Too Many Children Die in America as a Result of Abuse and Neglect. We Can Do Better.

Every Child Matters has released the second edition of  We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America, a compelling report that explores the crisis of child maltreatment fatalities in the United States.

A weak economy and resulting state budget cuts are putting even more children at risk, leading to a Growing Crisis in Child Protection.

A series of recommendations were previously proposed during the 2009 Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths in America. Included among them is the observation that "Current levels of federal spending are far below the level needed to protect all children at imminent risk of harm."

The National  Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths has launched a campaign urging Congress and the Administration to:

1. To conduct Congressional hearings on child abuse deaths
2. To provide emergency funds to stop state cuts in child protective services
3. To adopt a national strategy to prevent child abuse and stop child deaths

This Coalition includes the following partners:

• Every Child Matters 
• National Center for Child Death Review
• National Children's Alliance
• National Association of Social Workers
• National District Attorney's Association

More information about the Coalition, including how YOU can advocate to support their efforts is available at: http://everychildmatters.org/resources/reports/child-abuse-and-neglect

FCAA Culture of Foster Care Postcard Project

Amariana Crenshaw, today I am dedicating this FCAA Postcard to you....

An Injustice and An Atrocity

You will never get the chance to meet four-year-old Amariana Crenshaw.

Her life ended when she was burned beyond recognition by one or more Molotov cocktails landing on her while she slept on the floor of her foster mother’s rental property.

Medical records reveal that Amariana sustained at least 11 prior injuries during her time in foster mother Tracy Dossman’s care – including being pushed from a car.

Between the time that Amariana entered foster care and the time of her death, she dropped from the 83rd to the 3rd percential for her weight. Foster mother Tracy Dossman has been cited for numerous licensing violation – including two documented incidents of locking the refrigerator while Amariana lived with her.

Now, tell me this:

• Tell me why Tracy Dossman still has her foster parenting license.

• Tell me why Tracy Dossman has not been charged with a crime.

• Tell me why, at this very moment, five other foster children are residing in Tracy Dossman’s “home”

• Look me in the eye and explain to me why, after five black eyes and/or split and swollen lips, an injured leg and a molestation allegation, the conclusion drawn by DSS was that Amariana was “accident-prone.”

The California Department of Social Services says that until they complete the official inquiry, and unless they find Dossman in "noncompliance," they will not move to decertify her as a foster parent. Nor will they require the private agency that certifies Dossman to remove the other children.

"We're not there yet," says DSS spokeswoman Lizelda Lopez, who said it's not clear when a decision will come.

My question for Lopez and the other folks working at DSS is: "Would you trust YOUR children in Tracy Dossman's home?"

Sources:
Editorial: Who’s looking out for the next Amariana? Sacramento Bee, Feb. 14, 2010, pg. 6E.
Lundstrom, Marjie. Clinic records reveal more injuries. Sacramento Bee, Feb. 5, 2010, pg. 1A.

Remembering Cameron on Memorial Day

Some of us survive foster care, and live to make a positive difference for others. Others of us don't make it.

As with many youth in foster care, Cameron Smith was shuttled frequently from placement to placement. He began to fall behind in school. At least one family member contacted DCFS to request custody of Cameron, but their request was denied.

Instead, he was housed in a Juvenile Detention Center for a time, because a foster home could not be found for him.

When the Department of Child and Family Services finally did find a home for Cameron, it was with a single mother who was retired, disabled and caring for 7 children.

14-year-old Cameron was playing basketball with a 15-year-old friend in a park in Jonesboro when shots rang out. The friend was shot in the knee; Cameron took a shot to the torso. He collapsed in front of an apartment complex. His body was found on May 21, 2007.

Many questions were asked by friends and relatives when Cameron's body was found.

His many friends, who showed up at the City Youth Ministries in Jonesboro carrying candles to represent his brief life wondered: "Why him?"

Andrea Smith, his cousin, had harder questions to ask, like: Why wasn't there a missing person's report when 14-year-old Cameron first turned up missing?

Terri Ross, Cameron's third-grade teacher found it hard to believe that only four years after leaving her class, Cameron was now being buried. She said, "He was just an innocent child. All of these are kids and they're just kids in bigger bodies as they get older and they still need hugs and kisses and they still need a mom and dad, or somebody to love them."

Yes, they need someone to love them - and, in foster care, you learn to wait.

Cameron Smith of Jonesboro, Arkansas, will never have the chance to outlast the demons of his childhood.

Knowing that makes me feel terribly sad.

Sources: kait8.com and WMCTV.com

The Boni Bill (finally) passes

Photographs from www.amw.com

On October 16, 2006, social worker Boni Frederick took 10-month-old Saige Terrell to his mother's house in Henderson, Kentucky.

The decision had been made to terminate parental custody and place Saige up for adoption.

Boni didn't know that this visit would end with her death.

