How is the criminal conduct bill coming in FLORIDA to protect children?  Did the legislators vote this bill in?   Keep fighting for the children!!!!  We must stand up for what is right!!!!!     

Society needs to understand and be educated about psychological damage and  Post Traumatic Stress.  Millions of Americans are suffering from PTSD and many of our own AMERICANS who have fought for  OUR COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!! 

PTSD leaves life time scares!!!!      

captainmm,

The Florida Legislators have not yet voted the CRIMINAL CONDUCT BILL in.  The Legislators in Tallahassee this session are faced with major cut backs which in turn will hurt many of our children in a variety of ways.  Any bill having any type of fiscal impact will not be heard in Tallahassee or considered.  

We will be announcing this FRIDAY who will be sponsoring the bill for this coming session and the latest news concerning this bill to protect our children from this type of abuse. 

We appreicate your post concerning Post Traumatic Stress and thank you for your support for our legislative efforts.      

VOLUSIA COUNTY ........FLORIDA

VOLUSIA COUNTY TEACHERS are WEARING BAND-AIDS

4000 band-aids will be distributed throughout the county for the teachers to wear.  Teachers in Volusia County began wearing the band-aids to bring attention to SCHOOL BUDGET CUTS which will hurt children's education. 

Volusia County is facing a $44 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET CUTS which will include athletics and electives.  Volusia County is not the only county in Florida that is facing BUDGET CUTS with children's programs.  St. Lucie County is also looking to cut athletic programs for children.

Andrew Spar from Volusia Teachers Union said "we continue to cut public education our students are going to suffer".

Volusia County School Board backs the Teachers and is allowing the teachers to wear these band-aids in visible places such as their faces as a reminder for people to ask them why they are wearing these to bring attention to the public of the budget cuts that Volusia County is facing which will impact public education.

STATEWIDE RALLY FOR TEACHERS will take place in ORLANDO, FLORIDA  on FEBRUARY 28, 2009 at the UCF ARENA. 

http://www.Local6.com  will cover the story from Orlando.         

BUDGET CUTS FACING  SHORTFALLS by STATE LEGISLATORS at FLORIDA'S CHILDRENS EXPENSE 

FLORIDA RANKS 2nd in the nation for the highest percent of uninsured children with 18.8%

FLORIDA RANKS 3rd in the nation of number of uninsured children

The number of uninsured children in FLORIDA has increased greatly and likely to continue to grow due to financial crisis.

The information above was provided by the US CENSUS BUREAU, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.

FLORIDA LEAVES ALL CHILDREN BEHIND.  FLORIDA IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST FOR CHILDREN NATION WIDE.

IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT the PUBLIC SPEAK UP TO THESE LEGISLATORS on BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN.......budget cuts are effecting children throughout the state in many different areas, academic, athletic programs, after school programs, just to name a few  and the LEGISLATORS are looking to cut more and more programs.  LEGISLATORS are not interested in protecting children if it is has a fiscal budget forget it when it is pertaining to the children.     

In celebration of 50 years of tireless dedication to the prevention and treatment of child abuse.  CHILDHELP Founders Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson will appear on NBC's TODAY SHOW and CNN Headline NANCY GRACE SHOW on Thursday April 2, 2009.  The Founders will speak about their dedication and the exciting events planned for this year to help bring awareness and rally support against child abuse and neglect.  

Website:  http://www.childhelp.org  

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline:  1-800-4-A-CHILD

NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM'S RIGHTS WEEK 2009

APRIL 25-MAY 2, 2009

ST LUCIE COUNTY FLORIDA EVENTS

April 25, 2009  "4th  ANNUAL MOTORCYCLE RIDE FOR RIGHTS"

Registration State Attorney's Office, 411 South 2nd Street, Ft. Pierce FL 8:30am

April 27, 2009  Proclamation Reading 12:00 noon

Indian River County  Courthouse Courtyard

April 28, 2009 Public Forum Port St. Lucie City Hall  6-8pm

Topics:  CHILD ABUSE, TRAFFICKING, & SEXUAL ASSAULT

April 29, 2009  VICTIM VIGIL 7 pm Memorial Island @ Riverside Park, Vero Beach, FL

May 1, 2009  Appreciation Luncheon 12:00 Noon    Port St. Lucie Community Center

For More Information Contact:  Layne Frye 772-462-1390    

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT & CHILDREN FAMILIES is on the forefront again.  

