As reported by Florida Politics, a new report shows that most young children’s visits to emergency departments were related to a lack of preventive care, even when Medicaid covers the services.
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Author ArchiveIllinois’ Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith Held in Contempt of Court Yet Again for Lack of Placements for Foster Children After a Youth Spent More than Half a Year in a Psychiatric Hospital Beyond Medical NecessityJudge Patrick Murphey took a hardline approach to DCFS’ inability to create or find proper placements for youth in foster care by issuing countless orders throughout 2022 that held Director Marc Smith in contempt of court. The basis for the twelfth contempt of court order involved a 15-year-old girl who was cleared to be released from a psychiatric hospital on January 14, 2022. Yet, by March 5, 2022, DCFS failed to find an appropriate placement for the minor. During a hearing on May 12, 2022, DCFS assured the court that the minor would be placed by the middle of June. However, by the beginning of July, the youth still had not been released from the psychiatric hospital, losing months of her life. Florida’s Children First to Honor Broward’s Top Advocates for Children on March 7Florida’s Children First (FCF), an award-winning non-profit organization that has been the voice of at–risk children and youth in Florida, will recognize truly remarkable child advocates and former foster youth at FCF’s 21st annual Broward County Advocates for Children Awards, held at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on March 7. This is one of the largest events FCF hosts each year, recognizing the accomplishments of community leaders in Broward who support its mission of making positive changes in the lives of children. Joe Johnson, NPR and Beatles Brunch radio host, will return as the event’s emcee with an expected attendance of 300 supporters including community leaders, former honorees, and individuals who are committed to helping Florida’s children. Holly Hill man accused of repeatedly abusing foster children to remain in jail, judge rulesA Holly Hill man accused of repeatedly abusing at least four foster children will remain in jail without bond, a judge ruled on Monday. Lawrence Henry Williams, 50, was arrested last week on one count of sexual battery and one count of lewd and lascivious molestation. According to the state attorney’s office, he was “mistakenly issued a bond contrary to the law and the no bond mandate on the arrest warrant.” In lawsuits, Turpin siblings say foster parents beat them, forced them to eat vomitAs reported by the Desert Sun, “Six of the Turpin siblings have filed lawsuits against Riverside County and a foster care provider, saying they faced further abuse after being rescued from decades of confinement and malnourishment at the hands of their parents.” Another Child Death from Neglect After Being Left in a Motor VehicleAs reported by WPLG Local 10, “Detectives are investigating how a 3-year-old boy died inside a car outside of a school on Monday afternoon in Miami Gardens. According to the Miami Gardens Police Department, officers responded just after 3:45 p.m. to the Lubavitch Educational Center, at 17330 NW 7th Ave. Fire Rescue personnel used a helicopter to fly the boy to the hospital where a doctor pronounced him dead, police said.” What ‘Safety First’ for Children Should MeanThe following was published in the New York Law Journal. Click here to read the full text on ResearchGate. As a policy matter, we must address and end the circumstances of parents who raise allegations of abuse of their child during the pendency of a divorce from being unjustly attacked as being the problem. To shield these parents from attack requires absolute adherence to child safety protocols before any custody actions are considered. In other words, investigations and hearings should be held on the sole issue of safety rather than permitting the merging of such allegations into a custody matter. Lawsuit: DCF accused of keeping kids from relatives, adopting them to system-connected strangersAs reported by ABC Action News in Tampa, Taniyah and Rodney Williams are among four Florida families now suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and leaders of Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) along with several other state foster care organizations. Tallahassee Democrat: Frustrated foster parents support attorneys for childrenAs foster parents licensed by Florida’s Department of Children and Families, my wife and I are directly responsible for meeting critical day-to-day needs of the children in our home. Whether it is getting a child to necessary medical or therapeutic specialists, finding the most appropriate school, or advocating for educational supports. Devereux Employee Guilty of Assaulting 14-Year-Old ResidentAs reported by MyChesCo, “a former employee at Devereux’s Brandywine Campus in Glenmoore was found guilty on Monday by a jury of simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child, announced Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.” HANDY & H.O.M.E.S INC. PARTNER WITH JUSTICE FOR KIDS® TO HOST AN INFORMATIVE TOWN HALL MEETING: “SOUNDING THE ALARM ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING” ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 11thWHAT: HANDY (Helping Abused Neglected Disadvantaged Youth) & H.O.M.E.S. INC., and Justice for Kids®, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, proudly present “Sounding the Alarm on Human Trafficking,” a Broward County Town Hall Meeting taking place on Wednesday, May 11th. Florida’s Children First Celebrates 20th AnniversaryTwenty years ago, child advocates from across the state who were individually working on issues affecting Florida’s most vulnerable children came together with the idea that we could collectively make a greater impact. We ran the gamut in perspective — coming from private practice, businesses, law school clinics, and legal aid organizations —but we were united in our mission to achieve greater reform in the systems that affect children. Our vision in founding Florida’s Children First was to use a broad range of advocacy strategies to improve the lives of children served by the state. We believed that the effective implementation of public policy could lead to improve the lives and outcomes for children throughout our state. Twenty years later, I can say proudly that we have made great strides – but our work is far from over. We worked hard to increase the number of children in state care who have their own attorneys, and to improve the quality of representation provided by all attorneys in the system. We’re also a leader in training all child welfare stakeholders on the laws that are intended to protect and benefit children. But we don’t just educate people about the law, we help make the law better for children. |
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