Renee Terrell and her boyfriend Christopher Luttrell (pictured above) stabbed Boni and beat her to death. They stole her car and jewelry and kidnapped the child. Saige was found safe and returned to foster care after a three-day manhunt.

The field of social work can be very dangerous:

-According to the National Institute for Social Work, over 75% of social workers have been verbally or physically attacked.

-Half of all human services professionals will experience client violence at some point during their careers.

As a social worker from Glasgow, Kentucky stated, "It's scary knocking on someone's door and not knowing what's on the other side."

The "Boni Bill" was proposed, in the aftermath of Boni Frederick's untimely death, in an effort to address social worker safety.

State Rep. Tom Burch, sponsor of the bill, said it best: "When you get involved with removing children from a home it can get very dangerous. You don't know what your reaction would be if someone came in to take your child away."

The Boni Bill originally included:

1.) Hiring 200 more social workers. Kentucky desperately needs more social workers, because current staff are overworked and under-supervised, with weighty caseloads.

2.) Adding safety equipment, such as panic buttons or a GPS system to track the location of social workers in danger. Social workers have reported that cell-phone coverage isn't available in many rural areas.

3.) Creating secure visitation sites around the state for parents to visit their children in state custody. Neutral locations might include state welfare offices, local health departments and/or churches, as well as building secure visitation centers across the state.

4.) A price tag of up to $20 million. Governor Ernie Fletcher approved of this spending, saying, "I consider this an urgent need."

Obstacles that the Boni Bill faced over the next several months:

1.) MONEY: On February 15, 2007, the House Committee approved the Boni Bill -- with only $4.8 million attached. On March 9, 2007, the Senate passed the Boni Bill -- stripped of all funding.

Without funding, this bill is just a piece of paper. Money is required, in order to hire more workers and create safe visitation centers.

Governor Ernie Fletcher criticized House Democratic Leaders for 'gutting' the Boni Bill, saying, "It took away everything that's important for the safety of social workers and the children they serve."

2.) PROCRASTINATION: The House also wanted to create another task force to study the matter and report back to lawmakers before the 2008 session --- despite the fact that oficials for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services have already worked with lawmakers to develop the original Boni Bill.

As Secretary Mark Birdwhistle stated, "We've already done the research. It's now time for action."

3.) POLITICS: The Kentucky House and Senate became trapped in an impasse over the bill. To fund or not to fund? How much money can be spent on the bill?

An 'untested' idea?
Senate President David Williams opposes visitation centers. He claims that they are an untested idea. He believes that visitation centers will only "create more targets."

Williams should visit The Family Place in Louisville, Kentucky, a visitation center where supervised visits have taken place between parents and children from 1996 to the present date, with no serious incidents.

Rather than visitation centers, Williams advised social workers to request that law enforcement officers accompany them on visits. Will the Cabinet be willing to pay for these officers? Will social workers who refuse to visit homes without an officer run the risk of losing their jobs?

Outcome:
Reason finally won out over politics, as lawmakers pushed the Boni Bill on the last day of the legislative session. The bill passed and is on its way to Gov. Ernie Fletcher to be signed into law.

1.) Instead of $20 million, the measure appropriates $6 million to institute safety procedures, including opening regional visitation centers and hiring additional social workers.

2.) The number of social workers to be hired has dwindled from 200 to 60.

3.) Money was also set aside for other safety measures, such as purchasing two-way radios with panic buttons for all social workers.

The safety of social workers and children shouldn't have a price tag. But in Kentucky, it apparently does...

I just hope that the cost doesn't include another lost life.

To learn more about The Family Place in Louisville, visit:
www.familyplaceky.org

Jim Holler's presentation, The CPS Worker: Making A Case for Safety, is available through free online trainings offered by the National Children's Advocacy Center for child advocates and investigators.

To register for free online classes, please visit:
www.nationalcac.org/professionals/trainings/onlineregister.php

