Home for abused children sued over broken bones

Home for abused children sued over broken bones

http://www.kval.com/news/local/12775982.html

By Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Guardians of three children who suffered broken
bones have sued a Eugene-area treatment home for severely abused and
disturbed children.

Plaintiffs are seeking $200,000 from the Jasper Mountain treatment home
for each child for suffering, plus medical expenses.

Jasper Mountain Executive Director Dave Ziegler, meanwhile, is sparring
with child welfare officials, accusing the government of overstepping
its authority and being unfair to Jasper Mountain.

State officials say they're just doing their job.

"Our interest remains that (Jasper Mountain) work with the children in a
way that's safe for children, and that children are not being injured by
program staff," said Madeline Olson, assistant administrator of the
state Addictions and Mental Health Division.

State records show that the problems at Jasper Mountain began when
children were injured while staff members were trying to calm them down.

In December 2005, an 11-year-old child suffered a broken ankle when he
was threatening younger children, according to the state human services
agency.

A staff member asked the child to move away. The child took one step
onto a nearby stair, dropped his weight and broke his ankle, according
to the agency.

In March 2006, a 12-year-old girl's upper arm was broken in two places
after a staff member placed her arm behind her back and held it there to
restrict her movements.

And in August 2006, a 12-year-old boy suffered a broken wrist after
staff members delivered the news that his mother had died, according to
Jasper Mountain officials. The boy ran out the door of the residence,
turned and braced the door closed with his arms. When staff chased after
him and pushed on the door, the force snapped the boy's wrist.

All three children eventually left Jasper Mountain, said their attorney,
David Paul of Portland, who has filed a lawsuit against Jasper Mountain
in Lane County Circuit Court.

"I'm not going to necessarily prove they were abused, but I'm going to
prove they weren't given appropriate care. And that's the standard here,
especially when you're taking care of children," Paul said.

But Ziegler said it's really the promise of money that's driving the
lawsuit. Paul "stepped forward and talked the families of the kids into
getting some money out of this," he said.

The three incidents within a nine-month period sparked a wave of
investigations by five state and federal agencies, including one by the
state Child Protective Services and one on behalf of the federal Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Investigators criticized Jasper Mountain about its use of containment
holds, saying they should be used in emergencies only.

Still, child protective services eventually ruled that each allegation
of child abuse stemming from the broken bones were "unfounded."

The use of restraining holds is a controversial issue nationwide.
Government agencies are moving toward a position that restraining holds
should be reserved for rare circumstances.

Ziegler is a nationally known proponent of using restraining holds for
therapeutic purposes.

"There are therapeutic benefits to drawing a line for kids and not
letting violent kids get violent to themselves and get violent to others
and, at times, that requires physical direction," he said.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)





CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAMS....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...