Health

Federal Government Failing to Protect Children, Report Says

Published

10 years ago

January 27, 2015

Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, right, confers with Commissioners Theresa Martha Covington (center) and Patricia M. Martin (left) before the CECANF public meeting in Burlington, Vermont, on October 23, 2014. (Alison Redlich/AP Images for CECANF)

HOLBROOK MOHR and GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press

The federal government’s failure to enforce the nation’s child protection laws is a “national disgrace” that leaves abused children vulnerable to future harm, according to a three-year study by two child advocacy groups.

The 110-page report released Tuesday identified some of the same failures reported in December by The Associated Press after an eight-month investigation into hundreds of children who died of abuse or neglect in plain view of child protection authorities.

“Our laws are weak. We don’t invest in solutions. Federal laws aren’t enforced. And courts are turning their backs. This creates a trifecta of inertia and neglect,” said Amy Harfeld, policy director at the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law, which wrote the report with the nonprofit group First Star.

AP’s investigation, published Dec. 18, also revealed a system in crisis, hobbled by weak federal oversight, budget constraints, worker shortages and a voluntary data collection system so flawed that nobody can say with accuracy how many children die from abuse or neglect each year.

The AP found that at least 786 children died of abuse and neglect over a six-year span — many of them beaten, starved or left alone to drown — while agencies had good reason to know they were in danger. That figure represents the most comprehensive statistics publicly available, but the actual number who died even as authorities were investigating their families or providing some form of protective services is likely much higher because antiquated confidentiality laws allow many states to withhold vital information, shrouding their failures.

The federal government estimates an average of about 1,650 children have died annually from abuse or neglect in recent years, whether or not they were known to the child welfare system, but many experts believe the actual number is twice as high. And many more suffer from near-fatal abuse and neglect every year.

“Almost everything that happens to these children is cloaked in endemic secrecy, and most efforts by the media and advocates to provide the public with much needed transparency — which leads to accountability — are thwarted by the very governmental entities and officials who have turned their backs on their official duties to children,” the groups said.

Michael Petit, who was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities and serves as adviser to the advocacy group Every Child Matters, said he agreed with what he has read thus far in the report, entitled “Shame on U.S.”

“The report is saying what a lot of people have been experiencing,” Petit said, who wasn’t speaking on the commission’s behalf. “I share many of those sentiments that the federal government is not providing the kind of oversight needed.”

The Children’s Advocacy Institute and First Star fault all three branches of federal government for failing to protect children.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for implementing and enforcing federal child welfare laws and programs, but the agency largely takes a hands-off approach, allowing states to self-certify that they are in compliance with federal requirements.

“There is no meaningful oversight and the states know it,” the report said.

Agency spokeswoman Laura Goulding did not immediately return a call and an email seeking comment on the report Monday.

Congress needs to mandate that HHS impose fines, withhold funds or take other punitive actions when states don’t follow federal regulations, the report said.

Because HHS and Congress so rarely hold states accountable for their failings, filing a lawsuit is usually the only way private parties can challenge problems within the child welfare system. But lawsuits are time consuming, expensive and often limited in their reach, covering violations in only one state or county rather than widespread systemic failures, the groups said.

“Federal courts have turned their backs on private attempts to enforce federal child welfare law and Congress has shown little interest in advancing the law itself,” the report said.

Emily Douglas, a child welfare expert at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Mass., called the report’s findings about the judicial branch’s shortcomings particularly revealing.

“When something goes wrong, usually you hear that the state child welfare agency is a wreck or that the governor is stepping in to fire someone,” Douglas said. “But increasingly judges are going to be on the radar about the important role that they play in determining these kids’ safety. Judges are not trained social workers, so are we sure they always know the risk factors when deciding children should be sent back home?”

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The AP National Investigative Team can be reached at investigate@ap.org

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Activism

A Student-Run Group Provides Critical Support Services to Underserved Residents

Those visiting The Suitcase Clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers. Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

Published

14 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Law Students help a clinic visitor with legal advice at their Tuesday night services. The Clinic offers a variety of resources, including medical, to those in the community who have little access to these services. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Part One

By Magaly Muñoz

Every Tuesday evening, the dining hall of First Presbyterian Church fills up with dozens of people eating, laughing and moving from table to table, receiving much-needed services from UC Berkeley students – just a few blocks away from the university’s campus.

Individuals seeking support services can be found in this multi-stationed room on the south end of the church talking to law students, student case managers, or receiving medical attention in a corner by healthcare professionals.

This weekly event is hosted by Cal students through a volunteer-run program called The Suitcase Clinic.

The clinic, founded in 1989, was intended to offer free resources to underserved communities in Berkeley and surrounding cities. The majority of the clinic’s clientele are unhoused or low-income people looking for extra support.

Those visiting the clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers.

Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

During their tenure in the program, many of the students say they become strong advocates for homelessness rights.

Visitors of the Suitcase Clinic can receive haircuts and foot washing by student volunteers every Tuesday evening. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re also standing in solidarity with them. So, it’s not saying, ‘I’m going to help you, but I’m also going to stand with you,’” Golchini said.

Student volunteers get extensive training prior to working directly with clients. Those interested have to take a semester-long class to become versed in areas such as outreach, intersectionality, how to interact with unhoused people, how to sign people up for social services. and more.

Volunteers then get to pick from three different clinics: General, Women’s, or Youth and LGBTQ+.

The General Clinic is the most popular among visiting residents, while Women’s and Youth/LQBTQ+ have more specialized services for attendees.

The Women’s Clinic has many of the similar services to General, but also includes nail painting, childcare, and massages.

The Youth and LGBTQ+ Clinic offers a safe space for young people navigating living on the streets, with services that include housing referrals, wellness and recreation classes and employment resources.