Sources:
Alford, Roger. Bill to protect social workers gains approval. Kentucky Post, March 28, 2007, pg. A13.
Alford, Roger. Lawmakers: Take the danger out of social work. Kentucky Post, Feb. 8, 2007, pg. A14.
Biesk, Joe. Break in session leaves budget items in limbo. Kentucky Post, March 13, 2007, pg. A6.
Bindner-Wooten, Erica. Readers' forum: Safe visitation centers not an experiment. Louisville Courier-Journal, March 14, 2007, pg. A10.
Honeycutt-Spears, Valarie. Adoption bill back on track, sponsor says. Lexington Herald-Leader, Feb. 22, 2007, pg. B3. NASW News, Vol. 49, No. 4.
O'Neill, John V. Tragedies spark worker-safety awareness. Many think client violence 'won't happen here;' Violence or threats of violence are reasonably common for social workers during their careers.
Schreiner, Bruce. Senate reshapes social worker bill. Kentucky Post, March 10, 2007, pg. A6.
Vos, Sarah. Senate oks revision of Boni Bill; Williams says it's improved - others say its gutted. Lexington Herald-Leader, March 10, 2007, pg. B1.
Vos, Sarah. $2.5 million added to Boni bill -Measure doesn't add social workers. Lexington Herald-Leader, Feb. 23, 2007, pg. C3.
Yetter, Deborah. Better safety sought for social workers: Bill would also boost numbersLouisville Courier-Journal, Jan. 27, 2007, pg. A1.
Yetter, Deborah and Stephanie Steitzer. Funds stripped from social-work bill; Senate panelcuts $4.8 million. Louisville Courier-Journal, March 9, 2007, pg. B1.
Yetter, Deborah. Impasse remains on social worker protections. Louisville Courier-Journal. March 13, 2007, pg. B4.
Yetter, Deborah and Stephanie Steitzer. Kentucky General Assembly: Senate passes social worker bill; Critics call it useless after money removed. Louisville Courier-Journal, March 10, 2007, pg. B1.
Yetter, Deborah. Panel restores $2.5 million to aid children, social workers. Louisville Courier-Journal, Feb. 23, 2007, pg. B5.
Yetter, Deborah. Visitation centers are tied up in impasse; Legislators still hoping to pass social work bill. Louisville Courier-Journal, March 19, 2007, pg. A1.

Third child dies in Michigan foster care

Photograph from myfoxdetroit.com


This is the face of a child whom foster care has failed.


Three-year-old James Bradley was placed in foster care, assumedly to keep him safe.



Instead, he became the third Michigan child to die while in foster care within the past nine months.

James Bradley's death has been ruled a homicide. Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that James died of blunt-force trauma to the head as the result of the illegal action of another person.

TIMELINE:
-August 16, 2006: Isaac Lethbridge died in foster care.

-August 17, 2006: Isaac's four-year-old sister was hospitalized. Bruises were found on her back, midsection, spine, thighs and ankles.

-September 21, 2006: Allison Newman was hospitalized, due to a traumatic brain injury. Her foster mother, Carol Poole said the child fell from a second-story loft onto the first floor while she swung the child by her feet over her head and between her legs.

-September 22, 2006: Two-year-old Allison Newman was removed from life support.

-October 2, 2006: Carol Poole, the foster mother of Allison Newman, was charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse and involuntary manslaughter.

What's going on in Michigan?

In 2006, state investigators discovered:

- 26 out of 84 foster homes had expired licenses
- At least five investigations of abuse or neglect were never investigated
- Seven children were in dangerous or unacceptable placements

Investigators could not immediately locate or verify where 21 of the agency's 106 foster children were, though all were eventually found.

It's all about the money
This week, the Governor Jennifer Granholm proposed adding $35 million to the Michigan Department of Human Services' budget, in order to add staff members, conduct more staff training, get certification for family caregivers and subsidize permanent guardianships,

Meanwhile, the Michigan Senate subcommittee proposed cutting the department's budget by $20 million, slashing more than 800 staff members and privatizing most of the foster care and juvenile justice systems.

Elizabeth Carey, executive director of the Michigan Federation for Children and Families, which represents private nonprofit agencies, said, "It's not that Michigan doesn't know how to deliver good services to kids; it's that we're not delivering the scope of services and intensive services that we used to."

Shortcomings in resources and services hurt children. Even the efforts to reform the Michigan foster care system by suing the state only result in less money for the state to provide adequate services to children and their families.

The New York-based Children's Rights filed a lawsuit against Michigan's foster care system.

Among the allegations:
- 63,000 children available for adoption are being raised as wards of state
- 40% of children in foster care are living in unlicensed foster homes

The lawsuit listed by first name many of the children whom foster care has failed:
- Lisa, a nine-year-old sexually abused by her foster father
- Dwayne, a seven-year-old placed in eight different homes since he was a toddler

The 19.000 children in Michigan's foster care system need more money, not less. Why consider budget cuts while children are dying? And, even regarding the lawsuit, it is unfortunate that money is being spent on attorney fees, rather than on children.

Sources:
Death of child in foster care ruled homicide. Detroit: FoxTV, April 18, 2007.
From our readers losing Isaac: Blame goes all the way to the top. Detroit Free Press, Feb. 2, 2007, pg. A10.
Group Files Suit Against State Over Foster Care. WLNS, Feb. 16, 2007.
Judge to grant class-action status in Michigan foster care suit. Lansing State Journal, Feb. 15, 2007.
Kozlowski, Kim. Class-action status for foster care suit. Detroit News, Feb. 15, 2007, pg. B5.
Kozlowski, Kim. Settlement talks end in dispute over state's foster care system. Detroit News, April 12, 2007.
Kresnak, Jack and Tina Lam. Agency had lengthy list of alarming problems. Detroit Free Press, Jan. 29, 2007, pg. A11.
Kresnak, Jack. Death of foster child, 3, ruled a homicide. Detroit Free Press, April 18, 2007.
Kresnak, Jack and Tina Lam. Isaac not the 1st child center had failed. Detroit Free Press, Jan. 29, 2007, pg. A11.
Newman, Allison. Foster mother charged in death of 2-year-old. Associated Press, Oct. 14, 2006.

