven years and with a minimum of one stay-at-home spouse.
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LA: Louisiana’s child protection system understaffed and overburdened after years of cuts, child advocates say
The Advocate – February 17, 2016
To explain why she dodged her required visits with foster children and created fake documentation to hide the deceit, state investigators say, a former Louisiana child welfare worker told them she was under pressure by supervisors to get “things done no matter what.”
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LA: Social service cuts could be deep, state official says
Associated Press – February 17, 2016
The head of Louisiana’s social services department says cuts proposed for this year would leave her agency only able to investigate the most serious cases of child abuse. The Department of Children and Family Services’ faces reductions of more than $15 million before the budget year ends June 30.
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MA: DCF increases number of social workers
State House News Service – February 17, 2016
Forced to reassess itself following high-profile deaths in recent years, the state agency charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect has hired hundreds of new workers and, based on Gov. Charlie Baker’s latest budget, could reach a two-year hiring total of 600 new positions.
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MD: Md. only state without criminal penalty for failing to report child abuse
WUSA9 – February 17, 2016
So how could the teacher’s aide get away with abusing that many children before someone finally reported it? Child safety advocates said Maryland’s law on reporting abuse may have made matters worse. Information Gateway resource: Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Reporting (childwelfare.gov)
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MI: Start From Here Campaign Gains Support in Detroit
PrideSource – February 18, 2016
Executive Director of the Ruth Ellis Center, Jerry Peterson, notes, “It is challenging to document a fixed number of homeless youth in Detroit because they are so often invisible. Detroit Public Schools has documented over 4,500 children who are homeless, many with their families. The Homeless Action Network of Detroit has estimated that there are around 3,000 unaccompanied youth who are homeless. A Youth Homelessness Task Force, formed by Councilwoman Mary Sheffield, is working to establish a more complete picture of homelessness among children and youth in Detroit.”
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MT: New member named to Protect Montana Kids panel
Great Falls Tribune – February 17, 2016
On Friday, Gov. Steve Bullock announced he was appointing Rep. Chuck Hunter, D-Helena, to the panel that is assessing child protection services in the state. Hunter is the minority leader in the House of Representatives.
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NE: Nebraska child welfare groups seek religious exemption
Associated Press – February 17, 2016
A bill introduced in the Nebraska Legislature would prevent child placement agencies that refuse to license gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender foster parents on religious principle from losing state funding. Also: Foster Care Groups Debate at the Capitol (Includes video): Foster Care Parents Debate at the Capitol (1011now.com) Also: Controversial debate over foster families in Legislature (Includes video): Controversial debate over foster families in legislature (klkntv.com)
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NH: Bill aims to ban unregulated child custody transfers, a process known as ‘re-homing’
Concord Monitor – February 17, 2016
A couple adopts a teenage girl, but they realize they can’t care for her complex needs. So the parents turn to the internet to find a new caregiver for the minor. After meeting a couple on Facebook, they sign over their custodial rights and a second adoption effectively takes place without any oversight or vetting by child protective agencies, courts or attorneys. It’s a process known as “re-homing,” and a group of New Hampshire officials is now seeking to ban it in the state.
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NY: Something to Think About: You can help a foster child in many ways besides parenting
Pocono Record – February 17, 2016
Foster family care is a social service that provides substitute or interim living in a family setup for children who, for various reasons, cannot remain in their own homes and must be separated from their natural or legal parents. Some wind up spending only a few days at one home and then stuffing their belongings back in the bag and heading for another home.
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OK: Non-Profit On Mission To Bring Awareness To Child Abuse (Includes video)
News On 6 – February 17, 2016
The non-profit organization Save Our Youth, or SOY is working with the child’s family. They said, whenever a child dies suspiciously or needs help, they will be there. SOY said it’s not their job to determine if it’s a crime, but to provide knowledge and help families when they need it most.
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OK: Oklahoma bill could refuse people to adoption services if passed (Includes video)
KTUL – February 17, 2016
Couples could be refused as foster care or adoptive parents in Oklahoma. This is due to a bill that is now heading to the House of Representatives for a vote. State Representative Sally Kern authored the proposal.
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PA: Answering foster care, adoption need brings rewards (Opinion)
Lancaster Bee – February 17, 2016
Children in the foster care system face many difficult challenges. Often they do not have consistency, which can be so important to a child’s mental wellbeing and development.
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SC: Anderson, Oconee DSS caseloads ‘startling’
Greenville News – February 17, 2016
Taron Davis, who directs child welfare operations for DSS, told a Senate DSS oversight committee Wednesday that caseload numbers are particularly “concerning and startling” in Anderson and Oconee counties. In fact, she said, an Anderson caseworker currently has the highest caseload in the state, managing 119 children. Another in Anderson has 92 cases and three others are managing more than 80 children.
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SC: South Carolina to Spend $30M to Cut Infant Mortality, Using Value-Based Principles
AJMC – February 17, 2016
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley yesterday pledged $30 million to tackle her state’s rural infant mortality rates, through a proven program that pairs nurses with new mothers.
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TX: Court decision on foster care shows changes needed (Opinion)
Star-Telegram – February 17, 2016
The recent federal court decision against Texas’ foster care system reads like a horror movie screenplay. But reading it sickened me, because I knew this was not fiction.
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UT: Utah rep says male-female parents are best for foster kids ‘in the interest of diversity’ (Opinion) (Video)
The Salt Lake Tribune – February 17, 2016
Utah Rep. Kraig Powell (R-Heber City) wants to draft a bill that would reinstate preferential treatment for married opposite-sex couples over married same-sex couples regarding adoptions of children in foster care.
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WV: W.Va. House passes bill to give pregnant women priority in drug treatment
The Herald-Dispatch – February 17, 2016
The West Virginia House of Delegates has approved a bill that would give priority to pregnant women when it comes to substance abuse treatment.
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US: Alumnus starts a nonprofit to help foster children
Daily Titan – February 17, 2016
Together We Rise (TWR) is a national nonprofit organization started in 2008 by Cal State Fullerton alumnus Danny Mendoza. The organization is dedicated to giving children who are transitioning into foster care “a sense of normalcy in their sometimes turbulent world,” according to TWR’s website.
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US: An In-depth Look at Child Welfare Finance Reform (Opinion)
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 17, 2016
The Chronicle of Social Change will spend 2016 investigating how the federal government pays for child welfare, and the emerging momentum behind changing it, through a series of opinion and analysis stories called “Dollars & Priorities.” Here are links to the first three pieces in the series: ? Dollars & Priorities: An introduction by Publisher Daniel Heimpel chronicleofsocialchange.org ? The Great Waiver Myth by Sean Hughes chronicleofsocialchange.org ? Do Waivers Work? Compared to What? by Richard Wexler chronicleofsocialchange.org
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US: Are You a Legal Stranger to Your Children?
Huffington Post – February 17, 2016
Without a formal adoption, non-biological parents are essentially strangers to their children in the eyes of the law.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: More than 3000 child protection cases in Victoria involve sex offenders
The Age – February 18, 2016
Registered sex offenders were linked to more than 3000 child protection cases in Victoria last year, a dramatic increase from 1100 four years ago. Child protection reports have also soared, from about 82,000 in 2013-14 to 91,000 last year, the Victorian government’s public accounts and estimates hearing was told.
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United Kingdom: NSPCC Condemns Police Child Sex Abuse Failures, After HMIC Says A Third Of Forces Fail To Fight It Effectively
The Huffington Post UK – February 18, 2016
A third of police forces are failing to fight child sex exploitation effectively, something the NSPCC condemned as “deeply depressing” in the wake of major, high-profile scandals over the crime.
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AZ: Moms fight for Jacob’s Law to get therapy for foster kids (Includes video)
12News – February 16, 2016
Foster parents are pleading with state lawmakers to help them get help for the emotionally-battered children they take in.
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CT: & SC: Connecticut, South Carolina Launch Social Impact Bond Programs
Philanthropy News Digest – February 17, 2016
The governors of Connecticut and South Carolina have announced the launch of new social impact bonds – also known as pay-for-success programs – coordinated by nonprofit organization Social Finance to help underwrite efforts to address complex social challenges.
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CT: Officials announce new program for substance abuse treatment
The Connecticut Mirror – February 16, 2016
Reacting to a spike in drug overdoses in Connecticut and the placement of hundreds of youths into foster care because of substance abuse – mostly by their parents – state and federal officials announced a public-private partnership that would offer 500 additional families substance abuse treatment.
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IN: Getting Indiana’s Kids the Help They Need (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 17, 2016
A program launched two years ago has helped over 800 Indiana families with children who are suffering from behavior problems or mental health issues by cutting the time their parents spend searching for assistance. Information Gateway resource: Range of Mental Health Services: Services (childwelfare.gov)
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IN: Report details Ind. kids’ mental health, abuse
Courier-Journal – February 15, 2016
A report released Monday aims to provide a snapshot of the issues facing youth in Indiana, which include substance abuse, teen pregnancy and mental health problems. Also: Indiana ranks fifth in first-time child abuse cases: Article 7e2aab09 29c4 583b 80dd 3a08e52786f8 (reporter-times.com) Report: 2016 kids count in indiana data book (lintvwane.files.wordpress.com)
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KY: Preventing child deaths – a step in the right direction (Opinion)
Harlan Daily Enterprise – February 16, 2016
Sen. Adam’s proposal, Senate Bill 40 (SB 40), utilizes a commonsense approach to moving our state toward greater openness. Beginning with pilot sites will allow Kentucky to identify and refine best practices before implementation in every jurisdiction. SB 40 also contains safeguards which effectively balance the public’s need for information with a child’s legitimate interest in confidentiality.
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MA: DCF chief: Fiscal ’17 budget proposal would support director for 29 offices
Lowell Sun – February 16, 2016
Forced to reassess itself following high-profile deaths in recent years, the agency charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect has hired hundreds of new workers and, based on Gov. Charlie Baker’s latest budget, could reach a two-year hiring total of 600 new positions.
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MS: State’s Foster Care System Requests $34.4 Million
Jackson Free Press – February 16, 2016
Children have died and suffered mistreatment in the state’s foster-care system, and the Mississippi Department of Human Services is requesting $34.4 million to change conditions that lead to the abuse.
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NH: Ban sought on unregulated child custody transfers
Concord Monitor – February 17, 2016
It’s a process known as “re-homing,” and a group of New Hampshire officials is now seeking to ban it in the state.
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NY: ‘Tri-parenting’ in family court (Opinion)
Washington Post – February 16, 2016
This case involves issues of custody, removal, and support surrounding an unusual agreement entered into between three friends to conceive and jointly raise a child in a tri-parenting arrangement.
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TX: Guest View: Texas children deserve better (Opinion)
OA Online – February 16, 2016
The recent federal court decision against Texas’ foster care system reads like the screenplay for a horror movie. I was sickened and depressed after I read it, because I knew this was not fiction. Almost 100 of the decision’s 260 pages recount the stories of the plaintiffs, detailing real-life atrocities they suffered throughout their wrecked childhoods
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WA: Report: WA kids in juvenile-justice system often have history with Child Protective Services
Pacific Northwest Inlander – February 16, 2016
Nearly half of the kids in Spokane County who have had contact with the juvenile justice system have also run into the state child welfare system, according to a report released last month by the Washington State Center for Court Research. Report: MSY Paper2 Final (courts.wa.gov)
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INTERNATIONAL

