Straight Out of Hell
From Brenda Alexanders Blog CPS - A System Out of Control
Posted: 26 Feb 2010 11:28 AM PST
Satan (aka the devil)
February 25, 2010
My favorite people are murderers, rapist, sex offenders, and thieves, but my very favorite are the people from cps Child Protective Services (LOL) and casa. These outstanding people are doing my works and they are doing a very fine job. They break up families, They get family members fighting with one another. They put the children in harms way with their so called Safety Plan. The places where they put the children are many many times a lot worse than the homes they were taken from. They take the kids out of well loved homes where the child is happy well adjusted and polite, and stick them in homes that are terrible for the child. Cps says ‘Oh well we will get them in counseling.’ Another reason I just love these people is they are very good liars. They will lie to the parents, they will lie to the judge, under oath, They are scripted, they will say and do anything to make you look bad and them look good. The investigators are the apple of my eye.
They are so much like me. They sit and talk to you as though you are their best friend. They will tell you that have had similar experiences and give you all the sympathy that you need to feel ok. After the interview, that’s where they shine, they will twist your words, make up things and report it the way they want. (I’m so Proud)
What’s really neat is these people don’t give a dam about the child’s safety or feelings, all they are concerned about is the MONEY, Get more kids, get them adopted , make thousands and thousands of dollars, get the bonuses. I told you they are doing my work!
I just can’t wait till some of you people are sitting by my side comparing stories. When you get here don’t mind the heat, you will never get used to it. All you have to do is to remember that you are rotting in hell for your actions, but that is the price you are paying for being such a good cps/casa worker. I love you!! I know some of you will be here sooner than others, I’ll wait for you all to be here. There is room for all of you.
See You in Hell. THE DEVIL (This was written by one of my enemies , and I couldn’t do anything about it, Sorry)
Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
Saturday, February 27, 2010
U.K. Commons Passes Sex-Ed Bill Forcing Schools to Promote Homosexuality, Abortion
U.K. Commons Passes Sex-Ed Bill Forcing Schools to Promote Homosexuality, Abortion
Head of Catholic bishops’conference and the Catholic Education Service thanked for supporting bill
By Hilary White
LONDON, February 24, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The House of Commons voted 68 to 177 last night to pass third reading of the government’s sex-education bill in a vote that pro-life and pro-family advocates have called “deplorable.”
Under the bill, schools, both religious and secular, will be required to give children information on homosexual relationships as well as artificial contraception and abortion. The government has confirmed that these programs will specifically include information for children on how to obtain abortions and contraceptives.
Under current rules, parents have the right to withdraw their child from sex and relationship education (SRE) classes up until the age of 19. But the bill will lower that to 15, ensuring that students receive at least one year of sex-education. The BBC notes that currently, only 0.04 per cent of parents use the opt-out.
The bill now goes to the House of Lords.
While the bill has been called “controversial,” the controversy in the media has focused on a promise made by the government, with an amendment, that religious schools could teach the new sex-ed curriculum according to their religious “ethos.”
After an outcry by the homosexualist lobby and secular humanist organizations, the bill’s principle supporters, the government quickly backpedalled, assuring the public that the amendment was not an opt-out for faith schools.
This week, while his department issued a public statement to confirm, Children’s Minister Ed Balls told media that the amendment will not change the requirement of Catholic and Anglican schools to promote abortion, contraception, “civil partnerships” and homosexuality as “normal and harmless.”
Even with the amendment, Balls told the BBC, religious schools “must explain civil partnership. They must give a balanced view on abortion, they must give both sides of the argument, they must explain how to access an abortion, the same is true on contraception as well.”
The BBC reports that with 1/3 of Britain’s schools being faith schools, the government is aware that the support and cooperation of both the Church of England and the Catholic Church is crucial to the success of the programs.
This support has been assured by the Catholic Education Service (CES), which helped draft the bill and has defended it against criticisms from parent groups and pro-family advocates. CES claimed credit for the tabling of the faith schools amendment that pro-life and family groups have called “worthless” and Ed Balls himself said would change nothing.
On a BBC radio program Balls specifically thanked Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, the head of the Catholic bishops’ conference of England and Wales, and the Catholic Education Service for their support of his bill.