Michigan foster care system in need of reform

Two-year-old Isaac Lethbridge was removed from his parents on charges of neglect, and placed into a foster home by state. His parents, Matt and Jennifer Lethbridge, had already lost custody of Issac's eight siblings, due to neglect. Jennifer is currently pregnant with her tenth child.

Isaac didn't choose his parents - and he certainly didn't choose his foster placement, where he was beaten to death. He did not choose to be burned, beaten and sexually abused within this foster care placement.

Isaac was the third child to die under the state's watch during the last 18 months.

Recent suggestions that have been made by Michigan residents include:

* Accreditation: Less than half of the 500 licensed child-placing agencies in Michigan are accredited.

"The state should push for accreditation of the 500 public and private agencies involved in managing care for foster children. Even stricter than the federal requirement of licensing for care, this would bring much needed accountability to the system, giving agencies and caseworkers a clear set of guidelines for monitoring care - or risking the loss of their accreditation and jobs."

* Smaller caseloads and more strategic use of staff: Michigan caseworkers typically handle caseloads of 20 children or more, which is higher than the national standard. The department has fewer than 10,000 workers, and training funds have been cut.

"The state assigns dozens of workers to monitor case files to make sure agencies meet state laws. It would be more efficient to assign them, in SWAT team fashion, to complaints so that everyone knows what's under investigation and what's being done about it. This could help caseworkers with their loads as well."

* Mandatory psych evaluations:
"Now, the state puts potential caregivers and foster parents through criminal background checks and makes sure they don't appear on the state registry of people with histories of child mistreatment. Psychological tests, which cost at least $200 apiece, would help better judge the fitness level of people the state asks to care for its children."

* Watch out for 'collector families:' Illinois, which is being upheld as a model for Michigan to follow,their changed licensing rules to rule out placing more than six children in a foster home, except in rare cases. In Michigan, it's not uncommon for foster homes to have as many as eight foster children.

"Do more with less" always means money
Children's Rights, a New York-based advocacy group sued the state in August 2006.

Michigan's budget deficit is projected at more than $800 million for the current fiscal year.

Federal foster-care reimbursements to counties are less than they ever have been. Wayne County, which handles about one-third of all of the children in foster care in the state, now pays out an extra $40 million a year for foster children, due to federal reimbursement drop-offs.

More than 3 in 4 children entering foster care in Michigan do so because of parental neglect, not abuse. It is interesting to note that a few years ago, Michigan was considered a model for other states because of its family preservation programs. That was before funds were cut, and programs preventing maltreatment, including parenting classes, were eliminated.

There was also a "changing of the guard." Early retirements and staff reductions at DHS since the late 1990s have resulted in the loss of 4,000 workers - many of whom have been described as the most-seasoned and best-trained staffers.

Sources:
Photo from caica.org

Dickerson, Brian. How many chances do parents get? Detroit Free Press. Jan. 31, 2007.
Kresnak, Jack. System overhaul could be only hope - faster adoptions, smaller caseloads seen as solutions. Detroit Free Press, Jan. 30, 2007.

Valenti, Mark. Reform system to save children - tight budges are no excuse when foster children's lives are at risk. Detroit Free Press, Jan. 31, 2007.

Message to foster children: Don't wet the bed - or you die

One week before her death, six-year-old Katherine Frances was taken to a hospital by her foster mother, where police and doctors found "severe bruising to her forehead, both cheeks, neck, shoulders, arms, back and chest. There were severe bruises and abrasions to her pelvis, below her waist and on her buttocks."

What did they do? The state sent her right back to the foster home. How stupid is that?

Eight days later, Katherine was dead. The home where she had been staying was orginally licensed by Mesa Family Services, and that license was taken over by Therapeutic Family Life.

According to the state child protection services, the private foster care agency knew that the foster parents frequently left Katherine and her three siblings alone with their biological teenage son while they worked multiple jobs - and that this 14-year-old boy had been previously accused of harming foster children.

The teenager has been formally charged with murder. He will be tried as an adult. Katherine's older sister reported that he was angry at Katherine for wetting the bed, so he picked her up and body slammed her head-first repeatedly onto the floor.

Both the state and private agency should be held accountable for their lack of oversight. The private agency didn't screen the foster family suffiently, nor did they follow-up on child care issues. The state sent a six-year-old foster child back into an abusive placement that led to her death. The bruises that Katherine had suffered should have been a 'red light' to them.

So should the fact that Katherine's foster parents had filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy since June 2005. The state doesn't require its child-placing contractors to check court records and obtain tax returns of prospective foster parents. New minimum standards that take effect this month require foster parents' incomes to be verified.

