A Parenting & kids forum. ParentingBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » ParentingBanter.com forum » alt.parenting » Spanking
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Arizona: Lawmakers consider opening CPS hearings...



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 3rd 07, 06:23 PM posted to alt.support.child-protective-services,alt.support.foster-parents,alt.dads-rights.unmoderated,alt.parenting.spanking
fx
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,848
Default Arizona: Lawmakers consider opening CPS hearings...

Lawmakers consider opening CPS hearings

By Jim Small,

http://www.azcapitoltimes.com/story.cfm?id=5745

Leaders of a legislative committee planning closed-door hearings to
examine the effectiveness of Child Protective Services are pushing for
some of the meetings to be made public after a judge ordered the agency
to allow the media to access some case files.

In late July, CPS was ordered to surrender the case files of three
Tucson children from two families who were killed by their parents. The
Arizona Daily Star and Phoenix Newspapers Inc., the parent company of
The Arizona Republic and Tucson Citizen, had sued the state agency for
access to the normally confidential files.

House Government Committee Chairman Rep. Kirk Adams says the court’s
decision throws a monkey wrench into his plans to conduct confidential
hearings on CPS’ work later this month.

“This sort of changes things. I’m not exactly sure what this means,” he
said.

Adams, R-19, says he has already contacted House Rules attorneys about
opening the hearings to the public, though no decision has been made.

While state and federal laws require CPS case files be confidential to
protect the privacy of both the child and his or her family, the
dissemination of the files by the courts may be enough to allow
legislative leaders to open the meeting to the public.

The committee’s vice chairman, Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-30, signed an
affidavit in support of the newspapers in the lawsuit and said he
believes it is important to conduct legislative business in public’s view.

“I want to do things in the light of day, if possible,” he said.

First meeting set for Aug. 23; may be postponed

The first committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 23, but
Paton said it might need to be postponed if it is made open to the public.

Adams said one of the biggest hurdles in opening the meeting may be a
confidentiality agreement he, Paton and several other members of the
committee signed several months ago in order to view the case files.

“If I’ve signed it…but now this information is out in the public, can we
be punished for violating that?” he asked.

Adams said he understands the need for confidentiality laws in most CPS
cases, though he questioned whether they even need apply in these
specific cases, as the three children that were subjects of the reports
released to the media are all dead.

“Where I question the confidentiality laws is when children are dead and
the parents are in jail,” he said. “In these cases, we’re not protecting
the confidentiality of children who already died.”

He said he might introduce legislation next session to provide
exceptions in the confidentiality laws because “different cases have
different needs.”

One lawmaker who deals extensively with CPS says an open meeting could
have negative ramifications. House Human Services Committee Chairman
Rep. Pete Hershberger, R-26, believes the public’s attention could
attract political posturing.

“I just don’t want it to become a witch hunt with people seeking media
attention,” he said. “I want something meaningful to happen.”

But Paton says the sensitive issue of the hearings – children dying from
parental abuse – will create a media swarm, even if the meetings are closed.

“It’ll be a media circus if it’s closed because people will want to know
what’s going on,” he said.

If the hearings are opened, the decision would apply only to hearings
and discussion pertaining to the case files released in the lawsuit.
Other issues and cases would still need to be discussed in private
hearings because of confidentiality laws, Adams said.


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...

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Foster care is no place for many Arizona kids: Arizona is removingat least a third more children than it should, to all our detriments. fx Spanking 0 July 7th 07 12:52 PM
Foster care is no place for many Arizona kids: Arizona is removingat least a third more children than it should, to all our detriments. fx Foster Parents 0 July 7th 07 12:52 PM
A conversation with arizona's Terry Goddard,Tucson, Arizona | Published:04.22.2007 by The Arizona Daily Star fx Spanking 0 April 29th 07 08:59 AM
A conversation with arizona's Terry Goddard,Tucson, Arizona | Published:04.22.2007 by The Arizona Daily Star fx Foster Parents 0 April 29th 07 08:59 AM
2-1/2 yo opening bottles HELP! Dandelion Acres Solutions 1 August 5th 03 06:45 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 ParentingBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.