“To have the support of the Catholic Church and Archbishop Nichols in these changes is, I think, very, very important, is a huge step forward.”
Paul Tully, general secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn children, which has lobbied heavily against the bill, said last night, “This is a dire result for school-children and for unborn children who are in the firing-line of this bill.”
Tully said that Balls had made it clear that the government’s intention was to force all schools, regardless of religious “ethos,” to teach children how to use and where to obtain birth control and abortions.
“These are the key ‘advertising’ messages that the pro-abortion lobby is fighting to have promoted throughout the education system – where children can be influenced and corrupted without parental guidance or protection.”
SPUC has been heavily critical of the involvement of CES, saying that the bishops’ education group has been complicit in creating anti-life and anti-Catholic legislation, that will usher in a new “totalitarianism,” suppressing religious freedoms.
Greg Hurst, writing in the opinion pages of the Times, added that the sex-education bill was all about boosting Labour’s reputation in time for the upcoming general elections, in which Gordon Brown’s Labour party is widely expected to lose. The point of such legislation, Hurst wrote today, is to continue the already massive socialist re-adjustment of Britain.
“Labour politicians want to entrench a change in social attitudes regardless of who wins. Leaving behind a more liberal Britain would be part of Labour’s legacy of achievements. If there were to be a change of government, their successors would have to live with such changes or risk looking reactionary by unpicking them one by one.”
A media release from the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCF) described the kind of cooperation that is expected from Britain’s faith schools, citing a Catholic school in Bedford as a good example.
St. Thomas More school, the DCF said, has developed a “successful balance” between the “faith ethos” and the sex education curriculum. The school teaches that restricting sex to marriage is “the ideal” but it “explicitly recognises the reality that some young people may choose to be sexually active” and will need contraception and abortion.
“The school nurse provides students with clear accurate information” on contraception and “details of local services.” These include “pregnancy options” that include abortion, which is “discussed in a non-judgemental way.”
Paul Tully remarked, “Many people will be especially appalled that both the National Society of the Church of England and the education service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference have endorsed the provisions of the bill. Mr. Balls made much of the support for the bill by Archbishop Nichols, and we have called upon the Archbishop, and other faith leaders to reconsider their support even at this late stage.”
To contact the Department of Catholic Education and Formation
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales:
39 Eccleston Square
LONDON SW1V 1BX
Tel: 020 7901 4829
Fax: 020 7901 4821
Email: grace.applewaithe@cbcew.org.uk
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10022403.html
Head of Catholic bishops’conference and the Catholic Education Service thanked for supporting bill
By Hilary White
LONDON, February 24, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The House of Commons voted 68 to 177 last night to pass third reading of the government’s sex-education bill in a vote that pro-life and pro-family advocates have called “deplorable.”
Under the bill, schools, both religious and secular, will be required to give children information on homosexual relationships as well as artificial contraception and abortion. The government has confirmed that these programs will specifically include information for children on how to obtain abortions and contraceptives.
Under current rules, parents have the right to withdraw their child from sex and relationship education (SRE) classes up until the age of 19. But the bill will lower that to 15, ensuring that students receive at least one year of sex-education. The BBC notes that currently, only 0.04 per cent of parents use the opt-out.
The bill now goes to the House of Lords.
While the bill has been called “controversial,” the controversy in the media has focused on a promise made by the government, with an amendment, that religious schools could teach the new sex-ed curriculum according to their religious “ethos.”
After an outcry by the homosexualist lobby and secular humanist organizations, the bill’s principle supporters, the government quickly backpedalled, assuring the public that the amendment was not an opt-out for faith schools.
This week, while his department issued a public statement to confirm, Children’s Minister Ed Balls told media that the amendment will not change the requirement of Catholic and Anglican schools to promote abortion, contraception, “civil partnerships” and homosexuality as “normal and harmless.”
Even with the amendment, Balls told the BBC, religious schools “must explain civil partnership. They must give a balanced view on abortion, they must give both sides of the argument, they must explain how to access an abortion, the same is true on contraception as well.”
The BBC reports that with 1/3 of Britain’s schools being faith schools, the government is aware that the support and cooperation of both the Church of England and the Catholic Church is crucial to the success of the programs.