Police believe that foster mother Joyce Luvern Burks could have taken Katherine to the hospital hours before she actually did. That delay in medical care might have cost Katherine her life.

Meanwhile, Katherine's biological mother has filed a $15 million lawsuit. Did I mention that Katherine and her siblings entered foster care due to reports that they were frequently locked in the house alone, without food or electricity?

Where are Katherine's siblings? Staying with their grandfather. The state had considered sending them to their grandfather earlier, but ruled it out because there were people living in the home with criminal records or a history with CPS. So, what has changed? Are Katherine's siblings safe with their grandfather?

Action being taken by the state:
1.) On Dec. 7, 2006, CPS caseworkers began making face-to face visits with all children in foster homes formerly licensed by Mesa Family Services. These visits are to check the safety of the children and condition of the home.

2.) They will make a list of all standards violations and child safety experts will conduct a secondary review of the findings.

3.) Children will be immediately removed from any home where unacceptable risks are identified.

4.) Until this investigation is over, no children will be placed in foster homes overseen by Therapeutic Family Life (TFL), including homes that TFL took over after Mesa relinquished its contract and license.

5.) National criminal background checks will be conducted on all persons 14 years and older who live in former Mesa foster homes. Those checks will be ongoing, not just one-time.

6.) Interviews with adults who have regular contact with foster children, such as doctors, nurses, teachers, child care providers, will be conducted to ensure they are receiving proper care and to identify potential problems.

Sources:
DeSoto teen charged of beating foster child to death, mother charged as well. Pegasus Newswire, Jan. 13, 2007.
Fink, Jack. Girl dies in foster home, teenage boy accused. CBS 11: Dallas/Fort Worth, Dec. 6, 2006.
Fink, Jack. Girl visited hospital week before death: Group says DFPS bruising should have been red flag. CBS 11: Dallas/Fort Worth, Dec. 8, 2006.
Fink, Jack. Mother files lawsuit in foster care death case. CBS 11: Dallas/Fort Worth, Dec. 12, 2006.
Fink, Jack. State blames private agency for foster child death. CBS 11: Dallas/Fort Worth, Jan. 12, 2007.
Garrett, Robert T. State faults foster-care contractor in girl's death: Officials cite 'gross failure;' firm's lawyer denies allegations. Texas Cable News, Jan. 11, 2007.
Gillet, Bud. Bedwetting may have prompted fatal attack. CBS 11: Dallas/Fort Worth, Dec. 8, 2006.
Yan, Holly, Robert T. Garrett and Michael Grabel. Foster brother held in death: Girl 3rd to die in home selected by agency under state scrutiny. Dallas Morning News, Dec. 6, 2006.

Children's Coalition: Bail Set at $250K for Foster Mother Melanie Ochs

Children's Coalition: Bail Set at $250K for Foster Mother Melanie Ochs

Strengthening the oversight of foster care

I linked to FosterAbba in a recent posting, because there are many dedicated foster parents out there, with good intentions. Foster parents whose idealism led them to pursue foster care, and who experience emotional pain when foster youth are removed from their home.

I wish every foster parent were like that... but since there are some nefarious foster parents out there, there needs to be nationwide oversight over foster placements.

1.) Each state should keep track of deaths in foster care. This is not happening.

2.) If one child dies in foster care, all other foster children should be removed immediately. Two-year-old Allison Newman was placed in foster care in November 2004, due to maternal neglect. Her Michigan foster family had expressed hopes that they might adopt her. Social workers documented that Allison appeared healthy and happy when they visited her.
Two days after a caseworker visit, Allision was dead. The foster mother claims that Allison "repeatedly hit her her on the side of the bed in the course of play." However, Allison's autopsy has led to questions and doubts about this explanation.

To their credit, Lutheran Social Services removed other foster children from the home immediately. Sadly, this does not always happen.

3.) National information sharing when it comes to sexual and/or physical abuse by foster parents. If an adult sexually abuses a foster child in one state, he/she should not be free to do the same in another state.

In my state, they are exploring the possibility of a statewide database of foster parents, so that adults who abuse the children in their care in one county or through one agency aren't free to do the same in another.

Sources
Ferretti, Christine. Questions surround tot's foster care, Detroit News, Sept. 26, 2006, Metro, pg 2B.
Miller, Carol Marbin. No list of kids on mood drugs. Miami Herald, Sept. 23, 2006, Metro pg. 1B.

Each state has its challenges when it comes to foster care

Wherever you are in the world, if you have a foster care system, you are facing some serious challenges. We need to know what these challenges are, and face them with courage and resolution...

What we need vs. what we have
What we need in my state is a statewide network, designed to help people in and from foster care. What we have are 88 counties, each with their own unique interpretation of spending and oversight, and each with a lengthy roll of red tape.

