Court fight over Mich. foster care system set for Tuesday

Court fight over Mich. foster care system set for Tuesday

August 6, 2007

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...002/BUSINESS01

By JACK KRESNAK

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Attorneys for the state and a New York-based children’s advocacy group
suing Michigan over conditions in its foster care system are set to
square off Tuesday in federal court over access to confidential state
records.

The advocacy group Children’s Rights, which is suing on behalf of 19,000
state foster children, says the Michigan Department of Human Services
has twice failed to comply with its requests for documents about six
children – the lead plaintiffs in the case – and dozens of other foster
children who died while in state care since 2004.


In its responses, the DHS through the state Attorney General’s Office
said the information is deemed confidential under Michigan law. The DHS
has literally millions of documents about foster children and the DHS
has a legal obligation to uphold state privacy laws, the agency said.

Federal law should take precedence over state law, according to
attorneys for Children’s Rights. Besides, the advocacy group said, it is
willing to sign agreements to keep confidential information about
children private and not released to the public.

The DHS has identified 67 case files of children who have died under
state supervision, Children’s Rights said. Most apparently died of
natural causes, but in the past two years, three foster children have
been killed in state licensing foster homes.

U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds has scheduled a hearing on the
requests for 1 p.m. Tuesday. A trial on the class-action lawsuit is
scheduled for April.




StoryChat


wenban

What is really interesting is that Children's Rights can come from a
different state, file the lawsuit on behalf of the foster children, and
yet are not actually retained by the families of those children.

Most children in foster care have not had their parents rights
terminated, so by state and federal laws, those parents have the
decision on legal representation in regards to these kinds of cases.
Yet, this agency comes in and files on behalf of all the children?

Additionally, Children's Rights is not about helping children. They are
there to promote the agenda to terminate parents rights faster, push
more money into foster parents hands and more power into the so called
providers of foster care, ie, the corporations that make money off of
this industry.

In every state this firm has come into, the system got worse for foster
children, and the states that agreed and settled the cases have found
higher costs with poorer services.

While I do not agree with Michigan DHS and how they handle things, I
have to at least commend them for not buckling and just giving
children's rights what they want.

If you want examples of how bad privatized foster care is, just ask
Ricky Holland, Isaac Lethbridge and Allison Newman.

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:50 pm

when will they ever learn

what we need are more lawsuits but the people who know what's really
going on like this brave mother.

http://www.atwoodcs.com/lynnae_fed_suit.doc

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:50 am

Mark Valenti

The State loves to hide behind that confidentiality laws that protect
DHS files.

They claim it's to protect the dignity of the children and the families,
but believe me, the only one being protected by those laws is the state.

If the general populace of this state saw what actually goes into a CPS
investigation they would be shocked into action. Why? Because if the
general populce realized that their children were at risk too, something
would change. Legislators would get very twitchy about keeping their
jobs and we would have more than the two or three we currently have
trying to reform the system, and we would also be able to weed out some
of the dolts (i.e. Clack).

Children's Rights isn't much better however, beware their motives. What
is going on right now is like two predators fighting over who gets the
prey, and the prey being our little children. If you think the stste
uses children to net money, they pale in comparison to Children's
Rights. Those guys are pros, and they don't really do anything other
than file lawsuits and rake in money. The lawsuits they file don't
really accomplish anything, and aren't really meant to.

What we really need is the abandonment of the confidentiality laws and
some very good reporting about how our system operates. We don't need
more lawsuits by huge 'non-profits' to make the rich richer.

http://ivalenti.com/snowfall.pdf

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:44 am

peacenik patriot

It is time to take a stand against system sanctioned abuse and murder of
children.

If you stand up citizens would like to join the fight for all our kids
then please contact me.





AND for those of you who can there will be a rally in DC next month.
Chartered busses are leaving Michigan to attend. The cost for the round
trip is $131. If You can, the kids need you.

http://www.dcrally2007.com/

The price of the bus was divided by the number of seats and that is how
Brian Kleiman came up with the figure of $131.00 per seat. There will be
no need for a hotel room because the bus will be in Washington, D.C. for
roughly 12 hours and then start its return trip. Plenty of time to
attend this historic event and a fun bus ride back with those who you
will surely befriend.

The bus departs from Escabana, MI and has stops/breaks in St. Ignace,
West Branch, Flint, Ann Arbor, Toledo Ohio and more. You can view the
actual bus schedule and particulars here.

All questions should be directed to Brian Kleiman
906-399-1566

All seats will be booked before August 1st so please contact Brian
Kleiman ASAP

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:46 pm

peacenik patriot

"The DHS has identified 67 case files of children who have died under
state supervision, Children’s Rights said. Most apparently died of
natural causes, but in the past two years, three foster children have
been killed in state licensing foster homes."


SIXTYSEVEN 67 SIXTYSEVEN KIDS HAVE DIED IN FOSTER CARE SINCE 2004?

67 KIDS IN THREE YEARS????????????????????????????

OF NATURAL CAUSES?

67 DEAD KIDS IN 3 YEARS?

OF NATURAL CAUSES?

ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SWOLLOW THAT LINE OF CRUD?

DO YOU ?

WHAT A SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SYSTEM THAT THIS GREAT SOCIETY HAS
IN PLACE.

IT IS TIME TO OVERTHROW THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE AND DO IT
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A REPORT THAT THE STATE HAD LOST OVER 300
FOSTER CARE KIDS. HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOOSE OVER 300
KIDS?????????????????WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GO?

IT IS TIME FOR ANSWERS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COME ON PEOPLE WE MUST BAND TOGETHER AND DO RIGHT BY OUR MOST VULNERABLE
CITIZENS. anyones kid is vulnerable.

YOU DONT THINK SO? YOU SHOULD HEAR THE STORIES THAT I HAVE.

DO NOT MAKE THIS YESTERDAYS HEADLINE LONG FORGOTTEN.

THIS SORRY EXCUSE FOR CHILD PROTECTION WILL CONTINUE DESTROYING CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES UNTIL WE SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

THIS IS OUR STATE AND THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN. OUR OFFICIALS MUST SERVE
THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STATE AND ITS PEOPLE. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE
DECAY OF CHILDRENS SERVICES ANY LONGER.

WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE DEATH AHD DESTRUCTION OF CHILDREN .

MANYMANYMANY, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY OUR TAX
SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SET INTO PLACE TO PROTECT---NOT DESTROY.

PLEASE CONTACT ME

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:30 pm



CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

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

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS 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...