Italy: 700 jurists for ‘stepchild adoption’
ANSA – February 16, 2016
‘Kids with gay parents need protection’ say judges, lawyers. A group of 718 family lawyers, judges, and constitutional experts on Tuesday delivered an appeal to Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini in favor of the so-called stepchild adoption measure contained in a civil unions bill now before the Senate.
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Vatican City: Vatican Reminds Catholic Bishops to Report Child Abuse
Gospel Herald – February 16, 2016
The Vatican has clarified its stance regarding the duty of church leaders in reporting cases of child abuse. According to the Holy See, it is still the duty of the members of the Catholic Church to act upon instances such as these.
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AZ: Numbers climb for Arizona children in group settings
Arizona Daily Star – February 13, 2016
Nearly 30 percent of the children removed from their homes between July and September were taken to an emergency shelter or group setting, not a foster home, data from the state’s Child Safety Oversight Committee shows.
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CA: Latino youths see big rise in psychiatric hospitalizations
Kaiser Health News – February 15, 2016
Psychiatric hospitalizations of Latino children and young adults in California are rising dramatically and at a much faster pace than among their peers, according to state data.
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CT: Cutting DCF: Right-sizing or wrong-headed?
Connecticut Mirror – February 16, 2016
“DCF, they’re spread too thin. They can’t deal with the amount of need that’s here,” the tearful guidance counselor at Hartford Public High School told members of the Governor’s Youth and Urban Violence Commission earlier this month.
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FL: #AJustFaith Against Religious Bigotry (Opinion)
Huffington Post – February 15, 2016
In Florida, the “Pastor Protection Act” (HB 43) is moving through the legislature which, as of now, ensures pastors or other religious leaders aren’t forced to perform marriages that violate their religious beliefs and would help protect them from lawsuits. Last spring, legislators tried to make it possible for taxpayer-funded foster care agencies to discriminate against any child or family, so long as the discrimination was based on “deeply held moral principles.” This is the same language of the “The Pastor Protection Act.”
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FL: Legislators have cash; now have a heart (Opinion)
Miami Herald – February 15, 2016
Lawmakers are having a vigorous debate as to whether they should restore “$1 billion in cuts to the state’s tattered safety net for the state’s most vulnerable children, disabled and elderly.” Related: Tone shifts as GOP pushes back against permanent tax cuts, but safety net remains frayed: tampabay.com
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IN: Editorial: Protections needed for foster parents
Herald Bulletin – February 13, 2016
They undergo rigorous training to ensure they are nurturing and protecting the children who have been placed in their care by the state. They must pass background checks, complete first aid courses and undergo home visits, among a dozen requirements. Those guidelines, however, do not protect foster parents from harassment by the families of children placed into foster care.
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KS: Kansas senator makes case for experimental foster care program in Kansas
Topeka Capital-Journal – February 15, 2016
Legislation delved into by a Senate committee Monday establishes an experimental foster care program in Kansas open exclusively to adults in stable marriages of at least seven years and with a minimum of one stay-at-home spouse. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, would grant foster parents in the statewide pilot program an exemption from standard licensing applicable to child care facilities.
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LA: Arrest warrant accuses state worker of falsely reporting at least 20 times she had checked on foster children
The Advocate – February 15, 2016
Kimberly Deann Lee, 49, of Calhoun, faces 20 counts of filing false public records and a count of malfeasance in office, according to an arrest warrant filed Feb. 10 by the Office of Inspector General in the 19th Judicial District Court. Also: Warrant issued for DCFS employee accused of falsifying reports on mandatory foster-home visits: Warrant issued for dcfs employee accused of falsifying reports on mandatory foster home… (wafb.com)
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MA: Baby Safe Haven New England praises infant surrender law
Wicked Local Norwood – February 13, 2016
Under the law, parents can surrender infants who are 7 days old or younger at a hospital, police station or manned fire station without facing criminal prosecution. Infants are then taken into Department of Children and Families custody and placed in foster care.
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NC: Mixed Report: Health of NC’s Children (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 16, 2016
The health of North Carolina’s children has the potential to impact the state for generations to come and this year the state is getting mixed reviews for it’s efforts. NC Child issued its annual report card today tracking 40 areas of child health. 2016 North Carolina Child Health Report Card: 2016 north carolina child health report card (ncchild.org)
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ND: Indian Child Welfare Act and Wellness Week
North Dakota Office of the Governor – February 14, 2016
It is important for state and tribal agencies to continue to work together to ensure a future of hope and opportunity for all North Dakota children and families.
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NE: Hytrek: Nebraska adoption bill could hurt LGBT parents (Opinion)
Daily Nebraskan – February 15, 2016
Late last month, Sen. Mark Kolterman introduced LB975, called the Welfare Services Preservation Act, in the Nebraska Legislature. The bill, which concerns adoption, asserts that “Nebraska has a critical need to find and retain safe, loving and supportive homes for children,” because there are more children who need homes than there are homes to take them. The fourth part of the second section is the component of the bill that garners the most attention. This part of the bill states in order to ensure these organizations keep doing their good work, “The government should not take adverse action against child-placing agencies based on their sincerely held religious beliefs.” I suspect that this is the core purpose of the bill.
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NH: Hassan to seek no-bid contract for DCYF review
Union Leader – February 13, 2016
Four months after announcing plans to do so, Gov. Maggie Hassan has yet to initiate an independent, comprehensive review of the state’s much-criticized child protection services system. A spokesman said the governor’s office has been laying the groundwork for the review, and a contract will surface at an unspecified upcoming meeting of the Governor and Executive Council.
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NM: Senate approves budget cuts
Associated Press – February 15, 2016
New Mexico’s Senate has approved a $6.2 billion budget for the coming year that cuts spending and dips into reserves to offset a plunge in revenues linked to low oil prices. Some spending increases next year would be preserved for state prisons, the Department of Public Safety, public schools, Medicaid and child protective services.
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OR: Pathfinders of Oregon Receives Grant from Spirit Mountain Community Fund (Press release)
PR Web – February 16, 2016
Pathfinders of Oregon has been awarded a grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund. The grant will support Pathfinders’ Mentoring Inside Out program for children whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system.
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TN: School board members react to Ooltewah assault court hearing (Includes video)
WRCB TV – February 15, 2016
The case against three Ooltewah High school staff members charged with failure to report a sexual assault will be sent to a grand jury. Judge Philyaw acknowledged the mandatory reporter law is hard to interpret, and his decision was difficult to make.
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TX: There’s Little Outrage For the 12000 Kids Suffering in the Texas Foster Care System
Houston Press – February 16, 2016
Filed by a New York-based advocacy group called Children’s Rights, the lawsuit alleged that state officials showed deliberate indifference to the roughly 12,000 kids stuck in a gutter of DFPS known as Permanent Managing Conservatorship. These were kids who’d been written off and expected to be banished to state custody until they aged out at 18.
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TX: San Antonio judge wants answers in Children’s Hope investigation (Includes video)
Fox 34 – February 15, 2016
It’s been two weeks since dozens of children were moved from two Children’s Hope Residential Treatment Centers and transported to San Antonio. According to the assistant district attorney for Bexar County, it was Children’s Hope Residential Services that gave CPS a 30-day notice to move the children from its facilities. Bexar County Judge Richard Garcia says that is “unheard of.”
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UT: Op-ed: By its actions, Utah shows it undervalues its children
Salt Lake Tribune – February 13, 2016
Our state leaders, like any politicians, will wax eloquent about their concern for the welfare of children. In reality, professionals are given respect according to the age of the clients they work with. Our leaders claim repeatedly that our children are a priority, and yet their policy decisions don’t support this.
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VT: Broken bonds: When the state severs family ties
Times Argus – February 14, 2016
According to the Vermont Department for Children and Families Commissioner Ken Schatz, there is little recourse for grandmothers and extended family once parental rights are removed. “The law is specific to parents,” he said of appeals to the family court decision. “Regarding grandparents, there is no authority for official decisions, but there can be informal arrangements with foster parents.”
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WA: House approves Hargrove’s bill to ensure foster parents receive notice of hearings
Kent Reporter – February 13, 2016
nder House Bill 2591, DSHS would be required to provide foster parents with timely and adequate notice of their right to be heard before each dependency court proceeding. Rep. Mark Hargrove says this a long-overdue reform to the state’s foster care system.
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WA: Who we don’t talk about when we talk about Seattle’s homeless
MyNorthwest.com – February 13, 2016
Despite Mayor Ed Murray calling a state of emergency over Seattle’s homeless crisis, not commonly among the conversation are young adults living on the streets. The root cause of youth homelessness is family disruption. Otherwise they would be at home,” said Mary Steele, executive director with New Horizons. “We serve people ages 13-24. They’re folks you would expect to have family supporting them. But they are not.” Information Gateway Resource: Promoting Protective Factors for In-Risk Families and Youth: A Guide for Practitioners: childwelfare.gov
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WI: Stakeholders take a variety of approaches to address human trafficking
Badger Herald – February 15, 2016
A bipartisan bill Subeck coauthored would classify child sex trafficking as child abuse, allowing child protective services to be involved in the cases. Subeck said her bill is a step in the right direction for dealing with the issue of sex trafficking in the state because it would strengthen the processes of finding justice and promoting recovery. Information Gateway Resources: Human Trafficking: Trafficking (childwelfare.gov)
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US: More grandparents taking on parental role for grandchildren
Associated Press – February 16, 2016
Nationwide, there are 2.7 million grandparents raising grandchildren, and about one-fifth have incomes that fall below the poverty line, according to census figures.
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US: Homelessness remains a problem for former foster care youth
World – February 15, 2016
A University of Chicago survey of former foster youth found half unemployed and one-quarter homeless by the time they were in their early 20s. Eight in 10 had been arrested, 6 in 10 had been convicted of a crime, and 3 in four young women had been pregnant.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Tas child welfare reports hit by IT glitch
Australian Associated Press (AAP) – February 16, 2016
A glitch in Tasmania Police’s computer system means almost 170 reports, including concerns for child welfare, were not referred for further investigation.
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Canada: Youth in care living with violence daily, new report finds
Toronto Star – February 16, 2016
Ontario’s Advocate for Children and Youth canvassed youth in foster care, group homes, justice facilities and mental health treatment centres to talk about the violence in their lives.
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Nepal: Pulling children out of Nepal’s prisons
CNN – February 11, 2016
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, according to UNICEF, 55% of the population lives below the international poverty line, so it lacks the social safety net that exists in most Western nations. Space is extremely limited in the few children’s homes affiliated with the government. So when no local guardian is available, an arrested parent often must choose between bringing their children to jail with them or letting them live on the streets. Nepal’s Department of Prison Management estimates 80 children live in the nation’s prisons.
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Panama: Raleigh couple saving lives with their adoption agency (Includes video)
WNCN – February 15, 2016
“We ended up going into the orphanages and seeing the huge problem in Panama, which is the orphans weren’t getting out and staying in there until they are 18,” Misty said.
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Singapore: Cases of abandoned babies rare in Singapore
The Straight Times – February 14, 2016
Cases of abandoned babies remain relatively rare in Singapore, with just 21 babies found dumped by their parents between 2006 and 2015.
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Vatican City: Gregorian University begins course on child protection
Vatican Radio – February 16, 2016
The Pontifical Gregorian University on Monday began its first Diploma Program on the Safeguarding of Minors. The one-semester course is conducted under auspices of the Centre for Child Protection, as a unit of the University’s Institute of Psychology.
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AK: Dramatic spike in foster children overwhelming state agencies
Alaska Dispatch News – February 13, 2016
A surprising spike in the number of Alaska children in foster care appears rooted both in a heroin epidemic and a more aggressive response by a state agency to reports of endangered children, state officials say.
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AZ: More Arizona kids in group foster homes, despite state’s pledge
Arizona Daily Star – February 13, 2016
Nearly 30 percent of the children removed from their homes between July and September were taken to an emergency shelter or group setting, not a foster home, data from the state’s Child Safety Oversight Committee show. That compares with about 19 percent in late 2013 and a nationwide rate of about 14 percent.
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CT: Bill to Help Homeless Families Find Child Care Gets a Hearing (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 15, 2016
Child care is a vital service, but particularly for homeless families, that’s the message advocates will be delivering Tuesday to the state Senate’s Committee on Children. The committee is considering a bill that would increase access to child care for homeless children. Lisa Tepper Bates, director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, says the bill would help homeless families get back on their feet.
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FL: Floridians injured by government struggle for compensation
Associated Press – February 14, 2016
Some two dozen bills have been filed in this year’s legislative session to compensate people injured by the mistakes or negligence of government agencies: wrongly convicted prisoners, children abused by foster parents, people maimed or killed in accidents with police vehicles, and even a football player who died during practice.
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FL: Life for homeless schoolchildren means isolation, struggle
Associated Press – February 13, 2016
The shelter, a converted former school building in a working class corner of the city, is crowded with as many as 25 women and children at a time. Twenty-two of its 25 beds are now taken, and the demand is constantly growing.
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GA: State agency admits problems in how it reviews abuse cases
Associated Press – February 14, 2016
A new report shows that Georgia’s child protection agency has identified serious problems in how the agency investigates reports of child abuse and neglect.
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ID: Lawmakers plan to introduce foster care bill (Includes video)
Idaho Statesman – February 12, 2016
In response to news coverage and social-media campaigns for foster-care reform, the department has issued a public statement. saying that in order to improve the system,”We need the voices of everyone building consensus,” including families, current and former foster youth, schools, the justice system, guardians ad litem and social workers.
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KY: Volunteers needed to review cases of children in foster care in 22 Kentucky counties
Kentucky.com – February 12, 2016
Citizen Foster Care Review Boards in 22 counties are seeking volunteers to make a difference in the lives of local children in foster care. The boards are in need of volunteers to review cases of children placed in foster care because of dependency, neglect or abuse to ensure they are placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible.
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LA: Geismar couple advocate for foster care equality
Gonzales Weekly Citizen – February 15, 2016
When wedding bells ring in April, one Geismar couple will make Ascension Parish history, as the first gay male couple to be certified as foster parents in the parish.
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MD: The Sex Scandal That Devastated a Suburban Megachurch
Washingtonian – February 14, 2016
Inside the rise and fall of Sovereign Grace Ministries, how Christian mediation failed to deal with children’s sexual assaults.
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MN: Counterpoint: Nothing could be more basic than putting kids’ safety first (Opinion)
Star Tribune – February 12, 2016
I am not sure if the average person knows that child protection in Minnesota began by using laws that protected animals as a foundation for creating the contemporary child welfare system. This system has surely changed in the last 100 years, but like most programs focused on the vulnerable and voiceless, it has to a large extent been ignored in its financing structure over many generations.
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NE: Adoption bill aimed at protecting faith-based agencies, supporters say
Lincoln Journal Star – February 13, 2016
Compass is one of four child-placing agencies, working together under the name Freedom to Serve in Faith Coalition, which are supporting a bill in the Legislature that would protect them from adverse action by the state for declining service based on their sincerely held religious beliefs.
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NY: Affordable Apartments for Formerly Homeless Debut on Herkimer Street
DNAInfo – February 12, 2016
Formerly homeless individuals with histories of mental illness, young adults aging out of foster care and low-income families will have a space to call home with the opening of a new supportive housing building on Herkimer Street. Also: Integrated housing development opens in Bed-Stuy: Integrated housing development opens in bed stuy 1.11462260 (hudsonvalley.news12.com)
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NY: No One Knows How Many Homeless People Live in New York
Vice – February 12, 2016
New York City’s homeless youth are the invisible population everybody sees. Housing has been an issue here for as long as the city has existed, but the number of people on the streets has increased visibly over the last few years.
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TX: State Charges Forward With Licensing Immigration Lockups as Childcare Facilities
Houston Press – February 12, 2016
Government agencies often break bad or controversial news on Friday afternoons to blunt the impact. Today was no exception. Friday, just as workers across the state were heading home for the weekend, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced it will continue to take steps toward licensing two of the state’s privately-run immigration lockups as childcare facilities, despite strong and vocal opposition from both child welfare experts and immigrant rights advocates who say conditions at the detention centers are damaging to child development. Also: Lower childcare standards for private migrant detention centers: 332388 texas childcare standards immigration detention (rt.com)
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UT: Contentious hearing on Utah’s Capitol Hill focuses on same-sex couples and adoptions (Includes video)
Fox 13 – February 12, 2016
There was a heated hearing on Utah’s Capitol Hill Friday night. On paper, it’s a simple bill to change the language in Utah law to match the Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex couples to foster and adopt. But on Friday, a room full of people lined up to argue against the change. Also: Lawmakers postpone vote over gay couples adoption bill: Lawmakers postpone vote over gay couples adoption bill (deseretnews.com) Also: Opposing Utah same-sex adoption bills going head-to-head: Oposing utah same sex adoption bills going head to head (kutv.com)
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UT: Foster Care Foundation ‘to remain open’ thanks to legislative help, CEO says
Deseret Morning News – February 12, 2016
It appears the Utah Foster Care Foundation will live on. The Utah Legislature’s Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee approved Friday a recommendation of $400,000 in ongoing funds to the nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports foster parents.
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WA: A big settlement for two victims of sexual abuse in the foster care system
KGMI – February 12, 2016
Two girls who were sexually abused for years at a Whatcom County foster home get a big settlement. A local jury ordered the State Department of Social and Health Services to pay the girls eight million dollars.
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WI: DOC Secretary Ed Wall resigns amid FBI investigation into state youth prison (Includes video)
WKOW – February 12, 2016
Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Wall submitted his letter of resignation to Gov. Scott Walker on February 5 and will be replaced by former DOC Secretary Jon Litscher (’99-’03) later this month, the Governor’s office announced Friday.
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WV: Safe at Home keeps 100 kids in communities
Charleston Gazette-Mail – February 14, 2016
Safe at Home is currently classed as a “demonstration project” under the Title IV-E Waiver, and the program is being independently monitored to determine how successful it is, though Bowling said the department hopes to roll out the program in several more counties by the summer. “It was a milestone when we got to 100 kids; we did’t know how many we would be able to get referred to us over the first quarter … to get to 100 so quickly, for us, has been a very positive sign,” Bowling said. “That indicates that people are embracing the concept of what we’re doing, and that they’re really trying to work with us.”
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WV: Founder of defunct Miracle Meadows School in Harrison County pleads guilty to 3 charges
WV Metro News – February 12, 2016
Clark plead guilty to a misdemeanor child neglect charge creating risk of injury charge, a misdemeanor failure to report charge, and a misdemeanor obstruction of an officer charge. The state’s case was based on Clark’s failure to report numerous instances of child abuse at the Seventh-day Adventist affiliated Christian boarding school in Salem. Also: Miracle Meadows Administrator Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Student Welfare: Miracle meadows administrator pleads guilty to charges related to student welfare (wboy.com)
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US: Sending love with the Red Scarf Project
Associated Press – February 14, 2016
This Valentine’s Day, 2,500 college students, who were once in the foster care system, will receive a handmade red scarf from a care package sent by Foster Care to Success. Foster Care to Success, based outside Washington, D.C., is a national nonprofit organization working solely with college-bound foster youths.
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US: The Numbers: Child Sexual Imposition in the United States
Huffington Post – February 12, 2016
Childhood sexual abuse, whether in the home or on the streets, is a painful subject. We shut it up and believe that if we do not talk about it or cannot see it, it must not be happening here. Or we look at police statistics and believe they tell the whole story. In reality, most cases of child abuse go unreported, either because the child targeted as a victim is disenfranchised to begin with, and therefore not likely to have a safety net to report abuse to, or because the stigma of identifying oneself as a victim seems worse than remaining quiet. Information Gateway resource: Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics: childwelfare.gov
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US: This Amazing Group Changed The Game For LGBT Military Families
Huffington Post – February 12, 2016
45,000 members strong, the American Military Partner Association is marshaling the forces of the LGBT community serving our country, leading the charge to battle obsolete policies within the United States armed forces and providing a voice for their heretofore silent soldiers.
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INTERNATIONAL