This support has been assured by the Catholic Education Service (CES), which helped draft the bill and has defended it against criticisms from parent groups and pro-family advocates. CES claimed credit for the tabling of the faith schools amendment that pro-life and family groups have called “worthless” and Ed Balls himself said would change nothing.
On a BBC radio program Balls specifically thanked Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, the head of the Catholic bishops’ conference of England and Wales, and the Catholic Education Service for their support of his bill.
“To have the support of the Catholic Church and Archbishop Nichols in these changes is, I think, very, very important, is a huge step forward.”
Paul Tully, general secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn children, which has lobbied heavily against the bill, said last night, “This is a dire result for school-children and for unborn children who are in the firing-line of this bill.”
Tully said that Balls had made it clear that the government’s intention was to force all schools, regardless of religious “ethos,” to teach children how to use and where to obtain birth control and abortions.
“These are the key ‘advertising’ messages that the pro-abortion lobby is fighting to have promoted throughout the education system – where children can be influenced and corrupted without parental guidance or protection.”
SPUC has been heavily critical of the involvement of CES, saying that the bishops’ education group has been complicit in creating anti-life and anti-Catholic legislation, that will usher in a new “totalitarianism,” suppressing religious freedoms.
Greg Hurst, writing in the opinion pages of the Times, added that the sex-education bill was all about boosting Labour’s reputation in time for the upcoming general elections, in which Gordon Brown’s Labour party is widely expected to lose. The point of such legislation, Hurst wrote today, is to continue the already massive socialist re-adjustment of Britain.
“Labour politicians want to entrench a change in social attitudes regardless of who wins. Leaving behind a more liberal Britain would be part of Labour’s legacy of achievements. If there were to be a change of government, their successors would have to live with such changes or risk looking reactionary by unpicking them one by one.”
A media release from the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCF) described the kind of cooperation that is expected from Britain’s faith schools, citing a Catholic school in Bedford as a good example.
St. Thomas More school, the DCF said, has developed a “successful balance” between the “faith ethos” and the sex education curriculum. The school teaches that restricting sex to marriage is “the ideal” but it “explicitly recognises the reality that some young people may choose to be sexually active” and will need contraception and abortion.
“The school nurse provides students with clear accurate information” on contraception and “details of local services.” These include “pregnancy options” that include abortion, which is “discussed in a non-judgemental way.”
Paul Tully remarked, “Many people will be especially appalled that both the National Society of the Church of England and the education service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference have endorsed the provisions of the bill. Mr. Balls made much of the support for the bill by Archbishop Nichols, and we have called upon the Archbishop, and other faith leaders to reconsider their support even at this late stage.”
To contact the Department of Catholic Education and Formation
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales:
39 Eccleston Square
LONDON SW1V 1BX
Tel: 020 7901 4829
Fax: 020 7901 4821
Email: grace.applewaithe@cbcew.org.uk
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10022403.html
DHS accused of foul play
February 25, 2010
DHS accused of foul play
Justin Lofton Staff Writer
Ada Evening News
Ada — Following failed attempts to get custody of his daughter, an Ada man accuses Pottawatomie County Department of Human Services of violating the Indian Child Welfare Act and its own policies.
Jeff Larney, a member of the Seminole Tribe, said he learned Ann Marie Redmon, 6, was his daughter through results of a DNA test in October 2009.
“It was almost a week to two-and-a-half weeks later when I got to meet her for the first time,” Larney said. Larney said he was not happy with the strict visitation hours. He also claimed the Seminole Nation had not been contacted regarding the welfare of the Seminole child in the case.
“Through the Indian Child Welfare Act, she was basically supposed to be placed with me from the time I found out,” Larney said.
Teresa Leon, Larney’s fiance, said after four months of debating with DHS about visitation hours, a meeting was scheduled with DHS. At the meeting, Larney and Leon learned Redmon and her half-sister were being removed from their current home. Redmon would be placed with Larney and Leon and the half-sister would be placed in a shelter. Larney said he and Leon told DHS they would take both Redmon and her half-sister.
Leon said Redmon was placed in their home but Redmon’s half-sister was only “on a visit” until further investigation could be completed. She said Pottawatomie County DHS removed both girls from the home a week later, citing an eight-year-old Driving Under the Influence charge for Larney and an argument he had with his ex-wife.
