● The Indianapolis Star exposes the warehousing of Indiana children in state family police agency offices, sometimes for weeks. The story includes NCCPR’s take on why this happens – it’s what you think. This link goes to a summary which has a link to the full story, which is behind a paywall.
● In words and pictures, The Imprint documents an oral history project that’s also an oral healing project for survivors of the “boarding schools’ that were part of the systematic attempt by “child welfare” systems to effectively eradicate Native America.
● The Imprint and Spectrum News 1 have stories about a New York State Assembly hearing examining the failings of the state’s child abuse “hotline.” I’ve updated my blog post about the hearing. Video of the hearing includes a helpful index. Scroll down the right-hand column to the list of witnesses. Click on any name and the video will go straight to testimony from that witness.
There is searing testimony from victims of false reports, particularly from survivors of domestic violence. But you may want to start with the testimony of Melissa Friedman. She is attorney in charge of legal strategy and training for the Juvenile Rights Project of the Legal Aid Society in New York City. They don’t represent parents in these cases. They represent the children. She began her testimony in support of this bill by saying: “I’m here to express to you, from the child’s perspective, the harm of over-investigation…”
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● Earlier this year Oregon Senator Ron Wyden released a comprehensive report on the enormous harm done to children in residential treatment – focusing in particular on four McTreatment chains. Now he wants the Justice Department to investigate these chains for allegedly defrauding Medicaid and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Imprint and The Hill have stories. Once
again, though, Wyden is focusing on the fact that three of the chains are
for-profit corporations. But, as I wrote earlier this year for The Imprint,
Nonprofit
Residential Treatment Also Stinks. |
● OK, I admit it. As this story in the Harvard Crimson makes clear occasionally more training is a good idea -- when family defenders are doing the training.
● Newark
Patch reports that we can add New Jersey to the list of states where
legislation is passed or pending that would stop family police agencies from
stealing foster children’s Social Security benefits.