Europe: Missing Child Refugees
Sentinel Record – February 14, 2016
According to the European police agency, Europol, more than 10,000 children who entered Europe have disappeared. Also: Up to 50% of unaccompanied migrant children go missing within 48 hours of being placed in certain reception centres in Europe: Up to 50 of unaccompanied migrant children go missing within 48 hours of being placed i… (missingchildreneurope.eu) Also: 10,000 Child Refugees Are Missing (Opinion): 10000 child refugees are missing (nytimes.com) Also: Many of the 5,000 migrant children who have vanished in Germany have been forced into prostitution: Many 5 000 migrant children vanished Germany forced prostitution organs harvested says… (dailymail.co.uk)
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India: Register or shut down, govt tells orphanages
Times of India – February 13, 2016
Childcare institutions not registered under the Juvenile Justice Act will soon face the music, with the state women and child welfare department gearing to blacklist and book them for illegal detention of children.
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Malaysia : Welfare dept must protect abused girl’s cultural rights (Opinion)
Free Malaysia Today – February 14, 2016
The Social Welfare Department must ensure that the abused five-year-old girl taken to hospital last week be given every opportunity to grow up and mature as a Hindu. There have been allegations that some under-aged children of non-Islamic faiths have been converted to Islam. It is not clear if these allegations are true, but surely the department has the responsibility to dispel such allegations.
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United Kingdom: Britain takes ‘thousands of migrant children’ into care
The Telegraph – February 13, 2016
Councils are spending hundreds of millions of pounds every year taking children of Eastern European migrant workers into care, despite growing calls for them to be looked after in their parents’ home countries.
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United Kingdom: Whistleblowing helpline on child protection failures due to go live
Belfast Telegraph – February 13, 2016
The helpline is aimed at staff in any sector who are afraid to raise concerns about the way their organisation is dealing with child abuse cases or who feel they have exhausted all avenues with their employer. Callers will be offered advice about the whistleblowing process and given legal protection from any future discrimination. Any concerns raised will be passed on to relevant investigatory bodies to pursue.
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AL: Senate passes Whatley bill to strengthen penalty for child abuse
Opelika-Auburn News – February 11, 2016
A bill by State Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, that passed in the Alabama Senate this week would strengthen the criminal penalty for aggravated abuse of a child. Under Ava’s Law, a person could be charged with murder if they commit aggravated child abuse that results in a child’s death.
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AZ: Program helping Pima County foster families find help (Includes video)
Tucson News Now – February 11, 2016
Foster families in Pima County are getting some much needed help from local churches, thanks to a program called the CarePortal.
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CA: Art classes give at-risk students a new outlook on life
The Orange County Register – February 12, 2016
But more than just providing instruction on how to master certain artistic skills, these classes, sponsored by the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, aim to give students who have been in the juvenile justice or child welfare system the skills and inspiration to deter them from a life of crime or being victims of crime.
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HI: Governor Ige appoints executive director of Office of Youth Services (Press release)
Office of the Governor of the State of Hawaii David Y. Ige – February 12, 2016
Gov. David Ige has appointed Merton Chinen to lead the Office of Youth Services (OYS). OYS is administratively attached to the Department of Human Services.
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IL: AP Interview: Police shooting spurs state agency changes
Associated Press – February 12, 2016
The death of Laquan McDonald, a black Chicago teenager who was a state ward for most of his life before he we was shot 16 times by a white police officer, has spurred Illinois’ child welfare agency to look differently and with more focus at the cases of troubled youths, the director told The Associated Press.
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KS: Bill Would Enforce Kansas Family Limit On Foster Children (Includes audio)
KMUW – February 11, 2016
A Senate bill that would strengthen limits on the number of foster children in a home raised concerns from some who say it could lead to splitting sibling groups. Information Gateway resources: Standards for Out-of-Home Care Services: childwelfare.gov
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KY: Support transparency in child abuse, neglect cases (Opinion)
Lexington Herald-Leader – February 11, 2016
One topic around which Kentuckians can unite is that of protecting the commonwealth’s youngest citizens. How we do that, of course, is often debated and discussed. One idea that has been introduced the past two years to our elected officials serving in Frankfort is that of opening child abuse and neglect proceedings within the juvenile court system.
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MA: LUK, Inc. celebrates its 45th anniversary
Leominster Champion – February 12, 2016
LUK, Inc. is a nonprofit multi-service agency dedicated to improving the safety, health, and emotional well-being of youth, families and adults. LUK’s mission is to improve the lives of children, families and adults so that they can fulfill their unique and productive potential.
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MA: Child welfare advocates call Baker budget “small but important step” toward family stability
22 WWLP – February 11, 2016
Advocates pressing for greater funding for stabilization and support services for families involved with the Department of Children and Families said Thursday that Gov. Charlie Baker’s fiscal 2017 budget would take a step in the right direction.
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MA: NightSide, Is It Ok To Spank Your Kids? (Opinion) (Video)
CBS/WBZ – February 11, 2016
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the Department of Children and Families was within its rights when the agency denied a Christian couple’s application to be foster parents based on the fact that they spank their own children.
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MI: Rubin: Flint tragedy shows how policies affect kids’ health (Opinion)
Austin American-Statesman – February 12, 2016
Flint toddlers playing with toys today will feel the impact down the road when they start learning to read, when they try to sit still in a middle school classroom, and when they apply for jobs. The new mayor of Flint recently previewed the coming social and budgetary costs, forecasting a greater need for special education, social services, mental health support, and, yes, juvenile justice involvement. Officials trying to pinch a few pennies in the city’s water bill instead created new financial obligations for years to come.
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MO: Professor promotes community progress
The Chart – February 12, 2016
Dr. Renee White, the head of the new social work program at Missouri Southern State University, has been involved in over 20 community level change initiatives, including as the founding president of Children’s Haven of Southwest Missouri, a home for children who come from families experiencing crisis.
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NE: Legislature advances government oversight bills
The Lincoln Journal Star – February 12, 2016
The Legislature advanced bills Thursday that could help increase oversight of juvenile justice programs–youths under the watch of the office of Probation Administration.
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RI: Audit prompts agreement for non-profit to pay back $400K in grant money (Includes video)
WPRI – February 11, 2016
A Providence non-profit organization will pay back part of a grant to the Department of Children, Youth and Families in an agreement prompted by a state audit into how about $1 million in taxpayer money was spent.
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SC: DSS Making Changes to Foster Care and Domestic Violence Division (Includes video)
WLTX – February 11, 2016
In their final meeting with the Department of Social Services Thursday, lawmakers overseeing the agency focused on how DSS handles cases in criminal domestic violence situations and what they’re doing to fix the foster care system.
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TN: State Department of Human Services and USDA Food Nutrition Services Strengthens Partnership Focused on Improving Food Programs
Clarksville Online – February 12, 2016
“We are committed to ensuring that no Tennessee child goes hungry,” said DHS Commissioner Dr. Raquel Hatter. “Continuously working in partnership USDA FNS with this plan to increase program impact and program integrity goes a long way towards making that happen.”
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UT: Op-ed: Putting heterosexual couples first would hurt Utah children
The Salt Lake Tribune – February 11, 2016
Sadly, some legislators in Utah are proposing a bill that would significantly limit children’s opportunities to find both temporary and permanent homes by codifying into Utah law a preference for placing children who are in state custody with married, heterosexual couples. This legislation being proposed in Utah would make it official state policy to declare partiality for heterosexual adoptive and foster parents, while LGBTQ individuals and couples would be considered as a last resort for a child in need of a family.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Can permanent care provide a solution for the troubled child protection system?
The Conversation – February 11, 2016
Victorian child protection law reforms due to come into effect next month will give parents two years from when a child is removed to demonstrate that the child should be returned to their care. Failure to do so will result in parents permanently losing custody.
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Canada: Manitoba government slammed over child welfare tally change (video)
APTN National News – February 10, 2016
The move is being assailed as nothing more than a political play.
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India: Difference Maker: Ian Anand Forber-Pratt returned to India to put every child in a loving family
The Christian Science Monitor – February 11, 2016
Adopted by an American couple he’s gone back to the country of his birth to found Foster Care India with a goal of placing every unwanted child in a caring family.
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United Kingdom: Protecting children is key aim within two joint strategies
Northumberland Gazette – February 12, 2016
The Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB) Neglect Strategy 2015-18 sets out the multi-agency approach to tackling this crucial issue. The Early Help Strategy 2014-17 ‘sets out how children, young people and their families will receive the right intervention as early as possible to tackle problems and prevent issues escalating.’
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AK: Jill Burke: Cuts to early childhood care will deepen Alaska’s fiscal crisis (Opinion)
Alaska Dispatch News – February 10, 2016
As the state grapples with a $3.5 billion budget deficit, we must not lose sight of slowly acquired gains, those that require continued investment now before they pay off in the future. If we don?t, the dollars the state might think it is saving now will be lost later when we have to spend more as we try to undo trauma-based harm to our state?s future workforce.
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AZ: DCS Director’s Qualifications Targeted By Lawmakers
Phoenix New Times – February 10, 2016
A group of Arizona lawmakers is using a new bill to take aim at the educational and leadership qualifications of Greg McKay, director of the Department of Child Safety. House Bill 2662 spells out new minimum requirements for the position, none of which McKay satisfies, that will limit who the governor can appoint in the future.
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FL: Lyons: Child abuse crises created by those we think are fixing it (Opinion)
Southwest Florida Herald Tribune – February 10, 2016
What Maj. Connie Shingledecker is looking into now is not whether too many kids are taken. Rather, she is looking into whether the overwhelming task of investigating so many grim and deadly households has caused so much work and so much caseworker angst that the result is huge staff turnover and, so, some cases being neglected.
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ID: Foster Care in Idaho: Health and Welfare responds to criticism (Includes video)
KTVB – February 10, 2016
Miren Unsworth oversees foster care and adoption for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. “It makes me incredibly sad that our families feel that way and we would be interested in learning more about that and figuring out what we could do about that,” said Unsworth. “Do I think working with the department is easy? No.” Also: Foster care in Idaho: Both sides’ views on reform: ktvb.com
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IN: Public registry would list convicted child abusers
Balesville Herald-Tribune – February 10, 2016
With a unanimous vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee took the first step toward creating what may be the nation’s first public registry of people convicted of child abuse and neglect. Information Gateway Resource: Criminal Background Checks for Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents: Background (childwelfare.gov)
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MA: Our Opinion: The link between heroin abuse, child abuse
Berkshire Eagle – January 10, 2016
“Hannah Nazareth was failed by a number of people,” said Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless in a statement. The statement adds that while Anthony Nazareth “provided false and misleading information” concerning Hannah to various agencies, there was no follow-up to determine her status. In child protection cases, agencies must assume that the information they receive is unreliable and verify first-hand.
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MI: 3 things state workers should watch in ’17 budget
Lansing State Journal – February 10, 2016
The biggest news out of Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal on Wednesday was nearly $1 billion in requested new spending for the Flint water crisis, Detroit Public Schools and higher education. Snyder asked for more than $22 million to continue upgrading the states child welfare software.
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MN: Our View: Child protection Abused kids fall through the cracks
Mankato Free Press – February 10, 2016
Another unsettling report on Minnesota’s child protection system shows children being put at risk of abuse in one case because the child protection office was closed for a holiday weekend.
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MN: Supreme Court upholds conviction in Eric Dean case
Star Tribune – February 10, 2016
The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the murder conviction of a Pope County woman in the case of 4-year-old Eric Dean, whose death led to widespread child protection reforms.
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MS: Incentives Sail Through; Anti-LGBT Bills Drop; Groups Call for Foster-Care Funding
Jackson Free Press – February 10, 2016
Mississippi Children’s Home Services visited the Capitol last week to advocate for full funding of the new Mississippi Division of Family and Children’s Services. MCHS operates in all 84 counties in the state, working oftentimes directly with state departments. MCHS Executive Director John Damon, said giving the new division, which controls the state’s foster care system, $34 million is a huge first step closer to raising Mississippi’s bar of excellence in child care.
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MS: Legislature, If You Care About Kids, Prove It (Opinion)
Jackson Free Press – February 10, 2016
Lawmakers can do several things for kids this session, to ensure that the next generation of Mississippians is healthy and able to work, and they should start talking about them immediately instead of worrying about same-sex marriage and trying to limit constitutional rights. First, the state’s foster-care system is still in crisis. Just because there’s a new division doesn’t mean it’s out of the woods.
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PA: Nonprofits worry about ongoing state government gridlock
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – February 11, 2016
The state is operating under a partial budget Mr. Wolf signed in late December that released funds to human service agencies. “We’re more concerned about this year than even last year,” said John Lydon, chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, and CEO of Auberle, which provides services such as foster care, emergency shelter, and drug and alcohol and mental health programs. Auberle borrowed about $4 million during the impasse to continue to be able to serve clients, he said.
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RI: Child Abuse Unit on a mission to defend the defenseless (Includes video)
WPRI 12 – February 10, 2016
“Starting 30 years ago,” said Peter Kilmartin, “I can remember everyone — even in training, going on the police department — saying how difficult child cases are. How heart-wrenching child cases are. How they will stay with you for your career. And they do.” Kilmartin’s vision was a specially-trained corps of attorneys and advocates, meeting weekly with staff at Hasbro Childrens Hospital, the Department of Children, Youth and Families, and law enforcement, to investigate possible crimes against children.
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TX: University of Texas Immigration Clinic lawyers represent detained immigrant women, children
Daily Texan – February 11, 2016
UT clinical professor Elissa Steglich, along with other members of the UT Immigration Clinic, is representing several families detained in the South Texas Family Residential Center and the Karnes County Residential Center, two south Texas centers that hold only women and children immigrants. The families, migrating mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, are seeking asylum in the United States, fleeing gang violence in their home countries.
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UT: Foundation’s failure would set back foster care two decades, Leavitt cautions lawmakers
Deseret Morning News – February 10, 2016
The future of the Utah Foster Care Foundation may hinge on a vote of a legislative appropriations committee, former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt says. The foundation could shutter on June 30 unless it receives a contract adequate to meet its costs, Leavitt told members of the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this week. The foundation’s state funding has been flat since 2004, he said.
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US: Beyond Flint: Lead Poisoning Is a Serious Problem in Many American Cities
Everyday Health – February 10, 2016
Lead is a potent neurotoxin. There is no safe level of exposure for children, the damage is permanent and irreversible, and there are no obvious symptoms. As a pediatrician, I know that I can’t guess which children have lead poisoning and which ones don’t. I have to screen every child carefully and determine who needs a blood test to check for lead levels.
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US: Talia’s Bill To Curb US Military Child Abuse Passes House As Armed Services Abuse Surges
International Business Times – February 10, 2016
Eleven years after five-year-old Talia Williams was tortured and beaten to death by her active-duty Army specialist father and her step-mother on an Air Force Base in Hawaii, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to send a bill to the Senate that would require Department of Defense (DOD) employees to report any suspected abuse on military bases or installations. The House voted by voice Tuesday to pass the legislation, which would require that individuals report it to both the state’s child protective services as well as to their military chain of command. Information Gateway Resource: Child Abuse, Neglect, and Prevention in Military Families: childwelfare.gov
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US: Better Definition Needed for Reasonable Medical Certainty in Child Abuse Cases (Press release)
Newswise – February 09, 2016
Physicians use different definitions of “reasonable medical certainty” when testifying as expert witnesses in child abuse cases. The variability is troubling because it could result in flawed rulings, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.
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INTERNATIONAL