During the altercation, Larney said his ex-wife ran over his foot and he broke a window in her vehicle. Larney said he had gone through an outpatient treatment program for alcohol abuse and sought anger management help following these incidents but prior to learning about his daughter.
“I get the feeling they want to keep them (the children) in Pottawatomie County at all costs, even though they’re not following procedure,” Leon said. “He (Larney) is not a party to the reason she got put into foster care to begin with. He didn’t even know he had her until after they had already been put into foster care. Our question is, why do they keep putting off placing her with him when we have done no harm to that child or any other child in our lifetimes?”
Larney and Leon allege that Pottawatomie County DHS has violated the Indian Child Welfare Act as well as DHS’s own policies. Larney said he contacted a representative for Seminole Nation Child Welfare on Feb. 18 and he had not been contacted regarding Redmon. Roy Yargee of Seminole Nation Child Welfare said he could not comment as the case was still under investigation, but he said the tribe had been informed of the case by Pontotoc County DHS.
Larney’s attorney, Kurt Sweeney, said, “I do feel like DHS has even violated their own policy.”
“They’ve got no reason to not place his (Larney’s) biological child with us,” Leon said.
“They need to be in a safe environment and a stable home where they’re cared for and they’re loved,” Larney said. “They’ve got that here.”
Attempts to contact Pottawatomie County DHS were unsuccessful.
http://adaeveningnews.com/local/x1004926435/DHS-accused-of-foul-play
DHS accused of foul play
Justin Lofton Staff Writer
Ada Evening News
Ada — Following failed attempts to get custody of his daughter, an Ada man accuses Pottawatomie County Department of Human Services of violating the Indian Child Welfare Act and its own policies.
Jeff Larney, a member of the Seminole Tribe, said he learned Ann Marie Redmon, 6, was his daughter through results of a DNA test in October 2009.
“It was almost a week to two-and-a-half weeks later when I got to meet her for the first time,” Larney said. Larney said he was not happy with the strict visitation hours. He also claimed the Seminole Nation had not been contacted regarding the welfare of the Seminole child in the case.
“Through the Indian Child Welfare Act, she was basically supposed to be placed with me from the time I found out,” Larney said.
Teresa Leon, Larney’s fiance, said after four months of debating with DHS about visitation hours, a meeting was scheduled with DHS. At the meeting, Larney and Leon learned Redmon and her half-sister were being removed from their current home. Redmon would be placed with Larney and Leon and the half-sister would be placed in a shelter. Larney said he and Leon told DHS they would take both Redmon and her half-sister.
Leon said Redmon was placed in their home but Redmon’s half-sister was only “on a visit” until further investigation could be completed. She said Pottawatomie County DHS removed both girls from the home a week later, citing an eight-year-old Driving Under the Influence charge for Larney and an argument he had with his ex-wife.
During the altercation, Larney said his ex-wife ran over his foot and he broke a window in her vehicle. Larney said he had gone through an outpatient treatment program for alcohol abuse and sought anger management help following these incidents but prior to learning about his daughter.
“I get the feeling they want to keep them (the children) in Pottawatomie County at all costs, even though they’re not following procedure,” Leon said. “He (Larney) is not a party to the reason she got put into foster care to begin with. He didn’t even know he had her until after they had already been put into foster care. Our question is, why do they keep putting off placing her with him when we have done no harm to that child or any other child in our lifetimes?”
Larney and Leon allege that Pottawatomie County DHS has violated the Indian Child Welfare Act as well as DHS’s own policies. Larney said he contacted a representative for Seminole Nation Child Welfare on Feb. 18 and he had not been contacted regarding Redmon. Roy Yargee of Seminole Nation Child Welfare said he could not comment as the case was still under investigation, but he said the tribe had been informed of the case by Pontotoc County DHS.
Larney’s attorney, Kurt Sweeney, said, “I do feel like DHS has even violated their own policy.”
“They’ve got no reason to not place his (Larney’s) biological child with us,” Leon said.
“They need to be in a safe environment and a stable home where they’re cared for and they’re loved,” Larney said. “They’ve got that here.”