We have one independent living coordinator in charge of overseeing IDP programs in all 88 counties. Makes me wonder about inconsistencies in each county when it comes to teens aging out of foster care. There seems to be a lot of job turnover in this position; three different people have held it within the past year.

Nonprofit organizations that serve foster youth are competing for a limited amount of funding -- and this seems to make them work against each other, rather than coordinating their efforts.

What we need is a collective voice, made up of people in and from foster care. What we have are organizations that like the idea of youth board made up of foster youth, as long as it is something that they can control.

Adult alumni who propose changes that might change the status quo are often perceived as threatening to established organizations.

Other challenges in my state:
1.) One county is in trouble for mismanagement and co-mingling of funds. State officials report that this county has so badly co-mingled its federal, state and levy income that large sums are virtually unauditable.

Two separate audits have recently indicted them. It has been determined that this county has received millions of federal and state dollars that it was not entitled to, between 2002 -2004.

They did this, by allegedly playing a "shell game" with funding, in order to avoid the legal requirement to match federal dollars.

One auditor found $37.8 million in undocumented spending. She also determined that an additional $169 million was improperly transferred from the children's services fund to the public-assistance fund between July 2001 - June 2004.

She has ordered that this money must be returned - but she doesn't have the power to actually make this happen.

2.) The state administrative agency is also on the hot-seat. When they were entrusted with distributing federal dollars, this came with the responsibility to scrutinize county spending.

Yet, the state failed to audit counties between 1993-2003, when the two special audits began.

3.) An autistic foster child in my state was recently murdered by his foster parents. This couple should never have been approved to foster any child, much less a child with special needs.

They were jobless, had moved 8 times within the past 10 years. Each spouse had a theft/shoplifting charge, the wife had filed domestic assault charges against her husband and there was a live-in girlfriend living in their household.

Residents have challenged the county commissioners to reconsider the qualifications of the independent board that is supposed to over see children's service agencies.

A task force is reviewing this, and by mid-December, they plan to suggest whether the oversight agency should:
a.) be folded into the county's department of job and family services
b.) be privatized,
or
c.) continue as an independent county board.

What could be accomplished within my state to make a positive difference?
1.) A lawyer I recently met with in California mentioned her concern that "Foster Bill of Rights" sound good on paper, but are utterly non-enforcable in a court of law. How can we put some "teeth" on rights for foster children?

2.) I wonder what, if anything, would motivate disconnected and often competitive agencies to work together to provide a safety net for children? Perhaps if federal funding requirements made it mandatory for them to do so?

Foster Parent Allegations

What exactly does it take to substantiate an allegation of abuse against a foster parent?

In court today, play therapist Susan Honeck said that she reported evidence of abuse four years before Ricky Holland was murdered by his adoptive parents.

Honeck had noticed a very deep rope burn on Ricky's wrist. Ricky told her that he had been handcuffed and tied up with dog rope. Honeck immediately informed Ricky's psychiatrist and filed a complaint with his social worker.

State officials dismissed Honeck's complaint as "unsubstantiated," and proceeded with Ricky's adoption. The Hollands were also approved to adopt Ricky's sister and two brothers.

Shortly after Honeck filed the complaint, Ricky's counseling with her was terminated.

Looking at it from multiple points of view

1.) The foster parents: To become a foster parent is to put yourself at risk. In training, foster parents are often told to expect allegations of abuse from troubled foster children. An Ohio foster parent has expressed her point-of-view eloquently in this blog: http://members.aol.com/fpallegations/

2.) The foster children: What if foster daddy is truly putting the moves on you? What if foster mom really isn't giving you enough food? Among the many wonderful and dedicated foster parents, there are some serious freaks and losers. like Ricky Holland's and Marcus Fiesel's foster parents, for example.

Being in foster care = lack of credibility. If you as a foster child report abuse, it might be viewed as lying, seeking attention, etc. -- even if you are telling the truth, and the abuse is truly happening.

"False allegations" are a concern because they discourage potential foster parents.

Yet, I must be honest and tell you that my primary concern is for the child or teenager in foster care. Please listen to them. Being in foster care does not mean being a liar.

Ricky Holland told his play therapist that his foster parents were abusing him. The Hollands were allowed to adopt him and three of his siblings. Now, Ricky is dead.

Sources
Bouffard, Karen. Witness: State ignored abuse - social worker testifies Ricky was tied up, handcuffed before Hollands adopted 7-year-old. Detroit News, September 20, 2006.

Ricky Holland and Marcus Fiesel

It often takes the death of an innocent child to bring reform to a broken system. 7-year-old Ricky Holland and 3-year-old Marcus Fiesel represent two lives that have been sacrificed. Ricky lived in Michigan, and Marcus in Cincinnatti, Ohio -- but their lives had many factors in common.

Ricky's foster parents were approved to adopt him
In Michigan, records show that social workers who checked on Ricky's welfare each month for three years praised his foster parents for doing a "wonderful job." They reported his condition as thriving.