Canada: Manitoba to exclude children voluntarily placed in care from province’s overall number
The Star – February 10, 2016
Manitoba is changing how it counts the number of children in its care to exclude hundreds of cases such as Tina Fontaine’s amid concerns it is being unfairly compared to other provinces.
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Mauritius: Introduction of new policies on adoption matters
Orange.mu – February 11, 2016
Government has agreed to the setting up of an appropriate legal and administrative structure for the domestication of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption, and the introduction of new policies on adoption matters.
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Portugal: Portugal overturns presidential veto to legalise same-sex adoption
Reuters – February 10, 2016
Portugal’s parliament on Wednesday overturned the presidential veto on a bill legalising adoption by same-sex couples, which means conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva will have to sign it into law before his term ends in March.
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Vatican: Catholic bishops not obliged to report clerical child abuse, Vatican says
Guardian – February 10, 2016
The Catholic church is telling newly appointed bishops that it is “not necessarily” their duty to report accusations of clerical child abuse and that only victims or their families should make the decision to report abuse to police.
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AZ: Arizona Lawmakers Push Bill Raising Qualifications Of Child Welfare Director
KJZZ – February 09, 2016
The legislation is being backed by 19 Democratic lawmakers. It would require the director of the Department of Child Safety to have a graduate degree in social work or a closely related field and minimum levels of child welfare management experience. According to current law, the director must have qualifications and training to manage the department. Also, the director must have administrative experience in family support services.
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CA: Why Are LA’s Foster Kids More Likely to Be Charged With Crimes? (Includes video)
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange – February 10, 2016
The use of arrests to control the behavior of foster youth is reportedly an all-too-common practice in many group homes. Report: file.lacounty.gov
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GA: DFCS recognizes ‘significant gaps’ in performance after child deaths (Includes video)
CBS46 – February 09, 2016
The Division of Family and Children Services is admitting to systemic failures that contributed to the deaths of children under the agency’s care. Information Gateway resource: Responding to Child Fatalities and Near Fatalities: Fatalities (childwelfare.gov) Report: DFCSreport (lmgcorporate.com)
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ID: Advocates push for foster system reform (Includes video)
KTVB – February 09, 2016
Rep. Perry, along with a group of foster families, think Idaho can do better by these children and they are now calling for major reform to the foster care system. Also: Idaho foster parents push for reform: idahostatesman.com
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KS: Bill allowing prosecutors access to child neglect records on fast track in Senate
KHI News Service – February 09, 2016
The Senate Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee fast-tracked a measure to allow prosecutors access to more abuse and neglect records in cases involving children. Senate Bill 325 would give prosecutors access to the records, often called “child in need of care” files, in other jurisdictions if they had a case in their jurisdiction involving any of the same parties.
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MN: Governor Dayton Proposes Six Weeks of Paid Parental Leave for All State Employees
WDAZ – February 09, 2016
The Governor’s proposal is based on the recommendations of the state’s Parental Leave Working Group. For the last six months, the Parental Leave Working Group has been studying the state’s options for offering paid parental leave following the birth or adoption of children of state workers.
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OH: Babies behind bars: Moms serve time with kids in Ohio jail (Includes video)
Fox 19 – February 09, 2016
Many pregnant inmates miss out on the priceless first years of bonding for mom and baby as their child is handed off to family members or the foster care system. But not all babies born in prison say goodbye to their mothers.
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UT: Fromer Utah governor requests funds for Foster Care Foundation (Includes video)
KSL-TV – February 09, 2016
Former Gov. Mike Leavitt is calling on Utah lawmakers to approve a funding increase for the Utah Foster Care Foundation, which is threatening to close its doors if it does not receive an additional $400,000 to cover operating costs.
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US: Congress moves to confront military child abuse with Talia’s Law
Medill News Service – February 09, 2016
The House on Tuesday passed a bill that would require anyone employed by the Defense Department to report cases of suspected child abuse on military installations to state child protective service agencies in addition to reporting such suspected crimes up their chain of command.
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US: ICE authorized to create Angel Watch Center to expand child protection efforts following passage of International Megan’s Law (Press release)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom – February 09, 2016
Operation Angel Watch targets individuals who have been previously convicted of sexual crimes against a child and who may pose a potential new threat: traveling overseas for the purpose of sexually abusing or exploiting minors, a crime known as “child sex tourism.”
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US: No Risk in Trying New Approaches to Find Children Most in Danger (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – February 09, 2016
Rapid Safety Feedback (RSF), which has been implemented in Florida and is being adapted to other states, targets for special attention families with characteristics associated with high risk to children.
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INTERNATIONAL

Norway: Norway Investigates Child Abuse at Asylum-Seekers’ Centers
Associated Press – February 09, 2016
Norwegian police said Tuesday that they are investigating several cases of sex offenders allegedly abusing children at asylum-seekers’ reception centers in the country.
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AZ: Group helps those who ‘age out’ of foster care (Includes video)
12 News – February 08, 2016
In the current foster care system, when a child reaches 18 years of age they “age out” of the system and are on their own. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 25% of those who age out of the system wind up homeless and on the street. Information Gateway Resource: Extending Out-of-Home Care for Youth Past Age 18: Outofhomecare (childwelfare.gov)
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AZ: Legislative Committee Passes Bills To Help With DCS Workload
KJZZ – February 08, 2016
The proposal would limit what qualifies as a report of child abuse and neglect. The amended bill exempts non-criminal reports of child abuse and neglect if the alleged conduct happened more than three years ago. Arizona Department of Child Safety Director Greg McKay said this would allow the agency to better target its resources.
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AZ: How does Arizona rank for gay rights?
Cronkite News – February 06, 2016
A Human Rights Campaign report released this week rated states on what the HRC sees as negative and positive laws surrounding gay rights. In Arizona, the “negative” laws cited in the report included transgender exclusions in Medicaid, restrictions on LGBT topics in schools, and the lack of a prohibition on discrimination in adoption or foster care placement, among others.
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CA: Senate ready to address homelessness
Vida en el Valle – February 06, 2016
The Senate proposal on homelessness re-purposes Prop. 63 (The Mental Health Services Act of 2004) bond money and leverages billions of additional dollars from local, state and federal funding to achieve several goals including…support for two special housing programs that will assist families including the ‘Bringing Families Home’ pilot project–a county matching grant program to reduce homelessness among families that are part of the child welfare system.
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CO: Correction: Child Abuse story
Associated Press – February 08, 2016
On Feb. 8, The Associated Press erroneously published a story from 2012 about the Colorado Department of Human Services considering relaxing the requirements for social workers in child abuse cases. The Department of Human Services approved the change in April 2012.
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CT: DCF a good place to start reforming state gov’t (Opinion)
Hartford Business Journal – February 08, 2016
In September 2015 a civil-rights lawsuit was filed against the commissioner of the Department of Children and Families and four others. The suit was brought by foster parents who were falsely accused of child sexual abuse, in a setting reminiscent of the hysteria that led to the Salem witch trials. The criminal case that followed DCF’s charges resulted in a rapid acquittal of one parent and dropped charges as to the other. The presiding judge in the criminal proceedings noted (I paraphrase from the suit) that the DCF resisted court-ordered document production, refused to comply with reasonable subpoenas, withheld records containing “extraordinarily exculpatory evidence,” and that “the brigade of social workers, educators, department of family’s personnel who provided intense services” never saw any signs of physical abuse.
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DE: Free Exercise, Penance, and Delaware Court
First Things – February 09, 2016
Many states recognize that a priest cannot be compelled to disclose what has been revealed within the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At the same time, many States, Delaware among them, have also enacted mandatory reporting requirements in connection with child abuse or neglect. Information Gateway Resource: Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Clergymandated (childwelfare.gov)
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GA: Proposed Georgia laws could help grandparents raise grandchildren
Ledger-Enquirer – February 06, 2016
Families such as Howe’s are the focus of several pieces of legislation that will be introduced in the Georgia House on Monday, according to state lawmakers. The bills are the result of a “kinship care” study conducted to assess how the state could improve services to support grandparents and other relatives who take children into their homes when their parents can no longer care for them.
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IL: Between a Detention Center and a Home of One’s Own
The Atlantic – February 06, 2016
In the past few months, a growing number of undocumented immigrants released from area detention centers, either by parole or bond, have found refuge at the Marie Joseph House and the House of Hospitality in Cicero, two homes operated by the Chicago-based Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants, or ICDI.
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MI: Parents of ‘Tragic’ 2-Year-Old With Lead Poisoning Sue Flint
NBC News – February 08, 2016
The suit, which does not specify damages, names the city of Flint and the state of Michigan and government officials as defendants. Another lawyer for the family, Adam Slater, said they are arguing the water system was not strictly a governmental function so the city and state can’t use governmental immunity as a shield.
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MN: Abused children in Minnesota are waiting too long for help (Opinion)
Minneapolis Star Tribune – February 06, 2016
Child protection agencies across Minnesota are routinely flouting state laws requiring a rapid response to suspected child abuse.
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MN: Lutheran Social Service CEO on key challenges facing Minnesota (Opinion)
Minneapolis Star Tribune – February 06, 2016
LSS, with revenue of $123 million, provides housing to adults with disabilities, in-home services to the elderly, shelter and help for homeless women and kids, financial counseling and other assistance through a variety of programs.
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NC: Adopted Students Union makes campus debut
Technician (North Carolina State University) – February 08, 2016
Zalecki, the club president, said she helped found the Adopted Students Union, a new university organization, in the hopes to give other adoptees on campus who felt the same displacement as she did a place to come and share their experiences.
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NY: Cuomo Bans Conversion Therapy (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 09, 2016
Governor Cuomo on Saturday broke new ground by announcing regulations to effectively ban so-called “conversion therapy” in New York State. The move makes New York the first state in the country to use regulations to end practices that claim to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Xavier Persad, legislative council of the Human Rights Campaign, says the impact of conversion therapy on LGBT youth can be devastating. Information Gateway Resource: Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents: LGBTQyouth (childwelfare.gov)
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NY: The Trials of New York’s Family Court
Pacific Standard – February 08, 2016
Abigail Kramer, a journalist and advocate on children’s issues, a staff member at the New School, found some cause for hope in the court system that handles custody cases, child abuse allegations, and juvenile offenders. Cases involving possible child abuse or endangerment had sunk to their lowest totals in decades.
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OH: People Convicted of Child Abuse Could be Facing Longer Sentences in Ohio (Includes video)
Your News Now – February 08, 2016
Two Democratic Ohio Senators have proposed a new law that would allow county prosecutors the chance to recommend an additional 1 to 5 years in prison time for people found guilty of felonious assault against someone under the age of 13.
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OK: Oklahoma state agencies give raises despite executive order
The Oklahoman – February 07, 2016
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services hired 1,652 new employees during the personnel freeze last year and the Department of Corrections hired 1,288 new employees during those 11 months. Both were given blanket exceptions to the hiring freeze to help them deal with critical employee shortages in high-turnover positions such as child welfare workers and prison correctional officers.
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OK: Reports show DHS had prior family involvement with child abuse deaths
Tulsa World – February 07, 2016
The reports were released last week by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, which houses the Office of Juvenile System Oversight. Also: Four children dead or nearly died from abuse had prior DHS contact: Article 8f85218c 4760 5edf bf7f 10ef9b81dee3 (tulsaworld.com)
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OR: Oregon Child Welfare To Pilot Two Foster Care Models, One Urban & One Rural (Requires subscription)
Open Minds – February 07, 2016
The Oregon child welfare system is planning to test two foster care models to improve placement stability and child well-being; one will be tested in an urban area of the state and the other will be tested in a rural area.
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PA: Editing blunder excludes some people from background checks
The Tribune-Democrat – February 06, 2016
Maybe the third time is the charm. For the third year running, lawmakers likely will rewrite the child protection statue to straighten out who needs a background check to work with kids.
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SC: Senate Report: The Children’s Trust (Opinion)
The Dillon Herald – February 06, 2016
The Children’s Trust is urging the General Assembly to give priority to issues in three critical areas: child welfare reform, quality early care and education as well as child passenger safety.
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TN: Davis House Child Advocacy center earns re-accreditation from National Children’s Alliance
Williamson Herald – February 08, 2016
Davis House provides investigative and healing services in response to allegations of sexual and/or severe physical abuse perpetrated against children and actively participates in the state mandated Child Protective Investigation Team (CPIT). The center works to empower non-offending parents to protect their children and provides community based prevention training and awareness programs designed to train adults in the community to prevent, recognize and respond appropriately to incidents of child abuse.
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TX: Help for young adults aging out of foster care; non-profit opens transitional home
Fox 34 – February 08, 2016
“Once they leave foster care there’s a place to go,” Director Sandi Turner said. “Usually they just are left homeless, without a place to go, without a supportive system and so we can provide that for them now.”
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TX: Local judge appointed to Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission
Waco Tribune-Herald – February 06, 2016
Judge Gary Coley Jr. of Waco’s 74th State District Court will be introduced as the commission’s newest member at a meeting Friday in Austin.
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TX: Regulators remove CEO of West Texas nonprofit from oversight
Associated Press – February 06, 2016
State child welfare officials have removed the CEO of a West Texas nonprofit from any involvement with the group’s finances or foster children.
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TX: Health Agency to Press Forward with Licensing Child Detention Centers
Texas Observer – February 05, 2016
A proposal to license two immigrant family detention centers in Texas as child care facilities is moving forward, state officials said Thursday. The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has submitted a proposed rule that would create a new child care licensing category for detention centers to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for consideration.
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VA: A growing and troubling trend: Babies born addicted (Includes video)
WRIC TV – February 08, 2016
Amber Price, the Henrico Doctors’ Vice President of Women’s Services and Certified Midwife, says on any given day there is one baby in the hospital’s care who is dealing with Neonatal Abstinance Syndrome (NAS). Symptoms like high-pitched crying and tremors show up one to seven days after birth. Early intervention helps, but even then these babies often have a battle ahead.
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VA: McClellan: Fostering Futures offers bipartisan help to young Virginians (Opinion)
Richmond Times-Dispatch – February 06, 2016
Each year in Virginia, at a higher rate than any other state in the country, hundreds of young people leave our foster care system at age 18 before they have been connected to permanent families. Without adequate family and community supports, these youth “age out” of care and are at high risk of some dire consequences: homelessness, unemployment, dropping out of school, poor health, teen pregnancy, and court involvement.
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US: Lifting the Burdens From Struggling Families (Opinion)
Huffington Post – February 08, 2016
Just today, the Obama Administration announced the President’s intention to seek $11 billion to address family homelessness. This level of federal investment would lay a solid foundation for ending homelessness for our nation’s families.
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INTERNATIONAL