Attempts to contact Pottawatomie County DHS were unsuccessful.
http://adaeveningnews.com/local/x1004926435/DHS-accused-of-foul-play
Monitoring child welfare
Monitoring child welfare
Lawmakers unveil bill to create an independent investigator of the system
Peter Marcus, DDN Staff Writer
Friday, February 26, 2010
Following the deaths of 35 children over the past three years who “slipped through the cracks” of the state’s child protection system, lawmakers yesterday unveiled a bill that would create an independent investigator to address weaknesses in the system.
At a news conference yesterday, Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, unveiled her Senate Bill 171, the Child Protection Ombudsman Bill. The measure would create an independent “advocate” to help protect children and provide accountability of the child welfare system.
“How many children have to die before we take action?” asked Newell. “Today, we need to make a stand for those who are too young to stand up for themselves.”
It remains unclear exactly how the program would be run Ń either directly through the Department of Human Services, or through a nonprofit. Karen Beye, director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, said those details will be worked out by lawmakers as they debate the bill.
Necessary?
But supporters of the legislation, including Gov. Bill Ritter, say the move is necessary to fix the broken system.
“This legislation will provide transparency, consistency, accountability and ongoing input for Colorado’s child welfare system and help us improve critical services for Colorado’s most vulnerable children,” said Ritter.
The proposal stems from one of 29 recommendations made by the Child Welfare Action Committee, which was formed in April 2008 by an executive order from the governor. The committee met for 18 months before making its recommendations.
Several recommendations are already being implemented, including the Child Welfare Training Academy, a differential response program that allows stakeholders to skip the court process, and beefed-up response to mandatory reporters, to name a few.
High-profile cases
Several high-profile cases raised caution flags over the past three years.
One case was 3-year-old Neveah Gallegos, who was suffocated, placed in a garbage bag and then buried in her pink princess tennis shoes underneath a tree stump and debris in a Denver ravine. Critics said it was unacceptable that the case slipped past the welfare system’s radar, especially considering the mother’s boyfriend was a registered sex offender, and that little Neveah had been treated at an emergency room for vaginal bleeding.
Seven-year-old Chandler Grafner was another child to slip through the cracks. He weighed only 34 pounds when he was found dead. Grafner’s biological parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against child-welfare agencies in Denver and Jefferson counties. The suit claimed that the Department of Human Services in Jefferson County failed to adequately investigate whether Grafner’s foster parents were fit to supply a foster home. The suit went on to claim that child-welfare agencies in both counties then failed to keep Grafner safe while living in the foster home. There were even reports at the time that surfaced from Grafner’s school indicating abuse.
Ombudsman’s duties: Stop such tragedies from occurring
Ritter said the purpose of the ombudsman would be to really stop such tragedies from occurring.
“Before kids get in the system and when they’re under the watchful eye of social services, but parents believe or foster parents believe that the system isn’t necessarily responding to those kids’ issues the way they should be, before a (guardian ad litem) is involved, before a juvenile court is involved and there’s dependence and neglect Ń are we doing as much as we can for the sake of these kids?” asked the governor.
The ombudsman’s office would be charged with reviewing complaints, making recommendations and filing an annual report concerning improvements to the system. An aspect of community outreach and education would also be tied to the job.
While the ombudsman would be independent of state departments, the program would be an independent component of the Department of Human Services.
Supporters point out that 29 other states have created a similar program.
Newell says rather than play the blame game, it’s time for lawmakers and state departments to take action.
“For years there has been finger pointing from and to all parties Ń the state, the counties, the advocates, the providers Ń it is finally time to put down our fingers and join hands and band together for the solution to help children, to stop the blame game and come together to be part of the solution in protecting kids,” she said.
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=7445
Lawmakers unveil bill to create an independent investigator of the system
Peter Marcus, DDN Staff Writer
Friday, February 26, 2010
Following the deaths of 35 children over the past three years who “slipped through the cracks” of the state’s child protection system, lawmakers yesterday unveiled a bill that would create an independent investigator to address weaknesses in the system.
At a news conference yesterday, Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, unveiled her Senate Bill 171, the Child Protection Ombudsman Bill. The measure would create an independent “advocate” to help protect children and provide accountability of the child welfare system.