When asked to describe the relationship between Ricky and the Hollands after his adoption, the state adoption worker reported that it was obvious that he "loves them dearly."

Meanwhile, neighbors wondered why Lisa Holland did not allow the children to play outside, and why they frequently heard the sound of babies crying. They wondered why Ricky scrounged for food. They wondered about a lot of things - but they didn't call and they didn't ask.

Marcus' foster mom was described as "perky" by social worker
In Ohio, the Carroll's were also living a duplicitous lifestyle. Foster father David Carroll had a lot to hide, including a domestic violence charge, a live-in girlfriend and evidence of a bipolar disorder.

Meanwhile, a Lifeway caseworker described Liz Carroll as "perky" and "unrushed," and said that Carroll never discouraged the case manager from seeing Marcus.

What else did the Hollands and Carrolls have in common?
1.) Multiple children living in the home: Both the Hollands and the Carrolls had multiple foster children. The Hollands had adopted three of Ricky's four siblings. The Carrolls had four children of their own, as well as another foster child.

2.) Allegations of husbands with mood swings.

3.) Domestic violence charges. Liz Carroll filed one against her husband. Tim Holland filed one against his wife.

4.) Involving the public in the search. Both the Hollands and the Carrolls lied in order to deceive the public. Marcus' foster parents reported him missing in a suburban park on August 15., 2006. They involved the public in the search, claiming that Marcus might have wandered off or been abducted. The Hollands reported Ricky missing on July 2, 2005.

4.) Murder and cover-up. Investigators believe that David Carroll burned Marcus' body repeatedly and tossed the remains in the Ohio River. Tom Holland was allegedly ordered by his wife to dispose of Ricky's body.

What happened to Ricky?
Ricky's body was found on January 27, 2006, six months after he had supposedly "run away from home." He had been wrapped in a sheet, and stuffed inside two garbage bags. According to the forensic pathologist, there is a distinct possibility that, when his body was first abandoned, Ricky was still alive.

In the Holland case, both spouses have turned upon each other. Neither will admit to killing the child. Tom claims his wife overmedicated Ricky. Forensic evidence demonstrates a pattern of abuse, violence and undernourishment, including fresh fractures to Ricky's upper body and face.

The Hollands have been charged with murder and first-degree child abuse.

What happened to Marcus?
In Ohio, the Carrolls wrapped Marcus in a blanket with his hands tied behind him. They taped him up like a mummy, and left him in a hot closet. Then, they left to celebrate a family reunion in Kentucky. When they returned, he was dead.

The Carrolls have been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and two charges of child endangering.

The question remains...
Will Ricky and Marcus, and many other children in many other states whose lives have been sacrificed, be the catalyst for (true and lasting) change in foster care? It breaks my heart that even if change comes, they won't be around to see it...

Sources:
Bouffard, Karen. Boy's death shows how state fails kids: Program designed to keep children with families can put youngsters such as 7-year-old Ricky in danger. Detroit News, Feb. 15, 2006.
Bouffard, Karen. Doctor: Ricky died a slow death. Detroit News, March 14, 2006.
Bouffard, Karen. Slain boy, siblings abused: State leaves kids with parents for months despite bruises, black eyes. Detroit News, Feb. 14, 2006.
Brooks, Candice. Lifeway Director: 'Nothing else we could have done' byt death may spark changes. Cincinnatti Post, Aug. 30, 2006.
Coolidge, Sharon. Far better off with God. Cincinnati Enquirer, Aug. 20, 2006.
Grasha, Kevin. Lisa Holland: I think Tim snapped. Lansing State Journal, March 18, 2006.
Kresnak, Jack. Parents may have hidden abuse of son. Detroit Free Press, March 6, 2006.
Kresnak, Jack. Records: Parents' deception shrouded years of abuse. March 10, 2006.
Kresnak, Jack. Reports say slain boy was thriving. March 17, 2007.
McLaughlin, Sheila. Lifeway leader defends agency. Cincinnati Enquirer, Sept. 1, 2006.
Range, Stacey. Wife would overmedicate boy, Holland says. Lansing State Journal, Sept. 6, 2006.

Viva Las Vegas Foster Care

Between 2001 and 2004, two children died every month while in the custody of Clark County Child Protective Services.

County officials remained mostly silent on the deaths, citing state laws that restrict information about the children from being released or referring to ongoing police investigations into the deaths.

Meanwhile, the number of children dying from abuse and neglect in Clark County nearly tripled during the first six months of this year.

Among the deaths:
-3 year old Crystal Figueroa, whose fragile, broken body was found in a dumpster.
- 2-year-old Adacelli Snyder died in 2005 because of malnutrition due to neglect. She had cerebral palsy. Her body was found in a trailer park. CPS had closed its case on Snyder's family about a year before she died.
-A 7-month-old boy who sustained a head injury while living with a foster parent.

