The event comes at a critical time for the candidates and the state. Florida is showing improvements in its foster care enrollments. Continued support from the governor’s office will help ensure the state’s most vulnerable citizens have a voice.

The fundraiser will be held at the Plantation home of hosts Howard and Julie Talenfeld. Fellow hosts include Maria Abate, Mitchell Berger, Mayor Scott Brook of Coral Springs, The Honorable Skip Campbell, Joel Fass, Rich Fidei, Representative Ari Porth, Senator Nan Rich, Mayor Michael Udine of Parkland, and Boardroom Communications Inc.

“It’s important that we support Alex Sink and Rod Smith,” Talenfeld said. “They are staunch child advocates and see the critical need to protect Florida’s future and provide voices for the children.”

The event will be held on Wednesday, September 15, 2010, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at the Talenfeld home. Suggested contributions are $500 per person or $1000 per couple. For information, the address or directions, please contact Justin Day at (850) 544-1932 or jday@fladems.com or Howard Talenfeld at (954) 332-1746.

To prospective parents the indictment against the Davenport, Florida, couple also should stand as a warning to those who would swindle money from kids who need it badly: Get caught, and jail time may await.

According to news reports, Radhames Antonio Oropeza, 53, and Asia Concepcion Oropeza, 52, are said to have invited to Florida a foster child whose mother had died, and whose father was in jail. The child was given the proceeds of a $400,000 life insurance policy when he turned 18. The young man’s name has not been released.

Authorities claim the couple convinced the boy he was making real estate investments. The couple faces charges of conspiring to commit fraud and wire fraud.

Several key lessons emerge from this sad tale. First, states’ foster care systems and the authorities who run them and approve foster parents must do a better job screening applicants and reviewing such adoption cases to ascertain the motives and intentions of prospective adoptive parents. These are society’s most vulnerable kids. Tragically the authorities who approved the adoption did not know the couple’s true motives.

Second, just because kids age out of foster care at 18 doesn’t mean they’re ready to handle their finances. We suggest children and concerned caregivers read Florida’s Children First’s Frequently Asked Questions for Foster Youth Transitioning to Adulthood. FloridaChildAdvocate.com in the past has called for improved foster child financial awareness. We renew that call today.

Finally, with heightened awareness and oversight, foster parents who attempt to defraud these children and young adults will get caught and pay the price.

In this case, if the couple is found guilty they could face up to 20 years in prison. This would be not just for the crime they allegedly committed, but as a warning to others who would adopt foster kids as a way to gain financial rewards.

As you know, I only become involved in supporting political candidates when I believe that a candidate will make a difference in the lives of Florida’s children. Today, I am asking you to support Alex Sink and Rod Smith as your choices for Governor and Lieutenant Governor for the state of Florida if we are to have any hope over the next four years for the future of our children and the children who are at risk and have no voice.

On September 15, 2010, between 5:30 and 7:30 P.M. my wife Julie and I will be hosting a fundraiser at our home where Alex Sink and Rod Smith will attend and be there to answer any questions that you have about why we need them to protect our children and our state. They also need your financial support to beat Rick Scott who has no track record for children and unlimited resources available to just walk into the Governor’s office.

We need your help.

Howard Talenfeld

   Florida Bar President Jesse Diner presented the award during the general assembly meeting during the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention at the Boca Raton Resort and Club.

   Also during the assembly, Mayanne Downs was installed as the Florida Bar’s 62^nd president, and Scott G. Hawkins was installed as president-elect.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award.” Talenfeld said. “No one who works on behalf of the state’s most vulnerable citizens does so for the recognition. It’s for myself and the countless other attorneys and concerned citizens who work tirelessly to help the state’s children that I accept this award.”

“Florida has been recognized as the best in the nation at increasing adoptions because we believe the children in our care should have the best opportunity possible to be matched with a loving family,” said Governor Crist. “Our adoption successes are possible because Floridians are looking into their hearts and finding room for the teenagers, sibling groups and children with medical needs who typically wait longer to be adopted.”

In 2009, Florida was awarded a $9.7 million federal bonus for outpacing all other states in the number of adoptions of children from foster care. Florida set adoption records adoptions in fiscal year 2007-08 with 3,674, and in fiscal year 2008-09, with 3,777.

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Among the honorees included foster child and advocacy attorney Howard Talenfeld, for his work to build consensus on representation legislation as the Chair of the Florida Bar Legal Needs of Children Committee.

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The award was presented by Florida Bar President Jesse Diner during the General Assembly meeting at the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Talenfeld was lauded for helping build consensus on representation legislation as the Chair of the Florida Bar Legal Needs of Children Committee.

“Although the Florida Board of Governors approved this legislation as a position of the Florida Bar, obtaining the support of the Florida Legislature is a huge, next step.” Talenfeld said. “We cannot change our focus until this legislation is passed, which would give the right to foster children to have their own attorney appear in their dependency case and state paid attorneys in critical cases.”

Also during the assembly, Mayanne Downs was installed as the Florida Bar’s 62nd President, and Scott G. Hawkins was installed as President-Elect.

Talenfeld received the “Community Advocate Award” for his work protecting the rights and needs of society’s most vulnerable citizens, including foster children, the developmentally disabled and the mentally ill.

“Howard exemplifies the consistent and effective dialogue with our legislature that is the core of Broward days. He is a role model for respectful, civil, yet forceful advocacy,” aaid Jerome Majzlin, Broward Days Executive Director.

The event, held on June 9, featured a presentation from State Representative Ari Porth, Chair, Broward Delegation, as well as the special message “From Tally to our Towns,” presented by Keynote Speaker Craig Zinn of Craig Zinn Automotive. Citrix Systems received the Outstanding Corporate Citizen award.

The boy, Denis Maltez, died in May 2007 at age 12. The medical examiner said he stopped breathing in part because of the heavy prescription drugs he was taking, but the psychiatrist disputes that.

The May 26 ruling by the First District Court of Appeal stayed the May 7 emergency suspension issued by Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros “pending a final disposition” of the case, records show. That can take months, and if the physician contests it, years.

According to child advocate and Broward County attorney Howard Talenfeld, who represented Denis’ mother, Martha Quesada, in a civil suit over the boy’s death, he had not heard about the appeals court ruling. In any event, the suit against Kaplan “is over,” Talenfeld said, indicating it has been settled.

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According to the Naples Daily News, Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a bill that will release $1.2 million to the guardian of a mentally retarded woman who had a baby after being raped as a teen by her foster father in Immokalee.

The claims bill Crist signed Thursday afternoon was approved by the Legislature and releases the remainder of a $1.3 million settlement by the state Department of Children and Families to Darlene Achille, the guardian for her sister, Pierreisna, 26, and her 9-year-old daughter.

“The next step is obviously getting the money,” said attorney Richard Filson of Sarasota, who filed the lawsuit in 2002. “I talked to Pierreisna and she is very happy. … They’re living in a small apartment. It’s good news to them.”

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