“How many children have to die before we take action?” asked Newell. “Today, we need to make a stand for those who are too young to stand up for themselves.”
It remains unclear exactly how the program would be run Ń either directly through the Department of Human Services, or through a nonprofit. Karen Beye, director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, said those details will be worked out by lawmakers as they debate the bill.
Necessary?
But supporters of the legislation, including Gov. Bill Ritter, say the move is necessary to fix the broken system.
“This legislation will provide transparency, consistency, accountability and ongoing input for Colorado’s child welfare system and help us improve critical services for Colorado’s most vulnerable children,” said Ritter.
The proposal stems from one of 29 recommendations made by the Child Welfare Action Committee, which was formed in April 2008 by an executive order from the governor. The committee met for 18 months before making its recommendations.
Several recommendations are already being implemented, including the Child Welfare Training Academy, a differential response program that allows stakeholders to skip the court process, and beefed-up response to mandatory reporters, to name a few.
High-profile cases
Several high-profile cases raised caution flags over the past three years.
One case was 3-year-old Neveah Gallegos, who was suffocated, placed in a garbage bag and then buried in her pink princess tennis shoes underneath a tree stump and debris in a Denver ravine. Critics said it was unacceptable that the case slipped past the welfare system’s radar, especially considering the mother’s boyfriend was a registered sex offender, and that little Neveah had been treated at an emergency room for vaginal bleeding.
Seven-year-old Chandler Grafner was another child to slip through the cracks. He weighed only 34 pounds when he was found dead. Grafner’s biological parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against child-welfare agencies in Denver and Jefferson counties. The suit claimed that the Department of Human Services in Jefferson County failed to adequately investigate whether Grafner’s foster parents were fit to supply a foster home. The suit went on to claim that child-welfare agencies in both counties then failed to keep Grafner safe while living in the foster home. There were even reports at the time that surfaced from Grafner’s school indicating abuse.
Ombudsman’s duties: Stop such tragedies from occurring
Ritter said the purpose of the ombudsman would be to really stop such tragedies from occurring.
“Before kids get in the system and when they’re under the watchful eye of social services, but parents believe or foster parents believe that the system isn’t necessarily responding to those kids’ issues the way they should be, before a (guardian ad litem) is involved, before a juvenile court is involved and there’s dependence and neglect Ń are we doing as much as we can for the sake of these kids?” asked the governor.
The ombudsman’s office would be charged with reviewing complaints, making recommendations and filing an annual report concerning improvements to the system. An aspect of community outreach and education would also be tied to the job.
While the ombudsman would be independent of state departments, the program would be an independent component of the Department of Human Services.
Supporters point out that 29 other states have created a similar program.
Newell says rather than play the blame game, it’s time for lawmakers and state departments to take action.
“For years there has been finger pointing from and to all parties Ń the state, the counties, the advocates, the providers Ń it is finally time to put down our fingers and join hands and band together for the solution to help children, to stop the blame game and come together to be part of the solution in protecting kids,” she said.
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=7445
State Senator: 'How many kids have to die?'
State Senator: 'How many kids have to die?'
Eli Stokols Political Reporter
6:32 PM MST, February 25, 2010
Chandler Grafner , Neveah Gallegos
DENVER - Gov. Bill Ritter and Democratic lawmakers laid out a plan to address systematic weaknesses in Colorado's child protection system that have resulted in the deaths of a few dozen children in protective care, from Chandler Grafner, who starved, to Neveah Gallegos, who was murdered.
Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, is the sponsor of a bill that would create a child protection "ombudsman", an independent advocate to oversee the child welfare system.
"In the past three years, Colorado has seen over 30 childhood abuse and neglect related deaths under our care," Newell said. "How many kids have to die before we take action?"
Thursday's action is the result of the Colorado Child Welfare Action Committee, which Ritter convened 18 months ago to come up with solutions to problems within the state's child welfare system. The ombudsman advocacy office is one of the committee's 30 ideas, 27 of which are being implemented. Right now, 29 other states have an ombudsman to oversee child protection.