Seven year old, Gabriel Meyers died by hanging himself while in foster care in South Florida. The boy was given psychotropic medications without approval by his parent or court order by a judge as required by Florida law.  Foster care workers did not get consent for psychotropic medications prescribed while the boy was in the State's care. 

The Department of Children & Families reported to the Florida Senate in September (2008) that 4,894 psycho-therapeutic perscriptions had been written in 2008.  DCF stated it had obtained parental consent or court order from a judge for 99 percent of the perscriptions prescribed.  This data was not accurately reported by DCF to the Florida Senate but no legislators questioned it at the time.........

George Sheldon head of DCF said he expects the tragedy to lead to major reforms in the state's foster care system, according to a statement from the St. Petersburg Times. 

Gabriel Meyers was given Symbyax which carries a "black box" warning that it might lead to suicidal behaviors among children and adolescents especially when first prescribed.  Just a few days prior to this child's death he was informed his paternal mother's rights were terminated. 

It is very sad that it takes the death of a child for Florida's Department of Children & Families to start looking at their records and reviewing documents of what really happens to these children after they are placed in foster care.    

There is a task force assigned to this case by George Sheldon, DCF.  

MEASURES TO IMPROVE FLORIDA'S TROUBLED FOSTER CARE RELEASED

 posted on AUGUST 21, 2009 from BRADENTONHERALD.COM

The Department of Children & Families Secretary George Sheldon assigned a task force that studied the recent death of a Broward foster child, Gabriel Myers which received nationwide attention.  

On Thursday the Gabriel Myers Work Group released its final 26 page report on the state's failures of Florida's child welfare system that were linked to the April 16 death of a 7 year old boy, Gabriel, who hanged himself with a detachable shower cord in the bathroom of Margate foster home.  

All recommendations will require an infusion of MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars... at a time of shrinking state revenues and contracting budgets.

More lawyers and court appointed guardians, more therapy, second medical opinions, and the security of long term foster homes where caregivers treat kids "as we would our children." ....was reported in this news article.

Grabriel's death --and the attention it received nationwide --will help provide lawmakers with the sense of urgency needed to resolve issues that long have plagued the agency, Sheldon said.   "If any good comes out of this--if there will be a legacy for Gabriel-- it will be a legislative initiative, both substantively and dollar-wise," he said.

The Department of Children & Families admitted the agency missed key "red flags" that Gabriel's conditon was becoming more critical and that he was given several mental health drugs which were linked to dangerous side effects  in children without REQUIRED parental or judicial consent as required by Florida law.  

THE BIG QUESTION IS WILL FLORIDA'S LEGISLATORS FIND THE FOSTER CHILDREN OF FLORIDA A PRIORITY????????????    

Read more about FLORIDA'S DCF report go to:

http://www.bradentonherald.com         

MIDTERM SCORECARD: HOW US SENATORS VOTE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY ISSUES

On Wednesday August 27th VOTE KIDS a non profit organization devoted to making children a ploticial priority not a political afterthought reported the US SENATORS SCORECARD on CHILDREN'S ISSUES and how each US SENATOR voted for these issues effecting our children in the United States.

FLORIDA.......SENATOR BILL NELSON received a 92 concerned about children's issues.

FLORIDA.....SENATOR MEL MARTINEZ received a 42 not standing up for children's issues.   

MASSACHUSETTS......SENATOR TED KENNEDY received a 100

MASSACHUSETTS....SENATOR JOHN KERRY received a 100 

FLORIDA

What Are the Budget Issues Facing Florida?

In 2009, Florida faces a $5.7 billion budget gap representing 22.2% of the general fund. In 2010, Florida is looking at an even greater $5.8 billion shortfall, 22.6% of the general fund.

