Critic: CPS now taking too many kids from their homes
By HOWARD FISCHER
Capitol Media Services
08/21/2007
http://news.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=156691
PHOENIX -- Arizona is removing too many neglected children from their
homes that would be better left with their parents, according to a
national critic of child welfare policies.
Richard Wexler who runs the National Coalition for Child Protection
Reform, said Arizona has responded to reports in prior years of child
abuse by hiring more caseworkers and putting more children into foster
care. That includes a 2003 change in state law, pushed by Gov. Janet
Napolitano, which specifically deemphasized the goal of Child Protective
Services to preserve the family unit.
But he said there is evidence that, in most cases, children do better
when kept in their homes.
Wexler said, though, that requires a lot more money to help the parents
with counseling and other services than the Legislature has been willing
to provide. But even with his report, Sen. Linda Gray, R-Glendale, who
sponsored his visit to Arizona, said she is not yet willing to commit to
spending the $54 million he said would be necessary.
His visit was timed specifically to influence planned legislative
hearings next months on the deaths of three Tucson children. That is
because Wexler also is advocating for opening more records and court
hearings of child welfare cases to the public.
Former state Rep. Laura Knaperek, R-Tempe, who has been an advocate for
open access to records, said efforts have been thwarted by arguments by
Janet Napolitano -- first as attorney general and more recently as
governor -- that such moves would result in the loss of federal dollars.
But Knaperek said that hasn't happened in other states which have more
public access than Arizona.
"It's a red herring,'' she said. "We can open court cases. And we can
also protect the child as much as possible.''
Jeanine L'Ecuyer, the governor's press aide, said Napolitano's beliefs
about what should -- and should not -- be available to the public has
never focused on money.
"The issue here is what's right for the children involved,'' L'Ecuyer
said. "There are some privacy concerns that are very real for children.''
Wexler said his belief children do better at home is buttressed by a
study released in July by a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology released earlier this year. Joseph Doyle who tracked 15,000
youngsters from 1990 to 2002, concluded those who stay in their homes
are less likely to become juvenile delinquent or become pregnant as
teens and are more likely to hold jobs as young adults.
L'Ecuyer said Arizona cannot base its policies on "one study in isolation.''
"The people at Child Protective Services in Arizona have to base their
work on reality,'' she said, saying CPS keeps children in their own
homes "when it is safe to do so.''
Wexler said there are cases where children who are being beaten or
sexually abused need to be taken from homes for their own protection.
But he said those are the minority.
"I'm talking about the cases that didn't make the headlines a few years
ago and don't make the headlines now,'' he said.
"We had these horrifying cases so we took away more kids,'' Wexler
continued, yet the number of "horrifying cases'' did not abate. "It
didn't work.''
Ken Deibert, a deputy director of the state Department of Economic
Security, said the number of children in "out of home care'' is nearly 2
percent less now than a year ago.
But that trend is only recent: The number of children placed out of
their homes went from 6,104 at the end of March 2002 to 9,902 the same
time last year; it was down to 9,773 at the end of this past March.
"We have put more emphasis on providing in-home services,'' Deibert
said. "We are expanding across the state our involvement in the Family
to Family Initiative which focuses on keeping as many children in their
homes when it can be done safely as possible.''
L'Ecuyer said the number of children served by CPS in their homes
increased by 49 percent between 2003 and 2006.
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 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...
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