"The program will provide for transparency, consistency, efficiency and ongoing input," Ritter said. "They'll help resolve complaints and assure services for children in need of protection. Altogether, this will result in better outcomes for children, their families, county departments and the child protection system as a whole."
http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-xgr-child-protections-022510,0,4435829.story
Eli Stokols Political Reporter
6:32 PM MST, February 25, 2010
Chandler Grafner , Neveah Gallegos
DENVER - Gov. Bill Ritter and Democratic lawmakers laid out a plan to address systematic weaknesses in Colorado's child protection system that have resulted in the deaths of a few dozen children in protective care, from Chandler Grafner, who starved, to Neveah Gallegos, who was murdered.
Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, is the sponsor of a bill that would create a child protection "ombudsman", an independent advocate to oversee the child welfare system.
"In the past three years, Colorado has seen over 30 childhood abuse and neglect related deaths under our care," Newell said. "How many kids have to die before we take action?"
Thursday's action is the result of the Colorado Child Welfare Action Committee, which Ritter convened 18 months ago to come up with solutions to problems within the state's child welfare system. The ombudsman advocacy office is one of the committee's 30 ideas, 27 of which are being implemented. Right now, 29 other states have an ombudsman to oversee child protection.
"The program will provide for transparency, consistency, efficiency and ongoing input," Ritter said. "They'll help resolve complaints and assure services for children in need of protection. Altogether, this will result in better outcomes for children, their families, county departments and the child protection system as a whole."
http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-xgr-child-protections-022510,0,4435829.story
ARE YOU ON THE SECRET CHILD ABUSER DATABASE?
ARE YOU ON THE SECRET CHILD ABUSER DATABASE?
Posted by Amy Mischler @ 6:09 pm
In 1974 the federal government enacted the child abuse prevention and treatment act known as CAPTA. While the intentions of this legislation were honorable the outcome, in the past twenty years has become a disaster for many American families.
A key point of this law is that each state could create its own definition of child abuse and its own procedure for placing people on the child abuser database. An example is that in the state in Kentucky all its takes to make you a state designated child abuser; is the signature of a social worker and a supervisor. There is no jury trial and worse, in many cases no notice that Kentucky holds you to be a child abuser.
This was the finding of Office of Inspector General Robert Benvenuti in 2007. “When DCBS ( which is child protection services in Kentucky) completed investigations in some cases, the letters of findings (Substantiated/Not Substantiated) were not sent to clients at the end of their investigations. This meant the 30-day period established to permit parents to appeal the finding before they are included in the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) database elapsed without the parents even knowing about the findings. Once parents realized they had been included in the database, often when they were denied employment, they were required to prove they did not receive the notice before they were permitted to appeal the finding. In one case, this caused a biological parent to lose employment as a teacher for an entire school year.”
For more on this national problem watch the video.
http://www.usjusticewatch.com/217,are-you-on-the-secret-child-abuser-database/
Posted by Amy Mischler @ 6:09 pm
In 1974 the federal government enacted the child abuse prevention and treatment act known as CAPTA. While the intentions of this legislation were honorable the outcome, in the past twenty years has become a disaster for many American families.
A key point of this law is that each state could create its own definition of child abuse and its own procedure for placing people on the child abuser database. An example is that in the state in Kentucky all its takes to make you a state designated child abuser; is the signature of a social worker and a supervisor. There is no jury trial and worse, in many cases no notice that Kentucky holds you to be a child abuser.
This was the finding of Office of Inspector General Robert Benvenuti in 2007. “When DCBS ( which is child protection services in Kentucky) completed investigations in some cases, the letters of findings (Substantiated/Not Substantiated) were not sent to clients at the end of their investigations. This meant the 30-day period established to permit parents to appeal the finding before they are included in the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) database elapsed without the parents even knowing about the findings. Once parents realized they had been included in the database, often when they were denied employment, they were required to prove they did not receive the notice before they were permitted to appeal the finding. In one case, this caused a biological parent to lose employment as a teacher for an entire school year.”
For more on this national problem watch the video.
http://www.usjusticewatch.com/217,are-you-on-the-secret-child-abuser-database/
State sues to defend federal Medicaid claims
2/24/10
State sues to defend federal Medicaid claims
By Meg Haskell
BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine — Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services has asked a federal court to overturn a decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that disallows close to $30 million in federal case management funds for children in Maine’s Medicaid program, called MaineCare.