Cambodia: Transformation: How one countrys progress on child sex trafficking can give the world hope for an end to slavery
Medium – February 05, 2016
Cambodia was once viewed by many as “ground zero” for child sex trafficking. In the early 2000s, very young children were often bought and sold for sex right on the streets, simply because there was no one to protect them. Thankfully, this heartbreaking picture no longer reflects Cambodia today.
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Canada: Protests to change foster care in BC planned for the weekend
News 1130 – February 06, 2016
As we mark the family day long weekend, activists are calling on the provincial government to make changes to the foster care system.
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International: Baby Boxes: A Safer Way to Surrender a Child
Mothering – February 08, 2016
All over the world, there is a rising trend of governments and non-profit agencies aiming to reduce the amount of infant and child deaths due to abandonment. Over 400 million abandoned children live on the streets worldwide. Historically, many desperate parents have left newborns they do not want, or are unable to care for, in unsafe places, where they are often not found until it’s too late.
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Iraq: Kurdish children “abandoned” by parents who can’t afford to raise them
NRT TV – February 09, 2016
In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a number of families have abandoned their children to the care of the state because they cannot afford to bring them up in the harsh economic conditions affecting the region. Since Baghdad cut budget payments to Kurdistan in January 2014, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has struggled to meet the public payroll and is now several months in arrears.
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AZ: Lawmakers To Consider Definition Of Child Abuse And Neglect
KJZZ – February 08, 2016
Arizona lawmakers are scheduled to consider a bill about child abuse and neglect Monday afternoon. The legislation would limit what the state’s child welfare agency is required to investigate. Information Gateway Resource: Definitions of Child Abuse & Neglect: Defining (childwelfare.gov)
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CA: Against backdrop of Seth Ireland case, Fresno County makes changes in case-review policy, record keeping
Fresno Bee – February 05, 2016
The director of the Fresno County Department of Social Services believes that sweeping changes have been made in Child Protective Services since the tragic death of Seth Ireland, a 10-year-old boy whose abuse went unnoticed by the department eight years ago.
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CA: Failing Our Youth: An Inadequate Foster Care System (Audio)
KFPA – February 05, 2016
On today’s show we’ll examine aging out and the use of psychotropic drugs.
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IN: Human trafficking pervasive worldwide
Batesville Herald Tribune – February 05, 2016
One misconception “is that these are foreign-born people that they’re bringing here. No, 83 percent of the people being trafficked are from the United States.”
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KS: Wichita lawmaker seeks to limit children in foster homes
Wichita Eagle – February 07, 2016
B 315, which will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would limit the number of children who could reside in a foster home to six, including the foster parents’ own biological or adopted children.
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MD: Tale of evangelical sex scandal hits Washington newsstands
Baptist News – January 25, 2016
Various families quoted in the article said church leaders recommended that allegations of child sex abuse be handled internally through a Bible-prescribed reconciliation process rather than turned over to secular authorities, something Sovereign Grace Ministries has denied.
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MI: Union in talks on how to assist in human trafficking fight
Associated Press – February 05, 2016
Michigan’s largest state employee union is talks about how thousands of government workers could assist more in the fight against human trafficking.
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MO: Missouri considers easing adoptee birth certificate access
Associated Press – February 06, 2016
Missouri is one of more than 31 states that restrict adoptees’ access to their original birth certificates, according to the American Adoption Congress, a group advocating expanding such access. Adoptees can obtain their original birth certificates only through a court order; they can access their adoption file, which can contain identifying information, if their biological parents give their permission or die. If the parents cannot be found, the information remains sealed. Information Gateway Resource: Obtaining Birth and/or Adoption Records: childwelfare.gov
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MT: Sex trafficking in the Bay and back at home (Includes video)
ABC Fox Montana – February 05, 2016
It’s another day closer to the Super Bowl, and that means another day that Missoula County Sheriff chaplain Lowell Hochhalter has to rescue children being sold for sex.
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NJ: Man indicted on charges he beat 2 N.J. child welfare workers
NJ.com – February 05, 2016
A Salem County man has been indicted on charges of beating two state child welfare workers last summer who had come to a Pennsville apartment complex to perform a well-being check, according to court documents.
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NY: Cuomo Moves To Ban Homophobic “Conversion Therapy”
Gothamist – February 07, 2016
Governor Cuomo’s plan to curb the practice statewide will be a multiform push. Both public and private health care insurers will be banned from covering the costs of conversion therapy for patients under the age of 18. In addition, the New York Department of Health will make it illegal to cover the practice under Medicaid. Finally, the state’s Office of Mental Health will ban conversion therapy at any mental health facility that it currently licenses, funds, or operates. Information Gateway Resource: Working With LGBTQ Youth and Families: childwelfare.gov
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NY: Editorial: Legislation on foster care deserves support
Albany Democrat Herald – February 05, 2016
Gelser crafted the bill in response to reports of a growing scandal at the Department of Human Services, specifically, the department’s utter failure at dealing with an organization called Give Us This Day, which provided services to foster children in the Portland area.
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OK: Officials: Mental health cuts will leave many without treatment
CNHI – February 06, 2016
Many of those relationships now are in jeopardy as Palmer, like hundreds of other therapists, braces for a proposed cut by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The department has said it no longer will provide SoonerCare reimbursement to about 750 private therapists.
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PA: Background checks under review
Daily Item – February 05, 2016
For the third year running, lawmakers will likely rewrite the child protection statue to straighten out who needs a background check to work with kids.
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TX: Will Texas fit more foster kids in urine-soaked trailers? (Opinion)
Watchdog.org Texas Bureau – February 08, 2016
A federal court takeover of Texas’ foster care system, which stashes kids by the dozen in trailers reeking of mildew and urine, is producing calls for reform from two distinct camps. One group wants to keep children out of the hellholes. The other wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more every year in order to put more children into the system.
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TX: State Regulators Take Action Against CEO of Lubbock-Based Children’s Home
Everything Lubbock – February 05, 2016
“The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is, effective immediately, requiring that Children’s Hope Residential Services, Inc. (Contractor) take the specific contract corrective action of removing employee James Aldrich from the provision of any and all services related to all three Residential Treatment Centers (RTC) under the DFPS Contract.” Also: Now-shuttered foster care organization receives millions in state funds (Includes video): Now shuttered foster care organization receives millions in state funds (fox34.com)
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UT: Bill would favor traditional marriages in adoptions
The Digital Universe – February 05, 2016
A Heber City lawmaker has riled some LGBT rights groups because he wants to give adoption preferences to heterosexual couples over gay couples. Also: Rights Group Opposes Bill to Keep Gays From Adoptions (Includes audio): A50281 1 (publicnewsservice.org)
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US: Federal Commission’s Recommendations on Child Fatalities Would Backfire (Opinion)
Youth Today – February 08, 2016
The so-called Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities is considering a recommendation to prohibit states from “screening out” any call to a child abuse “hotline” involving a child under age 5.
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US: Elementary and Secondary Education Act Takes Some Good Steps, But Falls Short of What Is Needed (Opinion)
Before It’s News – February 05, 2016
A minor but interesting part of the ESEA addresses the problems experienced in so many localities with kids and parents caught up by police or child protective services for walking to school. The law explicitly states that nothing in it will prevent a kid from walking to school with permission and putting responsibility for safety on the parents, where it belongs.
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US: Our Care for Unaccompanied Children (Includes audio)
Administration for Children and Families – February 05, 2016
As soon as a child is referred to ORR, we begin the process of identifying potential sponsors, with preference given first to parents, then other family members, some 87 percent of sponsors are parents or close family members. If there is not a suitable parent or other relative in the U.S., ORR works with the family to identify an individual who might care for the child while the immigration proceedings are pending.
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US: Why LGBT Parenting Matters So Much…To This Heterosexual Man (Opinion)
Huffington Post – February 05, 2016
“Yes, I am passionate about my causes,” he said. “The gay community issues came about from the unfairness of it all. Living in this part of California offered a front row seat to the bravery of those early activists. We were at Ground Zero for the AIDS crisis and I watched the San Francisco gay scene develop from pure vicious bigotry to a real movement for equality,” he said.
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INTERNATIONAL

France: UNHCR concerned about conditions in Calais and Dunkerque
Relief Web – February 05, 2016
The UN Refugee Agency is concerned about some 4,000 refugees and migrants currently reported to be living in the Calais “jungle” and almost 2,500 in Grande-Synthe, on the edges of Dunkerque, often in dire circumstances, aggravated by the winter conditions. Of particular concern are hundreds of children, many of them traveling by themselves, who arrive at the informal camps in northern France in need of both shelter and adequate protection.
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International: Senior UN officials urge elimination of ‘violent practice’ of female genital mutilation by 2030
UN News Centre – February 05, 2016
The most senior United Nations officials are urging the world to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030, calling it a “violent practice” that scars girls for life, endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential. Also: Joint Statement on the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation: Press release STATEMENT 16 247 en (europa.eu)
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Ireland: Report shows allegations of child sex abuse not always acted on – One in Four
RTE News – February 05, 2016
Survivors’ support group One in Four has said Tusla’s (the state’s Child and Family Agency) investigations into entirely credible allegations of child sexual abuse throughout the State regularly conclude with no action being taken.
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United Arab Emirates: Child Protection Law
HG.org – February 07, 2016
The Community Development Authority (CDA) of Dubai has recently drafted a new child protection policy, which protects children, investigates abuses against their rights, and provides government services to families and children believed to be in danger.
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AL: A Place to Call Home: Dale County DHR addresses the need for adoptive families (Includes video)
WDHN – February 04, 2016
“When we are looking for foster and adoptive families, we want these families that will continue to be a mentor for our families that we are working with,” said Sabra Branch, the Quality Assurance and Resource Coordinator at the Dale County DHR.
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AR: Former Romney aide named new director of Arkansas DHS
The Saline Courier – February 04, 2016
Cindy Gillespie, a former health-care adviser to Mitt Romney, has been named the new director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
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AZ: Montini: How lawmakers uphold (only one type of) family (Opinion)
azcentral.com – February 04, 2016
At the State Capitol there are two pieces of legislation, one in the Senate, one in the House, which would very much help the nearly 20,000 children in foster care and many of the men and women who would love to adopt them.
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CA: New Bills Hope to Protect Victims of Human Trafficking from the Law
KKSF – February 04, 2016
Victims of human trafficking will be protected by the justice system rather than criminalized by it under a trio of new bills.
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CA: The Fight To End Child Sex Trafficking In Los Angeles Continues
Los Angeles Sentinel – February 03, 2016
On Saturday, January 23, Holman United Methodist Church (HUMC) hosted Not in Our Backyard, an important community forum highlighting the perils of child sex trafficking and the preventative steps needed to eradicate the worldwide issue, also prevalent in South L.A. The conversation, sponsored by HUMC, the Crenshaw/Watts Rotary Club and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery Trafficking (CAST), was moderated by HUMC Senior Pastor Kelvin Sauls and featured a series of well-versed panelist, speakers and community activists in the area of trafficking.
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CO: Lawsuit: 2-year-old dies after Colorado Springs police ignore warning (Includes video)
The Denver Post – February 04, 2016
Colorado Springs police repeatedly ignored warnings that a 2-year-old was being abused, part of “systemic failures” that culminated in the boy allegedly being beaten with brass knuckles and fatally thrown into a wall, the father claims in a lawsuit.
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CT: Legislators press DCF on errors in child-risk assessment
The Ct Mirror – February 04, 2016
The Department of Children and Families faced intense scrutiny from state legislators Thursday morning for not identifying a number of high-risk child abuse cases, and several top officials acknowledged the department’s shortcomings.
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CT: Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy Faces Fight Over His Proposed Budget Cuts
Dow Jones Business News – February 03, 2016
Mr. Malloy called for a 5.75% reduction in spending across state agency budgets, excluding some education funding, resulting in a $360.8 million cut. That means a cut of $34.5 million for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and $27.8 million less for the Department of Children and Families, the state’s child welfare office.
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DE: Judge say suit over child abuse reporting law will continue
Associated Press – February 04, 2016
A Delaware judge says state officials can pursue a lawsuit against elders of a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation for failing to report suspected child abuse.
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GA: VSU offers financial support to aspiring social workers
The Valdosta Daily Times – February 04, 2016
Valdosta State University has partnered with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services to grow public child welfare service initiatives by developing and retaining a stable workforce of educated and professional social workers, according to a press release from the university.
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IN: Child welfare cases soar within Indiana’s heroin epidemic (Includes video)
WISH-TV – February 04, 2016
Heroin is being blamed on the soaring number of children entering Indiana’s child welfare system, an I-Team 8 investigation uncovered.
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MD: Lawmakers working to pass child abuse prevention law in Md.
WMAR/ABC2 – February 04, 2016
Three years ago, Merryn helped pass Erin’s law in Illinois. The law which bears her name requires schools to teach kids about personal body safety; that if you are being sexually abused, don’t keep it a secret.
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MN: Minnesota lawmakers look at new round of child abuse measures
Pioneer Press – February 04, 2016
Lawmakers last year passed legislation reacting to the death of 4-year-old Eric Dean in 2013. He died after Pope County authorities received 15 reports that he may have been abused, prompting officials to find ways to prevent that from happening to others. Also: Task Force Report On Child Protection Highlights Areas Of Concern: Task force report on child protection highlights areas of concern (minnesota.cbslocal.com)
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MO: Kansas City adoptee joins thousands of adoptees using DNA to track down their birth relatives (Includes video)
KSHB – February 04, 2016
Carolyn Pooler of Kansas City is one of thousands of adoptees using DNA registries to find their biological families. Information Gateway resource: Searching for Birth Relatives: Searching (childwelfare.gov)
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MO: KVC hires leadership team from within
Kansas City Business Journal – February 04, 2016
Jason Hooper, newly appointed CEO of KVC Health Systems, will have three more C-level executives joining him at the national nonprofit child welfare and behavioral health care organization. Hooper, who succeeded Wayne Sims as CEO on Jan. 1, has been with KVC for more than 20 years. He was named president of the system in July 2015.
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NJ: New Records System For Birth Parents ~ Adult Adoptees (Press release)
Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents – January 28, 2016
Under a new law in New Jersey, adult adoptees can access their original birth records beginning January 1, 2017. However, if a child was adopted prior to August 1, 2015, then a birth parent may choose to have his or her identifying information redacted from the child’s original birth record by submitting a request to the Department of Health by December 31, 2016.
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NY: Baby born addicted to opiates every 19 minutes (Includes video)
WKBW – February 04, 2016
The number of babies exposed to opiates while in the mother’s womb jumped from about 5,000 cases in 2003 to 27,000 cases in 2013. That number is expected to have gone much higher in 2014 and 2015.
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OR: Our View: Action on state foster care long overdue (Opinion)
Mail Tribune – February 05, 2016
While the concern over trying to consider complex legislation in the short 35-day session in Salem is well founded, there is one major fix that simply can’t wait another year: cleaning up Oregon’s scandal-plagued foster care system.
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TX: Health Agency to Press Forward with Licensing Child Detention Centers
The Texas Observer – February 04, 2016
A proposal to license two immigrant family detention centers in Texas as child care facilities is moving forward, state officials said Thursday.
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UT: National, local child abuse statistics vary
The Spectrum – February 04, 2016
Although the number of substantiated child abuse cases nationally increased from 2013 to 2014, such cases in Washington and Iron counties saw both an increase and decrease since 2010, according to the Kids Data Center.
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VA: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will be put to good use in Richmond
The Voice – February 04, 2016
Sherry Miller from Care House in Mount Clemens also sought to be considered for a portion of the funding and asked the council for $1,200. She explained that Care House is a children’s advocacy center founded in 1996 that conducts forensic interviews of children with law enforcement involvement when they have endured sexual or physical abuse.
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VA: State Requires School Officials To Report Child Abuse Claims (Includes video)
WSET – February 04, 2016
Tiffany Vassar is the Senior Child Protective Services Investigator for the city of Lynchburg. She trains hundreds of school officials each year on how to respond to reports of child abuse and neglect. “We tell them not to determine if the report is valid. We just want them to call us and let us make that determination,” said Vassar.
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US: There Is A New Plan To Help Lower-Income Parents Afford Quality Child Care: But don’t expect Congress to pass it any time soon (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 04, 2016
Child care is more expensive than public college tuition in most U.S. states making it unaffordable for the majority of middle-class families, let alone those living in poverty. Now, some lawmakers are trying to change that.
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INTERNATIONAL