What the Federal Stimulus Proposal Will Mean for Children in Florida

The economic stimulus recently passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by the Obama Administration will provide significant investment in the health, education, and safety of America’s children over the next two years. It also provides significant support to their parents and grandparents. Highlights include:

1. $4,390,000,000 in relief for Florida’s Medicaid costs. Medicaid provides health care coverage for low-income children and seniors.
2. $2,208,800,000 in relief to the state of Florida to prevent cuts to programs for school-aged children.
3. $631,800,000 for the Title I academic achievement of the disadvantaged program.
4. $634,600,000 services to children with disabilities in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding.
5. $126,100,000 for other education programs in Florida’s schools.
6. $879,000,000 in food stamps for 1,725,000 Florida men, women, and children.
7. $65,700,000 in emergency shelter grants for 11,500 households.
8. 741,000 Florida children will benefit from the child tax credit provisions of the legislation.
9.  Emergency Child Care and Development Block Grant funds to provide child care to 20,880 Florida children.
10. An increase in unemployment benefits to 761,227 Florida families.
11.  $56,800,000 in additional child support enforcement matching funds.
12. $43,300,000 in youth training employment services.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO EMAIL YOUR SENATORS in YOUR STATE and request that they support children & family issues.  Children need to be a "PRIORITY" with state and federal legislators.

TO FIND OUT MORE INFO ABOUT THE RECENT SCORECARD and how your US SENATOR VOTED for these issues go to:  http://votekids.org   

MIAMI, FLORIDA

SCHEMING TO KILL MOM a 13 year old friend charged with attacking mom with a steak knife.

Police reported a 13 year old friend tried to stab Eliana Poveda with a steak knife as whe was dropping off her 15 year old son at her ex husband's house in Miami on September 4th.

Poveda's son was angry at his mom becuase she wouldn't let him switch schools.

The son promised his 13 year old friend if he carried out the act he would be iniated into a group called "Son's of Anarchy".

The State of Florida is looking to try the 13 year old teenager as an adult and he faces criminal charges of attempted first degree murder.  The 15 year old son faces criminal charges with solicitation to commit murder.

WSVN-TV interviewed mom who said she was ok but she is hurting for her son.

I've worked in a family shelter for years. You forgot to mention that when a mom calls for help with domestic violence, she looses her children to CPS. In sixteen years of service, i've seen so many parental rights lost because mom's and dads have asked for help. Not sure what type of law you were inplying with regards to emotional abuse. Yes, dads can be abusive, but mother's just as much. I see so much focus on dads everywhere, but truth of the matter is, moms are just as bad. Bad with children, bad with husbands, just plain bad.

First of all once you admit how corrupt CPS is, your going to find more parents supporting your agenda. But until people stop! trying to hide the fact that these people are a bunch of baby kidnappers, and home wreckers, your not going to get much support from the people where help for moms are concerned. Let's say you create a mission, such as i have. We have to look at both sides of the fence. I've written to this site's owner before, and of course, no response. I am pretty fair, well educated and i am always out in the public with flyers every week. It is my duty not only to protect an abused child, but also protect the right to an individuals privacy. What do you call it when you find your neighbors turning you in for what you might have thought of as abuse, bloody nose, kid was sick, bit by a dog, fell down with your child, etc. etc. I've read so many cases online where the abuse hotline was called upon a parent. Did you know that once this call is made, that person's life or job could be in jeopardy for life. You can never work around children nor can you get a job in the healthcare field. Did you know this. So, if you want to know why parents don't get help for domestic violence, you can thank your dependency court judges for this. They are always out to get those children and that's the only thing that shines in their eyes. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, that if CPS get's involved the family will undergo a court session with their children either sent to family or foster care for the duration of up to 12 months. It is very rare that these cases last short term. As the state makes a bundle for these kids. Why are moms taking punishment, because they know the consequences for asking for help. I just had a mom come in the other day asking for help. I told her to stay with me, her case is so dangerous, a police officer. I gained her trust, and was ready to help, she found out her neighbor two doors down was having an affair with her husband, had a child by him, 2 years old. She found out he is illegal and a police officer, so distressed she went to report him to immigration and the station. No one will touch the case. What is he doing. He called CPS on her, i told her i could get her to a domestic violence shelter, she came to us for help. She wants to protect her son. She ran out the door. She said she already spoke to CPS worker, worker thinks she's dillusional. LOL What a joke. She showed me his fake papers she found of his and his entire family in a lock box. Now he knows she has it and is trying to destroy her. Where is the help. I've seen mom's who i convinced to get help for the domestic abuse, and abuse by one parent or the other, come back and thank me for getting their children removed forever. So terrible i felt. Or that when a mom ends up having to send dad away, they have no job or don't make enough money, kids, taken away forever. So awful this system is a mess. They have no services for these families. Families need prevention services and there are none except for maybe some groups out there. Otherwise there is nothing. I know of one or two places, safe space and two other domestic violence shelters, but there is nothing for life skills, single parenting, no child care services for mom, all the slots are taken by DCF and so if everything is available for DCF children in foster care, and nothing for the parents is that not why we have so many childen in foster care. Free college money, child care, stipends, welfare, food stamps if your a foster parent, nothing for the biological parents. And get this, they are using our tax dollars and giving our community nothing in return. Foster parents even have a hotline they can call called the FAST program, for foster parents who suspect they might be receiving a hotline call against them. This program helps them if they are accused. So, then, the child's best interest goes out the window when someone calls the abuse hotline on the foster parent.