If the state should lose its case, Maine DHHS could be required to repay the money, which dates to services delivered in 2002 and 2003.
State Health and Human Services Commissioner Brenda Harvey said Tuesday that she was unable to comment on the specifics of the case, but that it would have “no short-term impact” on the current budget-paring process under way in Augusta.
In the longer term, she said, the state expects to win its case and has not made plans for repayment of the money.
A 2007 audit performed by the federal DHHS Office of Inspector General found that Maine DHHS had overstated expenditures associated with delivering case management services for children in the MaineCare program, including many in state custody. The OIG also found that the state had failed to ensure that Medicaid costs for those services were “reasonable, allowable, and allocable, in accordance with Federal requirements.”
Specifically, the OIG audit found that the cost of delivering the case management services in question was overstated by nearly $10 million; that the state had illegally included administrative and support costs in its charges; and that unallowable services considered “direct services” for children in the foster care system had been improperly billed to the federal Medicaid program.
The conclusions were based on a review of more than 600 case management services delivered in 2002 and 2003 to 99 children, most of whom were in state custody at the time.
Federal Medicaid policy defines allowable case management services as those services that help people “gain access to needed medical, educational and social services.”
The direct provision of such services themselves is not an allowable case management expense.
In a decision based on the findings of the audit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determined that Maine DHHS should repay $27.9 million to the federal Medicaid program. The state in 2008 appealed the decision to the federal DHHS appeals board, arguing that all services in question had been delivered and billed under Medicaid guidelines and definitions in effect at the time.
In its decision dated Dec. 24, 2009, the appeals board found that the state had failed to demonstrate that the disallowed expenditures were, in fact, allowable and upheld the CMS ruling.
In its complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine DHHS, represented by the state Attorney General’s Office, asked for judicial review of the federal decision and requested a reversal of that decision. The state also seeks a declaration that the actions of the federal DHHS are “contrary to federal law, arbitrary and an abuse of discretion.”
No court date has been set.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/137571.html
State sues to defend federal Medicaid claims
By Meg Haskell
BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine — Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services has asked a federal court to overturn a decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that disallows close to $30 million in federal case management funds for children in Maine’s Medicaid program, called MaineCare.
If the state should lose its case, Maine DHHS could be required to repay the money, which dates to services delivered in 2002 and 2003.
State Health and Human Services Commissioner Brenda Harvey said Tuesday that she was unable to comment on the specifics of the case, but that it would have “no short-term impact” on the current budget-paring process under way in Augusta.
In the longer term, she said, the state expects to win its case and has not made plans for repayment of the money.
A 2007 audit performed by the federal DHHS Office of Inspector General found that Maine DHHS had overstated expenditures associated with delivering case management services for children in the MaineCare program, including many in state custody. The OIG also found that the state had failed to ensure that Medicaid costs for those services were “reasonable, allowable, and allocable, in accordance with Federal requirements.”
Specifically, the OIG audit found that the cost of delivering the case management services in question was overstated by nearly $10 million; that the state had illegally included administrative and support costs in its charges; and that unallowable services considered “direct services” for children in the foster care system had been improperly billed to the federal Medicaid program.
The conclusions were based on a review of more than 600 case management services delivered in 2002 and 2003 to 99 children, most of whom were in state custody at the time.
Federal Medicaid policy defines allowable case management services as those services that help people “gain access to needed medical, educational and social services.”
The direct provision of such services themselves is not an allowable case management expense.
In a decision based on the findings of the audit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determined that Maine DHHS should repay $27.9 million to the federal Medicaid program. The state in 2008 appealed the decision to the federal DHHS appeals board, arguing that all services in question had been delivered and billed under Medicaid guidelines and definitions in effect at the time.
In its decision dated Dec. 24, 2009, the appeals board found that the state had failed to demonstrate that the disallowed expenditures were, in fact, allowable and upheld the CMS ruling.
In its complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine DHHS, represented by the state Attorney General’s Office, asked for judicial review of the federal decision and requested a reversal of that decision. The state also seeks a declaration that the actions of the federal DHHS are “contrary to federal law, arbitrary and an abuse of discretion.”
No court date has been set.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/137571.html
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