Canada: Open adoptions in Alberta hindered by online profile ban, say potential parents
CBC News – February 04, 2016
Some advocates for open adoptions are calling on the Alberta government to update a little known publication ban.
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Canada: Study backs approach to single-session therapy for students
Medical Xpress – February 04, 2016
While participants from both models improved over the 10 weeks of quantitative data collection, those who attended the walk-in counselling clinic improved faster. The difference in improvement was even more pronounced for those with complex needs, which included coping with abuse, trauma, serious mental illness or child welfare concerns. Study: Walk In Counselling vs. Traditional Services (kwcounselling.com)
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AK: Alaskans can do much to protect our children, and that’s more than a platitude (Opinion)
Alaska Dispatch News – February 03, 2016
We do not know exactly what is causing the drastic increase in these numbers, but we do know that it is not simply the fault of the Office of Children’s Services. This is a community problem and, just like our budget crisis, we did not get here overnight. It will take significant effort and sacrifice from all of us to change our future.
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AL: ‘The big leap’: Page and White retiring from DHR
The News Courier – February 03, 2016
Caroline Page and Jennifer White have seen much in their collective careers with DHR, but the two are calling it a day on Feb. 29. After 42 years for White and 37 years for Page, the women are retiring from their official posts. Both said they plan to continue volunteering with the agency after retirement, but added it’s time for them to step back.
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AL: Lawmakers in Favor of Child Abuse Bill
Alabama News Network – February 03, 2016
The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee was unanimously in favor of a bill proposed by Senator Clyde Chambliss to enact stiffer penalties against those who commit Aggravated Child Abuse.
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AZ: Arizona families facing deadline to lose state benefits (Includes video)
ABC 15 – February 03, 2016
None of the extra money is slated for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and 1,600 families who receive cash assistance from the program are expected to lose their benefits in July. The families use the money for necessities like rent and utilities.
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CA: Councilman Proposes Pot Tax To Fund Kids Programs
Capital Public Radio – February 02, 2016
This June, voters in the City of Sacramento may be asked to support a 5 percent tax on medical marijuana cultivation, with the money going to youth programs. Schenirer will also ask the council to create a city Department of Youth. It would organize education, job training and assistance by community groups for foster kids, homeless children, emancipated youth, and children in at-risk neighborhoods.
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FL: Adoption Changes Get Unanimous Senate Support
CBSMiami/NSF – February 03, 2016
The state’s Senate unanimously approved a bill aimed at allowing judges to take the “best interests” of children into account when making adoption decisions.
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GA: Georgia babies dying weekly from SIDS (Includes video)
WTVM – February 03, 2016
Officials with the Healthy Families Georgia Organization meet with about 200 new parents each year to educate them on precautions they can take with their newborn.
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GA: Georgia child abuse investigations to become more rigorous
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – February 03, 2016
This new approach, which will be phased in statewide over the next year, represents a monumental shift in how DFCS conducts its business.
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IN: Indiana foster families say they need protection from biological parents
News and Tribune – February 03, 2016
growing number of children removed from their homes by court order–a trend many blame on the drug crisis–may lead to more protections for families that take them in.
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IN: Indiana Senate approves child-abuse registry bill inspired by Elkhart County child’s death
The Elkhart Truth – February 03, 2016
An Indiana Senate proposal to create a registry of child abuse offenders passed on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, and now goes to the Indiana House. The proposal was inspired by the death of Kirk Coleman, a 19-month-old boy from New Paris, who allegedly died in Jackie Lynn Rolston’s care on Oct. 29, 2014.
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MI: Michigan’s Foster Care System Shows Improvement (Includes audio)
WEMU – February 03, 2016
The national advocacy group Children’s Rights and the state Department of Health and Human Services filed a new settlement agreement with the US District Court in Detroit. It lifts many compliance requirements the state has to follow. The Children’s Rights lawsuit was filed 10 years ago.
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NE: James Conley: Justice Served in Finn Case (Opinion)
JournalStar – February 04, 2016
This week, the Diocese of Lincoln will announce the appointment of a full-time safe environment coordinator to assist in child-protection education and coordination across southern Nebraska. Parents can be confident that the Diocese of Lincoln is committed to ensuring the safety of their children and families.
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OR: Foster care scandal: Bill requiring public reports on abuse clears Senate panel
The Oregonian – February 03, 2016
Oregon’s foster care officials would have to produce public reports listing confirmed findings of abuse and neglect every three months under proposed legislation that emerged from a Senate panel Wednesday.
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UT: LGBT advocacy group report finds Utah legislation is ‘building equality’
The Salt Lake Tribune – February 03, 2016
Utah is credited for laws governing adoption, surrogacy, foster-parent training and parental presumption for same-sex couples, as well as the aforementioned nondiscrimination measures. Information Gateway resource: Working With LGBTQ Youth and Families: childwelfare.gov
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VA: Pulaski County partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters to fight child abuse (Includes video)
WSLS 10 – February 03, 2016
In a list of about 120 four-year goals for the county, a strong partnership with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is listed as something that leaders want to happen immediately.
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WA: Washington Gov: Inslee appoints interim leader for state’s largest agency
Associated Press – February 03, 2016
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed an acting secretary for the Department of Social and Health Services while a national search begins for a permanent leader. Inslee appointed Patricia Lashway to the post Wednesday. She currently serves as the assistant secretary responsible for the day-to-day management of the 17,500-employee agency.
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WI: Kleefisch adoption protection package moves to Senate
The Courier – February 03, 2016
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted unanimously today, Wednesday, Feb. 3 to send the last piece of the Adoption Protection Package to the Senate. The package was the result of a bipartisan study committee chaired by State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc.
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WI: Better Services Proposed For Human Trafficking Victims (Includes audio)
Wisconsin Public Radio – February 02, 2016
The goal of a bill that got a hearing this week is to ensure that child victims who are rescued get referred for services. Under current law, child victims of sex trafficking aren’t automatically eligible for services that are available to other victims of child abuse, and sex traffickers aren’t covered under the child abuse laws.
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US: Bill to mark sex offender passports raises ire of criminal justice advocacy group
The Washington Times – February 03, 2016
A criminal justice advocacy group is prepared to sue the federal government if President Obama signs into law a measure requiring child-sex offenders to be identified as such on their passports–a move they say is as hypocritical for a president pushing for broad criminal justice reform.
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US: Get Ready . . . Get Set . . . Four Things All Foster Youth Should Do Before They Turn 18 (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 03, 2016
Here’s a checklist for former foster youth as they approach 18. Please pass it on if you know someone reaching this milestone.
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US: New Strategies Long Overdue on Measuring Child Welfare Risk (Opinion)
The Chronicle of Social Change – February 03, 2016
As The Chronicle of Social Change has been reporting over the past two years, various jurisdictions have been exploring new tools to focus the attention of child welfare systems on the children most at risk of subsequent abuse or neglect. The mainstream media has begun to notice, as demonstrated by CNBC’s recent report on Los Angeles’ contract with software company SAS to develop such a tool for its child welfare system.
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US: The Modern Parenting Crisis You Never Hear About (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 03, 2016
You won’t hear about it on the evening news, and you may not even realize how it may be affecting you, but we are in the midst of a solitude crisis. Simply put, the lack of time, ability, or permission to be alone is a silent source of stress, undiscussed yet pervasive. It is caused, in large measure, by the busyness of daily life. Contemporary demands, especially for parents of young children, are unsustainable.
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US: What the Media Is NOT Telling You About Dads Like Me (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 03, 2016
One in three kids in America live in a home without their father present. Countless research will tell you that our kids are at great risk without strong, present, loving dads in their lives.
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US: Senate Report on Child Abuse of Unaccompanied Alien Children
Child Welfare League of America – February 01, 2016
A majority-minority report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Homeland Security Committee was released on Thursday, January 28 detailing abuse and lack of safeguards for children who came into the U.S. unaccompanied. According to the report and the hearing that accompanied its release unaccompanied minors have been subject to various forms of abuse and trafficking with many forced into involuntary labor. Report: www.hsgac.senate.gov/download/majority-and-minority-staff-report_-protecting-unaccompanied-alien-children-from-trafficking-and-other-abuses-the-role-of-the-office-of-refugee-resettlement Also: Senate subcommittee examines migrant children abuse: akronlegalnews.com
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INTERNATIONAL