If you want some info on this one too. Look up Cheif of Psychiatry, Rajiv Tandon. The reason why you have a Medicaid Budget shortfall is because he voted, selected and chose to use atypicals that were triple the cost of what drugs were on the market before hand, increasing the costs to the state of Florida by 500%. And by their guardian at litem program mandating the pushing of psychiatric drugs on all these foster kids. Read the guardian at litem manual, appendix D. He was unlicensed in the state of Florida to practice medicine and yet was allowed to do this to Florida. Secondly, you should see how many drugs these children are on. Talking about best interest of the child again. When we went to Tallahassee earlier this month in a meeting with DCF head, Mr. Shelton, he stated that this Dr. was no longer working for the department. Did you know that he doesn't even file financial disclosure, yet he was flying all over the U.S. representing a certain drug company while on DCF's payroll? Of course i filed an ethic's violation on his demanding they make him file financial disclosure so that we could see how much he received in kickbacks. They refused to do anything to him. This state is corrupt. They say he is no longer with the department, but, i'm sure he's just keeping a low profile. Not he nor his director were licensed when I did the research and records check on them.

There is usually a task force for every death. During the October 5th meeting with Mr. Shelton you can see that we are upset with him for the reason that During October of 2007, I went to a task force meeting and discussed in depth, the abuses regarding the drugging of the children etc. etc. They claim that the only way medicaid will reimburse them is by drugging. They won't reimburse therapy. Read Guardian At Litem manual Appendix D on my website. It is page turn after page turn mandating the drugging of the children by foster parents. Now they claim they want to punish foster parents it's their fault. Not so, I have met five foster parents this year that confirmed to me that if they "do not" medicate the kids, they lose their foster care parenting license.

What about telling a seven year old that his parent is no longer his parent. Is that feasable?

They did this to my daughter when she was ten. They told her her body was destroyed by molestation and that she would never bare children. We found out six years later that was a lie. Her body had never been penetrated by anyone and she was a virgin at the age of 10. I had reported a suspected molestation as someone had asked me to find out, i was charged with neglect. The state lied the entire time making it like it did occur, I asked them for help. They said confirmed. The person went to prison for eleven years, I found out later that what they stated this individual did, he didn't. We went to the rape treatment center and asked the physican to read the records to us.

Why is this important. Because, the social worker, told my daughter, in a matter of fact way, that her body was destroyed by sexual penetration and she would never be able to have children. She fell to the floor and worker telling me that I was a horrible mom, etc. etc. This happened at a child care facility. Well, my daughter didn't take this information too well. She felt so bad she thought that guys were going to think she was a guy or *** and began engaging in premiscious behaviors at the age of 12. By sixteen she was pregnant. I am extremely angry because DCF's way of handling things is beyond humane, workers are ignorant, and they are liars. They destroyed my daughter, mentally, physically, and emotionally. By-the-way, they took her children from her too. She suffered a stroke at the age of 21. Hopefully she will make a come back.