Golchini explained that it’s important for them to keep these clinics separate because the different demographics experience poverty and homelessness differently than those who visit the General Clinic.

Suitcase Clinic student workers posing for a photo with a frequent clinic attendee. The Clinic is open to Berkeley unhoused and low-income residents who need medical or legal service, or a hot meal. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re able to provide spaces where people can come in and feel safe and not feel like they’re constantly worried that something’s going to happen to them,” she said.

An outreach team also visits encampments every other Saturday in the Berkeley area to provide hygiene kits and encourage people to visit the in-person clinic, if possible.

However, Golchini said engagement has been low for some time now due to a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban and cite people for sleeping on the streets.

She said a lot of their clientele got displaced to other cities over time, making it difficult to stay in contact with the services the Clinic was providing for them.

But that hasn’t slowed down the students at the Clinic, if anything, it has pushed them to do more for the community they serve.

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Activism

Delta Sigma Theta Alumnae Chapters Host World AIDS Day Event

With members from Berkeley Bay Area, Oakland East Bay (OEB) and Hayward Tri-City chapters present, the event opened with Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid sharing data and legislation that has passed to address the safety, health, and well-being of Black women in the state of California. Attendees were able to learn directly from expert guest speakers, including Shimere Harrington from ViiV Healthcare, Barbara Green-Ajufo, an epidemiologist from UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), and Dot Theodore, director of the HIV Care Program Division of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Alameda County.

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2024

Oakland Post

Petrina A. Perteet, Takija Gardner and Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid at the World AIDS Day event on Dec. 1. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

By Don-Neva E. Johnson and Petrina Alexander Perteet
Special to The Post

The International Awareness and Involvement (IA&I) committees of East Bay chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. proudly hosted a successful World AIDS Day event on Dec.1, bringing together community members, healthcare professionals, and advocates to raise awareness and support the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Attendees were able to learn directly from expert guest speakers, including Shimere Harrington from ViiV Healthcare, Barbara Green-Ajufo, an epidemiologist from UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), and Dot Theodore, director of the HIV Care Program Division of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Alameda County.

The speakers provided valuable insights into the current state of HIV/AIDS, advancements in treatment, and the importance of prevention and support.

L-R Petrina A. Perteet, Dr. Natalie Wilson, Don-Neva Johnson, Tracy Diop, Sonji Walker and Takija Gardner were part of the World AIDS Day event. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

“The outcome of this day is more than what we could have hoped for, and we are deeply grateful for the participation of our distinguished speakers and the support of our sponsors,” said Don-Neva Johnson and Tracy Diop, IA&I committee chairs for Berkeley Bay Area and Hayward Tri-City.

“Their contributions helped us create an informative and empowering event for our community,” said event organizer Dr. Natalie Wilson, associate professor of UCSF School of Nursing and IA&I committee chair.

Held at the Samuel Merritt Health Education Center at 400 Hawthorne Ave. in Oakland, the event was made possible by the generous support of sponsors ViiV healthcare, Gilead Sciences, and Good Health WINs. Attendees received gift bags and had the opportunity to engage with educational tables from Gilead, participate in a Q&A session with speakers led by Wilson.

Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated is an organization of college-educated women committed to the development of its members and offer public service with a primary focus on the Black community. We are dedicated to empowering our communities through education, advocacy, and support around the world.

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Activism

Outgoing D.A. Pamela Price Releases Report on County Gun Violence Epidemic

The 84-page report is divided into two parts: the Public Health Impact of Violence and the Contribution of Structural Inequalities; and the Public Safety Impact of Gun Violence and the Regulation of Firearms. Each section documents trends in rising gun violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with special attention to the rise in gun-related deaths of women and children in Alameda County. Each section advises innovative approaches for the County to address gun violence and build safe communities.

Published

1 week ago

December 8, 2024

Oakland Post

Exclusive interview with County D.A. Price days before recall election. Photo by Ken Epstein.

Pamela Price was recalled in the election on Nov. 5. File photo.

By Post Staff

Criminal Justice Reformer District Attorney Pamela Price, who is leaving office this week after losing a recall election, released a comprehensive report on the gun violence epidemic and public health emergency in Alameda County: “Tackling Gun Violence Epidemic in Alameda County: A Public Health Emergency (2019-2023).”

This report represents an unprecedented collaboration between public safety and public health partners and provides data and recommendations to guide the County’s continued work to reduce violence while advancing justice reform.

Each section documents trends in rising gun violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with special attention to the rise in gun-related deaths of women and children in Alameda County. Each section advises innovative approaches for the County to address gun violence and build safe communities.

“Between 2019 to 2023, an average of three residents were killed by firearms each week in Alameda County, and behind every statistic is a shattered family and community,” said Price.

“Under my administration, the DA’s office has taken bold steps to combat gun violence while promoting equity and healing for survivors,” she said.

The report highlights strategies for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Last month, the DA’s office secured a $5.5 million grant from the California Judicial Council to help improve compliance and case management for gun cases and gun relinquishment orders —the removal of guns from people prohibited from possessing a firearm – with law enforcement and court partners.

This effort builds on Price’s work in 2023 and 2024 in attacking the gun violence epidemic.

“We launched an innovative Gun Violence Restraining Order Outreach Project to educate communities about the availability of tools to remove guns and ammunition from people who are a danger to themselves and others and the intersectionality of domestic violence and gun violence and convened gun violence roundtable conversations with our law enforcement partners and collaborated with the Alameda County Public Health Department to produce this comprehensive report,” she said.

“We supported Oakland’s CEASEFIRE program through its transition and implemented a pilot Mentor Gun Diversion Program with our collaborative court partners, offering non-violent youth in possession of a gun pathways to interrupt the potential for escalating harm.” added Price.