Belarus: Irish charity helps 300 children in foster care in Belarus
Irish Examiner – February 04, 2016
The Lord Mayor of Cork Chris O’Leary has seen how an Irish charity has pioneered a new foster-care model which has saved 300 vulnerable Belarussian children from a life in bleak state-run orphanages.
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Canada: Motherisk is causing fresh pain: Editorial
The Toronto Star – February 03, 2016
Due to questionable results produced by Motherisk, adoption cases involving up to 300 Ontario children have been put on hold.
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Cuba: As Americans begin venturing into Cuba, Penn students and researchers lead the way
The Daily Pennsylvanian – February 04, 2016
Students are not alone in venturing to the previously off-limits country–Debra Schilling Wolfe, executive director of the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, visited Cuba as part of a group of child welfare experts appointed by the government to study resources for children in the country.
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International: Research links prenatal stress to babies’ health in war zones
University of Florida (Press release) – February 03, 2016
Children from war-torn areas of the globe are affected by trauma even before they are born, according to a new University of Florida study. Report: Abstract (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
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CA: California’s step-by-step solution for its new Child Welfare System
GCN – February 02, 2016
California is dabbling with innovative ways of procuring technology for its new Child Welfare System, transitioning from waterfall procurement to an agile and iterative acquisition that aims to revamp the mammoth system’s services one at a time.
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CA: Los Angeles County supervisors to consider new probation oversight body
Los Angeles Times – February 02, 2016
Child welfare and criminal justice reform advocates, along with representatives of unions representing probation staff, spoke in favor of the move to review oversight of the department.
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GA: New budget aims to bring in more DFCS workers
11 Alive – February 02, 2016
In the coming years, nearly $5.4 million in new state dollars will be proposed for 180 new eligibility workers with another $7.4 million going to help add 175 new child welfare case managers and supervisors, according to the “Blueprint for Change” progress report issued by the Division of Family & Children Services.
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IN: Child abuse registry proposal debated by Indiana lawmakers
Associated Press – February 03, 2016
The measure – Garza calls it Kirk’s Law – received unanimous backing, 7-0, from the Senate Committee on Judiciary last week and it faces a likely up or down vote by Wednesday by the full Senate.
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MA: AG: Working with parents after ruling in alleged child rape case (Includes video)
MassLive – February 02, 2016
The parents, identified as John and Jane Doe Nos. 1-3, are seeking information to help lay the groundwork for a future civil lawsuit on a potential cover-up and alleged failure to report sex crimes at Bridgewater State University. A state-paid teacher allegedly raped and molested children while at the Children’s Center, the university’s day-care program.
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MI: State has fewer goals to end child welfare system oversight
Associated Press – February 02, 2016
A judge in Detroit has approved an agreement that cuts some goals the state must meet to end federal court oversight of Michigan’s child welfare system. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says the modified deal with national advocacy organization Children’s Rights was approved Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
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MO: Adoptees take their battle for equal rights to Jefferson City (Includes video)
KSHB 41 – February 02, 2016
Birth mothers and adoptees with the Missouri adoptee rights movement testified in support of HR 1599 – the Missouri Adoptee Rights Bill. The measure would allow adult adoptees to have access to their original birth certificate, which identifies their birth parents. Also: Adoption advocates plead for birth certificate access: Adoption advocates plead birth certificate access (newstribune.com)
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MS: Wrongdoing denied in pair of DHS lawsuits, records show
Sun Herald – February 02, 2016
Defendants denied any wrongdoing in responses filed in federal court last week to two lawsuits against the state Department of Human Services.
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NC: New scholarship for foster kids
Gaston Gazette – February 02, 2016
Least of These Carolinas is a Gaston County nonprofit that formed three years ago to provide services and support to foster parents. It will serve as the donor in the new scholarship program, through a partnership with the Gaston College Foundation.
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NJ: Why One State Is Making It Easier For Teens to Seek Mental Counseling
Teen Vogue – February 02, 2016
The new law specifically targets teens contemplating suicide, because many kids are afraid to tell their parents that they’re depressed or having suicidal thoughts. LGBT teens who may not have come out to their families and kids growing up in households where mental health issues aren’t culturally accepted can now seek treatment they were previously barred from.
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NY: State to Revamp Training for Child Welfare Caseworkers (Includes audio)
Public News Service – February 03, 2016
The Office of Children and Family Services has created a panel to make recommendations for how best to do it, following a federal audit of child-welfare outcomes in which New York did not fare well. However, Ontario County Commissioner of Social Services Eileen Tiberio, who sits on the panel, said it also was created to address the changing needs of the population, including the recent surge in opioid addictions.
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RI: Some highlights from Rhode Island governor’s budget proposal
Associated Press – February 02, 2016
The governor wants to pare back health department costs and shift more care to homes and out of institutions; cut $2 million from child welfare services through staff reductions and leaving positions vacant; and eliminate the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, for a savings of $332,000.
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TX: Sondra’s Song to Open Residential Home For Those Aging Out of Foster Care (Press release)
Everything Lubbock – February 02, 2016
“The home can house up to eight youth and is nearby transportation, Texas Tech University and a host of businesses so these young adults can begin to find promise in their future,” said Sandi Turner, Sondra’s Song executive director.
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UT: Bill to permit 18 year olds to petition court to end DCFS supervision stalls
Deseret Morning News – February 02, 2016
While youths can petition courts to leave foster care now, current law says the court may grant the petition. Under Jackson’s bill, if certain conditions were met, judges would have to grant the petition, he said. Information Gateway Resource: Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living: Independent (childwelfare.gov)
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WI: Committee fails to endorse GOP child abuse reporting bill
Associated Press – February 02, 2016
A Wisconsin Assembly panel deadlocked on legislation Tuesday that would require doctors and nurses to report to child protective services when they learn one of their child patients is sexually active, a rare instance of Republicans failing to pass one of their own bills at the last minute.
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US: More than 3 million US women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancy
Medical News Today – February 02, 2016
An estimated 3.3 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 years are at risk of exposing their developing baby to alcohol because they are drinking, sexually active, and not using birth control to prevent pregnancy, according to the latest CDC Vital Signs report released today. The report also found that 3 in 4 women who want to get pregnant as soon as possible do not stop drinking alcohol when they stop using birth control.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Australia’s Shame: Child Abuse as a Border Defense Strategy?
The Diplomat – February 03, 2016
There is no other way to interpret the policy than “child abuse as deterrence” for border protection. Important members of the medical and legal professions in Australia have spoken out against the policy because of direct knowledge of sexual abuse and other abusive practices in the centers.
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Germany: Up to 5,000 migrant children disappeared into criminal underworld of abuse in Germany
Express – February 03, 2016
Child welfare officials say the children were vulnerable after the trauma of their flight and many may have fallen prey to criminals and abusers.
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Ireland: Foster care scandal: Social workers fear kids at risk over loss of staff
Irish Examiner – February 02, 2016
The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) said it feared there could be more cases like ‘Grace’, the young disabled girl left for years in a foster home known to be abusive, because of the rapid turnover of staff and the relative inexperience of those working on the frontline with children at risk.
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Norway: Christian Leaders Who Oppose Spanking Say Norway Not in Violation of Christian Parents’ Rights
Christian Post – February 02, 2016
As the removal of five Romanian Pentecostal kids from their parents’ custody over spanking allegations has enraged thousands of global supporters, some Christian leaders in Norway are combating the notion that parental and religious freedoms are being violated by the Norwegian government.
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AL: Child-abuse legislation ‘Winston’s Law’ gets start in Legislature
Montgomery Advertiser – February 01, 2016
Named for the now 5-year-old boy who is at the center of a high-profile Elmore County child abuse case, Winston’s Law would make aggravated child abuse cases where the victim is 6 years old or younger a Class A felony. Reserved for the most serious crimes in the state, Class A felonies have a punishment range of 10 to 99 years to life in prison.
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AZ: Nonprofit that succeeded Giving Tree violating same codes
Arizona Daily Star – January 30, 2016
DES spokeswoman Tasya Peterson would not give details on the subject of its investigation, but the announcement that it has begun came on the heels of a Star reporter’s questions about the charity, which describes its mission as “transitional housing, meals, clothing distribution and job training.” Public records show Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) previously found that Cross Country Outreach and its predecessor, The Giving Tree, have operated as an unlicensed child welfare agency and may have mishandled homeless clients’ welfare benefits.
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AZ: DCS Looks To Change Definition Of Child Abuse And Neglect
KJZZ – January 29, 2016
Arizona’s child welfare agency wants to change how it defines a report of child abuse and neglect. If passed into law, the legislation would narrow what alleged conduct the state is required to investigate. Department of Child Safety Director Greg McKay said he is trying to redefine what neglect is so the agency doesn’t have to respond to old reports.
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CA: Opinion County or city: Who is responsible for dealing with L.A. homelessness?
Los Angeles Times – February 01, 2016
The city of Los Angeles has an important role in meeting the homelessness challenge. City laws and police practices determine whether people living on streets and sidewalks will be arrested and whether their belongings will be confiscated. City leaders have to figure out how to meet the need for housing units, how to pay for them and how to overcome community resistance to new buildings and new neighbors who have histories of homelessness and, perhaps, mental illness or addiction.
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DE: Jehovah’s Witnesses fight law on reporting child sex abuse to police
Reveal – February 01, 2016
Delaware law requires any individual or organization suspecting child abuse to report it. But then it gets confusing. The law allows an exemption for a priest who learns of abuse during a “sacramental confession,” wording that suggests a privilege specifically for clergy in the Catholic Church.
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ID: Child abuse case casts shadow over Eagle nonprofit
Idaho Statesman – February 01, 2016
Cleve Cushing describes it as a call that changed his life. He first heard allegations that a couple working as houseparents at the Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle had sexually abused two girls in their care. Michael Paul Magill, 31, and Jennifer Nicole Magill, 32, later pleaded guilty to felony sex abuse charges.
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IN: Statehouse: Foster parents seeking protection
Goshen News – February 01, 2016
A growing number of children removed from their homes by court order – a trend many blame on the drug crisis – may lead to more protections for families that take them in. A proposal in the General Assembly makes it a felony to assault a foster parent, and makes it easier for foster families to get restraining orders to protect themselves and children in their care.
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MI: City receives complaints about signs for child abuse awareness
Cadillac News – February 02, 2016
A campaign aimed at increasing awareness about child abuse will be required to place less signs to explain the meaning behind their blue pinwheels this year. When these signs were placed last year, Economic Development Analyst Mike Coy said they received some complaints they were distracting to drivers.
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MN: ‘Saving Grace’: Foster home for youth sex trafficking survivors to open in Brainerd
Worthington Daily Globe – February 01, 2016
Saving Grace, a specialized foster care program for sex-trafficked children serving Crow Wing and six other surrounding counties, is set to begin accepting residents. The local LSS office was also recently designated as one of eight regional navigators on sex trafficking through the statewide Safe Harbor Law initiative.
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MO: Homeless students fight a daily battle (Opinion)
St. Louis Post Dispatch – February 02, 2016
At St. Louis Public Schools, we ended the 2014-2015 academic year with 5,085 students, pre-K through 12, who identified as homeless. With an enrollment of a little more than 24,000 students, the district’s homeless students equaled roughly 21 percent of its total population. In 2009, the number was 6 percent, with just 1,708 SLPS students identified as homeless.
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MO: An unusual insanity plea highlights the limits of state mental health services
St. Louis Post Dispatch – February 01, 2016
Part of the problem is that Carter doesn’t have family advocates. He isn’t sure what became of his biological mother and father. What is known is that when he was born his mother was committed to a mental health facility. She lost parental rights, sending him first to foster care, then to a host of institutions because he was aggressive.
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MO: Solving homelessness takes more than just providing shelter; it takes understanding (Opinion)
Kansas City Star – February 01, 2016
Riddle suspects that targeted efforts in recent years will continue to pay off. Permanent, not just temporary, housing has been increased for homeless veterans, families and children who got too old for foster care.
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MS: Foster care family says folks can’t stand on sidelines and wait for a fix (Includes video)
Mississippi News Now – February 01, 2016
Mississippi’s foster care system is in jeopardy of a federal takeover. Meanwhile, some families are seeing the personal side of the political mess. “The answer to a broken system isn’t for everybody to stand on the sidelines and say well I hope it gets better,” said Christina Dent.
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MS: Child Care Crisis: State’s weak oversight puts children in harm’s way in Mississippi
Hechinger Report – January 31, 2016
Mississippi’s weakly regulated child care system often perpetuates dangerous conditions for babies and young children by failing to hold centers to minimum standards or help them improve, a review of public records by The Clarion Ledger and The Hechinger Report found.
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NE: Union officials say that Nebraska agencies buckle under pressure because many state employees lack experience and institutional knowledge
Associated Press – February 01, 2016
Employee turnover is a constant factor when the Legislature examines mismanagement in state agencies like in its prisons, foster care and ACCESSNebraska, the system that distributes public benefits, according to Mike Marvin, executive director of Nebraska Association of Public Employees. “Unfortunately, current state human resource policy does not recognize longevity and value the service of long-term state employees, and as a result we are witnessing ongoing crisis in morale and staff across most of state government,” Marvin said. Information Gateway Resource: Worker Turnover: Turnover (childwelfare.gov)
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NV: Pilot program aims for consistency, speed in child welfare cases
Las Vegas Review Journal – January 31, 2016
Under a pilot program implemented Dec. 21 by the Clark County Family Court, the same judge will oversee child welfare cases from start to finish, ending a practice of bouncing the cases among different judicial officers.
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NY: To Eradicate Sex Trafficking, Prosecute the Pimps and Buyer (Opinion)
Gotham Gazette – February 02, 2016
In 2013, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman created Human Trafficking Intervention Courts after recognizing that the vast majority of women arrested for prostitution were, in fact, victims of trafficking or other forms of exploitation. These courts sought to provide people in prostitution with exit strategies and comprehensive services, instead of jail time and criminal records.
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OK: Editorial: Gov. Fallin deserves credit for ambitious budget proposals
Daily Oklahoman – February 02, 2016
DHS is one of seven entities that will be cut by 3 percent overall, instead of 6 percent as is the case for most other state agencies. The others that would, thankfully, feel less of a pinch are the Health Department, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the state mental health agency, the Department of Public Safety, the Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Oklahoma School of Science and Math.
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UT: New Utah Bill Would Disadvantage Same-Sex Couples In Adoptions (Opinion)
Opposing Views – February 01, 2016
Utah may introduce legislation that disadvantages same-sex couples in adoptions or foster care placements. Also: Utah Legislator Proposes Anti-Gay Bill That Would Rob Foster Children of Potential Parents:
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US: Child Abuse: Greatest Risk Among Family Adults, Not Teachers, Clergy, Coaches, Or Scout Leaders
Medical Daily – February 01, 2016
Media reports scare parents into believing child molesters hide beneath the masks of youth leaders, but University of New Hampshire researchers say your child is more likely to be abused by a family member than community volunteers.
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US: Restoring a Child’s Life After the Unthinkable Happens
Huffington Post – February 01, 2016
Led by the phenomenal Kim Biddle, Saving Innocence’s mission is to rescue and restore child victims of sex trafficking through strategic partnerships with local law enforcement, social service providers, and schools, while mobilizing communities to prevent abuse and increase neighborhood safety. This is the final article in a three-part series written by Jenna Elfman for WhoSay to raise awareness about child sex trafficking in the United States.
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US: Public Awareness: “Faces of Human Trafficking” Video Series
Office for Victims of Crime – January 30, 2016
The series is intended to be used for outreach and education efforts of service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and others in the community. The series includes information about sex and labor trafficking, multidisciplinary approaches to serving victims of human trafficking, effective victim services, victims’ legal needs, and voices of survivors.
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US: How Do States Differ In What Services Are Available For Youth Aging Out Of Foster Care?
Open Minds – January 29, 2016
Every year approximately 24,000 youth age out of the foster care system, the majority of whom are 18 years old. These youth are more likely to have poorer outcomes than youth who either exit the foster care system or never enter the foster care system.
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INTERNATIONAL