The Child Death Review panel has been investigating 79 cases of foster children who died in Clark County between 2001-2001. Their task was to examine the worst-case-scenarios and try to determine whether or not those deaths could have been prevented.

Panel member Susan Gerhardt said, "We all agree there are serious problems. The system is broken at this point."

Problems cited include:
1.) Poor case management: At a hearing in April 2006, Clark County Children's Services employees stood up and admitted to ignoring forms and processes that would have protected the children.

2.) Lack of incident followup: In one case, it took a social worker more than 500 days to check on the welfare and safety of siblings in a home where a child had died.

2.) Bad record-keeping: The panel found incomplete records of visits to familes and poor communication between agencies put in charge of children.

3.) Overcrowded shelters:
-In June 2006, Child Haven had 205 children, 105 of them age 4 or under, despite the fact that the facility is designed to hold only 84 children and 20 infants.
-In August 2006, as of this week, Child Haven has 146 children and 40 infants.

4.) Length of stay (in shelters) is also an issue: The Department of Family Service's policy is that children shouldn't stay at Child Haven longer than two weeks, but the average stay there is 45 days.

Upon investigation, it was revealed that children were remaining in Child Haven for three to six months, and in some instances a year or longer. One child had been in Child Haven for over two years.

5.) Critical lack of foster homes: More than 2,000 in Clark County, Nevada, are in out-of-home placement because they are not safe at home. Meanwhile, there are only about 900 licensed foster homes in Clark County.

According to Thomas Morton, the new director of DFS, potential foster parents need to understand that 80 to 90-percent of the children living in Child Haven will eventually be reunited with their parents. Apparently, Clark County does not actively promote the foster-to-adopt approach.

6.) Lack of communication: Police did not always report the deaths, and in at least 12 cases, the district attorney did not investigate.

According to Assistant District Attorney Robert Tutin, "If your mandate is to ensure the safety of children and there are not other children in the home, it is not going to be a priority." Tutlin claimed that caseloads were so high that district attorneys had to focus on other cases.

Darryl Martin, Assistant County Manager for Clark County, disagrees, "That is a bad practice. That is an old practice and it has been going on for years." He is working on mandating that officials investigate and report child deaths from now on.

In at least one of the 12 cases that weren't investigated, a parent went on to kill another child.

7.) Overall lack of accountability: The panel recommended a complete overhaul of the Clark County family and child welfare system.

Clark County Children's Services recently hired a new directory, Tom Morton. During his first 15 days on the job, a child was left in a hot van alone by a child haven worker.

The deaths continue:
Meanwhile, 15-month-old Joshua Sharp died at Child Haven last week. He was found unconscious and could not be revived before being pronounced dead at a hospital. This was the second fatality at Child Haven this year.

Impending lawsuit?
Carole Shauffer, executive director for the Youth Law Center, a nonprofit law office in San Francisco that works with abused and at-risk children, is considering filing a lawsuit against the state and county if the issues are not resolved.

The Youth Law Center, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, has given Clark County a series of deadlines to reform the child welfare system in Southern Nevada.

These groups threaten a lawsuit if the deadlines and reforms are not made.

Their goals are:
- To disallow placement of children younger than 6 at Child Haven
- To stop police from removing children in emergency situations without social worker involvement
- To step up efforts to keep children and families together

I wonder:
- Why not open the door for foster parents to foster-to-adopt?
- Will postponing child removal cause more or less child deaths?
- Should families like Crystal Figueroa's be kept together?

However, I wholeheartedly agree with Carol Schauffer that, "The basic policies of the child welfare system are not supportive of the developmental needs of the children."

Sources:
Blaze, Ashanti. Another baby dies in Las Vegas foster care. KLASTV Eyewitness News, August 4, 2006.
Foster family recruitment in Clark County. KLASTV Eyewitness News, July 25, 2006.
Guzman, Martha. Number of child deaths up this year. KLASTV Eyewitness News, April 5, 2006.
Kihara, David. Infant dies at Child Haven: Death latest in series of woes for system. Las Vegas Review Journal, August 16, 2006.
Kihara, David. Overcrowding: Child welfare groups warn of lawsuits Youth Law Center demands reforms. Las Vegas Review Journal, August 19, 2006.
Kihara, David. State warned about foster system: Conditions have worsened, federal officals say. Las Vegas Review Journal, August 17, 2006.
McCarthy, Alyson. Panel looks for answers into county child deaths. KLASTV Eyewitness News, July 6, 2006.
McCarty, Coleen. Commissioners react to child deaths in Clark county. KLASTV Eyewitness News, June 6, 2006.
Morrison, Jane Ann. A grandmother's gumption helped crack the case of a cowardly act . Las Vegas Review Journal, Feb. 25, 2006.
Official concerned about Clark County foster care. KVVU, Fox 5 News, August 17, 2006.
Plaskon, Ky. Incomplete child death records: Whose blame? KLASTV Eyewitness News, April 21, 2006.