Canada: Hundreds of Ontario adoptions on hold during Motherisk hair testing review
Canadian Press – February 01, 2016
The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies said Monday between 200 and 300 cases have been flagged for review because they involved a now discredited program that used hair analysis to test for drug and alcohol use.
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Philippines: Illegal adoption is tantamount to trafficking – DSWD
Philippine Information Agency – February 02, 2016
In a recent Kapihan sa PIA Cebu held at Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) Plenary Hall, DSWD-7 officials warned those who want to adopt children that they can be charged for human trafficking should they resort to illegal adoption. Emma Patalinghug, Protective Unit Services Head of DSWD-7 (Department of Social Welfare and Development), said they can charge the parent when they give up the child to another, or one claims a child as her or his own without undergoing the legal adoption process.
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Switzerland: The Swiss are installing more highly controversial “baby hatches” for safe abandonment
Quartz – February 02, 2016
Is providing a dedicated place to drop off unwanted newborns A) a barbaric throwback to the medieval “foundling wheel” common outside of churches and convents or B) a progressive way to save the lives of infants who would otherwise be abandoned in more dangerous places?
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United Kingdom: Crime agency chief Lynne Owens defended over Surrey child protection concerns
BT – February 02, 2016
Lynne Owens, the former Chief Constable of Surrey Police, was appointed in November as director-general of the National Crime Agency (NCA) which fights organised crime and includes the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. But Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley has claimed that, towards the end of time in her last role, Mrs Owens failed to act over child protection concerns.
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AZ: DCS Completing More Investigations, But Court Cases Increase (Includes audio)
KJZZ – January 29, 2016
After years of struggling, Arizona’s child welfare agency says it’s making progress. A recent report shows the department is completing more investigations of child abuse and neglect than it’s receiving. But that isn’t translating to fewer court cases.
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AZ: Herb Paine: Through The Looking Glass Of Arizona Priorities (Includes audio)
KJZZ – January 29, 2016
The Governor has proposed a balanced state budget; it’s cushioned by a $621 million surplus and a rainy-day fund of $500 million. He stresses that the state must live within its means. For a family of limited means, that’s a hard pill to swallow, especially when a reasonable portion of the surplus could be used to elevate Arizona’s embarrassingly low rankings in child welfare, health care, education, and workforce development.
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CA: OC Youth Shelter Provides One-of-a-Kind Care to Foster Kids (Includes video)
NBC Los Angeles – January 31, 2016
Out of the 62,000 kids in California who are in foster care, only 3 percent of them will graduate college. Amber Boggs, 27, beat the odds, thanks to Casa Youth Shelter, a youth home located in Los Alamitos.
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CT: Warrant: Watertown Couple Abused Children Adopted From DCF
Hartford Courant – January 29, 2016
The Watertown couple charged with abusing several of their five adopted children banished them to the bathroom for extended periods and isolated them from other family members. The couple were licensed as adoptive parents by the Department of Children and Families, and had passed criminal and child-welfare background checks before taking in the children, who were wards of the state. Four had special needs. “We have high expectations for the families who foster and adopt children from state care, and those expectations are met in all but the rarest of instances,” DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said in a statement Friday morning.
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GA: Columbus leaders seek solutions for high foster care stats (Includes video)
WTVM – January 29, 2016
On Friday, Muscogee County Judges met with DFACS, clergy, and community leaders to brainstorm solutions for the considerably high amount of Muscogee County children in foster care. According to DFACS, there are 538 Muscogee County children today living in foster care, which is higher than other counties of similar size. Information Gateway Resource: Foster Care Statistics 2013: childwelfare.gov
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IL: Eight months of rough seas: Metro East social services try to survive without state budget
St. Louis Public Radio – February 01, 2016
Monday marks the start of Illinois’ eighth month without a budget. Most state departments and agencies are operating under a patchwork of court orders and legislation. But some state-funded social service programs haven’t received a dime since July.
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LA: Revamp of Louisiana social services department recommended to Edwards
Greater Baton Rouge Business Report – January 29, 2016
Louisiana’s social services department needs a complete overhaul to adequately protect the well-being of the state’s children.
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MA: Would Child Welfare Programs Still Be Failing If They Were Anti-Poverty Instead of Anti-Abuse? (Opinion)
Jezebel – January 29, 2016
The Massachusetts DCF, like more than a dozen other state child services departments, is currently being sued for all the things it has been unable to do; alarmingly, the same department has also been ranked by an independent evaluation as the third-best child services department in the nation.
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MI: Adrian College student from Flint: Some resigned to using lead-contaminated water
Adrian Daily Telegram – January 31, 2016
The water collection and distribution drives are helping, Talton said, but overall do not address the root problem. Some refuse to pay for the tainted water and face shut-off notices, he said. Additionally, households with children are threatened with action from Child Protective Services because homes are required to maintain running water.
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MI: Michigan Health Endowment to benefit youth crisis initiative
MLive – January 29, 2016
Kalamazoo Community Foundation recently received a $250,000 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) to support Family & Children Services’ start-up of a residential alternative focused on crisis support and stabilization for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances. The grant will also support the agency’s Children’s Trauma Treatment program for children in foster care.
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MI: We all have a duty to speak up for Mackenzie (Includes audio)(Opinion)
Times Herald – January 29, 2016
Unfortunately for Mackenzie Maison, she was born in Michigan, lived her five years in Michigan and died in Michigan. Had she died in Wyoming, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas or Utah, Hilery and Andrew Maison likely wouldn?t be her only kin behind bars today. In those states, everyone is legally obligated to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect.
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MO: Cameron Building to Aid in Foster Care (Includes video)
StJoeChannel.com – January 31, 2016
Derek Williams and his wife are taking an old coffee shop and turning it to something new, a building for helping foster and adoptive parents and the kids they love. Williams is on the State Board for Foster and Adoptive Parents and saw a need that just wasn’t being fulfilled.
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NH: DCYF seeks longer hours (Requires free registration)
Garden City Telegram – January 31, 2016
The question of how the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services can offer round-the-clock protection for children continues to loom over a special commission designed to study the issue, with the state agency maintaining that any increase in staff hours would create a critical need for new positions.
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NV: Reno homeless count finds 59 youth living on the streets
Reno Gazette-Journal – January 31, 2016
Dakota registered as a homeless youth on Thursday during the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project’s point-in-time count. NYEP usually targets 18- to 24-year-olds but also counts people older and younger who are willing to take their survey. Point-in-time counts, a nationwide way to count homeless people, allows the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to track the scope of homelessness and create interventions to solve it.
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NY: Queens charity for kids with severe mental health issues to close down with $10M in debt
New York Daily News – February 01, 2016
Steinway Child and Family Services, which provides services to children with severe mental health issues, is $10 million in the red, records show. The charity, which was established in 1972, is in the process of transferring its programs to other social service providers and plans to shut down Feb. 28, according to an internal staff memo.
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PA: Enon Tabernacle Baptist expands outreach for human-trafficking victims
Philadelphia Tribune – January 29, 2016
“This is about helping raise awareness to eradicate human trafficking,” Waller said. “We, as a society, have to begin facing up to it. We cannot use terms like child prostitution. Children cannot sell sex even in places where prostitution is legal. That’s why there has to be an entire paradigm shift.” Waller is also advocating that the African-American community become cognizant of the fact that many young girls are being trafficking. Though some have come out of violent homes and foster care, many others are lured online to take cross-country trips or for false job interviews. Then girls or young women are trapped.
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TN: Judge on OHS request for dismissal: “This argument utterly fails.?”
WRCB TV – January 29, 2016
“This argument utterly fails.” It’s Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Robert Philyaw’s response to one of many arguments made in court to dismiss charges against two Ooltewah High School coaches and the school’s Assistant Principal.
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TN: Matthew 19:14 Ministries helps foster parents prepare (Includes video)
WVLT – January 29, 2016
“You know the child’s coming, but you don’t know all that the child needs,” said Brent Belue who started Matthew 19:14 Ministries. “You don’t even know what the child’s bringing with them.” Matthew 19:14 Ministries helps families get what they need to take care of their foster children
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TX: Hope Haven breaks ground on home for teen girls
Tyler Morning Telegraph – January 29, 2016
A dream formed in Lisa Ferguson’s heart when she met Stormy. At 18, Stormy was staying in a local emergency shelter. She was about to age out of the state’s foster care system and had no place to go, no family to contact and no real support system. Ms. Ferguson saw in Stormy – and the other girls she met at the shelter – the girl she once was, and she knew they needed more. Also: Home to help teenage girls in foster care being built in Lindale: Home to help teenage girls in foster care being built in lindale (kltv.com)
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UT: Editorial: Gay and straight couples are equal. Period.
Salt Lake Tribune – January 29, 2016
More than two years removed from Judge Robert Shelby’s decision striking down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage, and a year after the state passed a law banning housing and job discrimination for gay Utahns ­– a state representative wants to pass a law that would let judges choose heterosexual couples over same-sex couples in adoption and foster-placement cases. Rep. Kraig Powell’s justification for this is his belief that having both a male and female role model is better for children. Also: Critics: Bill favoring heterosexual parents unconstitutional: Critics bill favoring heterosexual parents unconstitutional (kxan.com)
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WA: A host of problems for homeless youths, but solution lies in host homes (Opinion)
Seattle Times – January 31, 2016
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of youths in Washington have family situations too unstable for them to stay at home, but not bad enough to warrant them going into foster care. Their options are limited. Washington funds just 23 beds in youth homeless shelters. Most often, these youths “couch surf” from friend to friend until they end up on the street.
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US: Starting a conversation about hidden toll of the caring professions
News Works – February 01, 2016
Compher spent 20 years working in child protective services, and his experiences trying to help battered children had a profound emotional effect on him. “I call it the hidden human side of professional caregiving that is not often talked about,” he explained during a recent screening of the film for an audience of mental health care providers.
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US: Senate probe faults gov’t for migrant child abuse
Associated Press – January 29, 2016
Migrant children in the government’s care were placed in U.S. homes and left vulnerable to human trafficking due to sometimes non-existent screening by the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a congressional report released Thursday.
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US: Springfield mom creates foundation to fight child abuse
Springfield News-Leader – January 29, 2016
Cindy Dennis, author of child abuse prevention books, is creating the Give A Child A Voice Foundation. By forming a nonprofit foundation, Dennis said she hopes to reach more children, parents, grandparents, foster parents and educators. As a foundation, she will be in a better position to raise funds and apply for grants. And she can get cheaper “nonprofit” publishing rates.
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Families SA worker says ‘work pressures’ prevented him from recording toddler’s sexualised behaviour
ABC News Australia – February 01, 2016
A Families SA social worker has told a royal commission “work pressures” prevented him from keeping full records on a toddler in state care who was a victim of paedophile carer Shannon McCoole.
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International: Anti-Impunity Tool: Guidance for investigating and prosecuting serious violations against children in armed conflict
Relief Web – December 31, 2015
Conflict Dynamics International has released a new tool for national judicial actors and others working on accountability for children in armed conflict: Anti-Impunity Tool: Guidance for investigating and prosecuting serious violations against children in armed conflict. Tool: CDI AntiImpunity (cacaccountability.org)
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Trinidad and Tabago: Children’s Authority investigating report of child abuse
The Loop – January 30, 2016
The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago says its investigation process is underway after it was notified by the Child Protection Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, of a report of child abuse.
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United Kingdom: After Rotherham, pleas for help from child abuse victims soar
Yorkshire Post – February 01, 2016
A surge in the number of children as young as 10 seeking help for sex abuse has seen demand on services more than double in just five years amid warnings that charities are being inundated by victims desperate for help in the wake of cases such as the Rotherham scandal.
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United Kingdom: National campaign highlights how to spot signs of abuse
Hebrides Today – February 01, 2016
The Outer Hebrides Child Protection Committee is supporting the first TV campaign in the UK to tackle child sexual exploitation, which was launched in Edinburgh on Thursday 28th January. It comes as new research shows 93 per cent of parents have heard of child sexual exploitation, but almost a third (29 per cent) know little about it and over a third (36 per cent) believe it won’t affect their family.
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CA: Group homes affected by new law: Shorter stays mandated, foster families needed
Loomis News – February 25, 2016
AB 403, by Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay), went into effect Jan. 1 and, among the changes mandated by the new law, is a requirement to shorten the stay of foster children in group homes or shelters.
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CA: Youth human trafficking victims in Solano, too
The Reporter – February 24, 2016
Did you know that children as young as 11 can be swept up into situations of commercial sexual exploitation, that Sacramento is the second “hottest” city for the crime and that Solano youths are not immune?
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CT: Welfare agency leaves 2 kids with sex offender, child abuser
Associated Press – February 25, 2016
Several Connecticut child welfare agency workers who left children with a couple despite the husband being on a sex offender registry and the wife being on a child abuse registry have been suspended.
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FL: Raising Hope brings dignity to children
The Tampa Tribune – February 24, 2016
“No child asks to come into the foster care system,” Rossi said. “They are all brought to us as victims of child abuse, neglect or abandonment. The children deserve to have the same items as every other child to maintain their pride and dignity.” Raising Hope was founded in 2002 and merged with Eckerd Kids in 2012. It helps children in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Brevard counties.
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GA: Alpharetta-based nonprofit Fostering SuperStars spreads hope for foster children
Neighbor Newspapers – February 25, 2016
Former foster child Helen Ramaglia shares a message of hope and resilience through Fostering SuperStars, her Alpharetta-based nonprofit that caters to children in foster care.
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KS: Kansas must get serious about protecting at-risk children (Opinion)
The Kansas City Star – February 25, 2016
The Legislature in January finally approved an audit of child protection services and selected other functions of the Department for Children and Families. But the review is expected to take about a year. That’s too long to wait.
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KS: Kansas Senate bill creates restrictive foster care program (Includes video)
WOW! 6 – February 25, 2016
Senate bill 158 would establish a “CARE” family program that would only allow straight, married couples who don’t drink or smoke to participate. The executive director of the Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization, Diana Frederick, says the program, in its current form is cause for concern.
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MN: Lawmakers Discuss Stronger Child Protections Before Legislative Session (Includes video)
KSTP – February 25, 2016
The Legislative Task Force on Child Protection met for the last time Thursday before the legislative session gets underway next month. The task force has been working since last fall to address problems and expand efforts in the child welfare system.
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MS: State Senate approves replacement foster care system
Associated Press – February 25, 2016
Senate Bill 2179 would replace the current Division of Family and Children’s Services with a new agency to look after homeless, dependent and neglected children.
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PA: Lawmakers work to close loophole, require doctors to get background checks (Includes video)
WHTM – February 25, 2016
Vulakovich said during the rewrite of child protection laws, doctors and medical professionals were not specifically mentioned as being required to get background checks. DHS interpreted that as an exemption even though health care professionals had always been required to have those checks. Vulakovich and Senator John Sabatina (D-Philadelphia) are sponsoring a bill that would put them back in and close the loophole.
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UT: Lawmakers reject bill addressing adoptions by gay couples (In-depth Analysis)
Associated Press – February 25, 2016
Utah lawmakers have rejected an effort to strike parts of state law requiring officials to give preference to heterosexual couples in adoptions and foster care placements. Without the change, Utah could see lawsuits from same-sex couples that are looking to adopt or foster children but lose the opportunity because of the preference for heterosexual couples.
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WI: Police, mental health team connecting with kids who witness violence
Journal Sentinel – February 24, 2016
The Trauma Response Team that pairs Milwaukee police officers and county mental health professionals has helped between 35 and 40 families since its creation seven months ago, officials said Wednesday.
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US: Gillibrand seeks to modernize foster care system, get children into homes faster
AburnPub.com – February 26, 2016
“Thousands of children in New York and across the country urgently need a loving home, but often child welfare agencies don’t explore the option of placing them with a foster family out of state because of long paperwork processing delays,” Gillibrand said.
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US: Here’s how the government could close the staggering racial wealth gap
Huffington Post – February 26, 2016
The racial wealth gap exists “largely as the result of policies that were put in place almost from the start of our country that benefited only portions of the population, not everyone,” Beadsie Woo of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on child welfare and economic opportunity, told HuffPost.
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US: GSA Tech Swat Team Expands to Offer Help on Agency State and Local Grants
Government Executive – February 24, 2016
The new expansion grew out of a 2015 pilot project between 18F, the Health and Human Services Department and the California Department of Social Services to upgrade the state’s legacy Child Welfare System, GSA said. “Through smarter practices in modular contracting, 18F has helped federal agencies realize savings of up to 50 percent. And with a focus on user-centered design, California expects to see delivery of better care for its most vulnerable children.”
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US: Towards Equity: Bi-partisan Federal Legislation Tackles Racial Disproportionality and Puts Families First (Opinion)
The Huffington Post – February 24, 2016
We know for sure that racial disproportionality in child welfare continues to be a significant problem. It is not a thing of the past. We must use this and every moment to ensure that all families get the treatment and help they need. Information Gateway resource: Addressing Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare: Racial disproportionality (childwelfare.gov)
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia: & Canada: ‘It’s the same story’: How Australia and Canada are twinning on bad outcomes for Indigenous people
The Guardian – February 24, 2016
Aboriginal peoples in Canada were grappling with record numbers of their children being placed in the child welfare system and a huge over-representation in the criminal justice system–the same issues that faced Australia, said Jonathan Rudin, head of Aboriginal Legal Services of Canada.
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International: How child sex abusers get reinstated as Jehovah’s Witnesses
Reveal News – February 17, 2016
Debbie McDaniel, a former Witness in Oklahoma, said an elder named Ronald Lawrence sexually abused her for five years, starting when she was 8 years old. In the 1990s, McDaniel and two other victims, by then grown, told elders that Lawrence had abused them. The elders did not call police; they eventually disfellowshipped Lawrence, not because he had abused kids, but for denying it. Lawrence was reinstated a year later.
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United Kingdom: Scottish child protection review announced
BBC News – February 25, 2016
A full review of Scotland’s child protection system has been commissioned by the Scottish government. The review will aim to ensure Scotland has the strongest possible system in place to protect children from harm.
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10 February 2016: National

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to send a bill to the Senate, which would officially require employees of the Department of Defense to report cases of suspected child abuse or child neglect on military bases or installations to both the respective state’s child protective services and to their military chain of command. Talia’s bill, which has been named after the five-year-old Talia Williams who was tortured and beaten to death by her parents who were active military employees at the time, would signal a “significant break from the status quo,” as it would require people who do not professionally work with children to report cases of suspected child abuse.

9 February 2016: Massachusetts

The annual Child Maltreatment Report from the US Department of Health and Human Services shows that Massachusetts has had the highest rate of child abuse and child neglect cases in the US during fiscal year 2014. Roughly 31,863 children were victimized during that time period with over 13.6 percent of victims being under the age of one year. Most shockingly, the report announced that over 81 percent of the identified perpetrators were the victims’ parents.

9 February 2016: Kentucky

Attorney General Andy Beshear of Kentucky has launched a new child abuse prevention program after he announced that one in ten Kentucky children will be sexually abused before the age of 18. The program will focus on educating law enforcement, social workers, educators and other child advocates about how to identify possible molesters and discern several seduction and engagement techniques often used by molesters.

1 February 2016: Florida

A disturbing video has surfaced in Florida, which shows the director of Children’s Palace Learning Center in Clermont physically abusing a 4-year-old boy. The perpetrator is seen hitting the child repeatedly with her hands, and then picking him up and dropping him onto a cot. This case sheds light on the need to properly train and monitor individuals who work closely with children on a daily basis so as to avoid further cases of child abuse.

1 February 2016: Delaware

The Delaware Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against members of Jehovah’s Witnesses for failing to report a case of sexual child abuse that occurred within the congregation in 2013. Delaware law mandates that any individual or organization suspecting child abuse report the crime to the authorities. However, the defendants’ attorney argues that this particular case was subject to the clergy-penitent privilege, according to which clergy are able to withhold information (in this case the confession of a 30-year-old woman having repeatedly had sex with a 14-year-old boy) if the latter received it “from members seeking spiritual advice.” This loophole does not only circumvent the criminal justice system but it puts in direct jeopardy the wellbeing of hundreds of children who have been physically abused.

1 February 2016: New Hampshire

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have published a report, which puts forth that family adults are the most common perpetrators of child abuse. The data suggests that the rates of abuse by family adults amounted to 11.4% over a lifetime as opposed to rates of abuse by nonfamily, non-youth group adults of 5.9% over a lifetime. The study challenges the popular assumption that clergy, teachers or coaches pose the greatest threat to children in terms of physical or sexual abuse.

1 February 2016: Philadelphia

In a recently published report by JAMA Pediatrics, researchers estimate that less than 1% of all children report any kind of abuse in “youth-serving organizations such as schools and religious/recreational groups” and 6.4% of this number report sexual abuse. While the percentage is relatively low, the study nevertheless acknowledges that over 100,00 children will become victims of sexual abuse in such youth-serving organizations.