View allAdoptionCASAChild DeathCrime and CourtsDavid StrandeducationFoster CareGrandparents & KinshipGuardian ad-LitemGunsHealth and Mental HealthInternational Child AbuseInvisible ChildrenKARA EventsKids At Risk Action (KARA)EventsLinks To AudioLinks To Helpful Orgslinks to videomass incarcerationMike Tikkanenmike tikkanen speakingOccasional AuthorsPolitics and FundingPublic PolicyRadio ShowsResourcesThe StatesvideoWonderful People
Sort by dateSort by name
DescendingAscending
May182018

Preventing Child Torture (thank you Safe Passage for Children)

Child Death, Health and Mental Health, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Public Policy

Government overreach or a child’s right to not be tortured? If you have been a foster or adoptive parent or someone who has worked with children abused to the point a judge removes them from their home, you know what awful things have happened to the child and how it ruins a life.

Today, Safe Passage for Children of MN has powerful thoughts about how to prevent child torture*.

*The World Health Organization defines torture as “extended exposure to violence and deprivation”.

All the children in my caseload as a volunteer CASA guardian ad litem were tortured.

All Adults Are the Protectors of All Children

Details
May202018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (2)

Adoption, Child Death, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

American states are struggling to find answers for ending adverse childhood experiences and saving at risk children by reversing the explosive growth of child abuse and neglect. Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
May262018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (4)

Child Death, Foster Care, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Statistics & Facts, The States

KARA’s reporting is only sampling of what should be reported – the great majority of child trauma & abuse is never known.

American states are struggling to find answers for ending adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and saving at risk children by reversing the explosive growth of child abuse and neglect. Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
May292018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (5 – foster child)

Adoption, Foster Care, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

American states are struggling to find answers for ending adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and saving at risk children by reversing the explosive growth of child abuse and neglect. Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
Jun12018

Stealing Candy From Minnesota Babies (thank you Safe Passage for Children of MN)

Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, The States

If you live with, work with or know at risk children, you know how your community values children. Not much. Since 2004, America had remained 3rd from the bottom on spending for children among the developed nations.

Not long ago, America ranked at the top of quality of life indices and our children had good schools, healthcare and a good chance of becoming productive citizens leading happy lives. American children don’t get healthcare, quality daycare or education and critical prenatal care is very rare.

America’s at risk youth become dysfunctional juveniles, felons and preteen moms living in poverty, jail and prison on their way to becoming the long term problem their parents were to the community.

If you live in Arizona, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, or New Mexico (states treating children the worst) you have known for many years how badly your state treats children and why your schools don’t work, public health and public safety are endangered and communities of poverty outnumber communities of hope and happiness. Share this with your friends and networks (especially your friends in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas & New Mexico)

Details
Jun12018

Child Welfare International April 2018 (6) violence against children

Child Death, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
Jun62018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (7) child sex abuse

Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

American states are struggling to find answers for ending adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and saving at risk children by reversing the explosive growth of child abuse and neglect. Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
Jun72018

Kendrea Johnson, Gabriel Fernandez & Child Suicide

Child Death, Health and Mental Health, Politics and Funding, Public Policy

That six year old Kendrea Johnson suicided by hanging while in foster care should cause us to rethink child protection. Today’s 1.5 million dollar settlement would have provided important ACES trauma training to her foster family, hired allot of social workers, and provided many foster children the mental health help they need. Kendrea Johnson talked about suicide daily.

Suicide attempts by six year old’s are rarely successful. I’ve witnessed many children (as a volunteer CASA guardian ad Litem in child protection) who repeatedly did violent and dangerous things that put them in harms way and multiple suicide attempts.

Details
Jun92018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (8) neglect

Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
Jun122018

Child Welfare by State (statistics & news April 2018 (9) child death

Child Death, Crime and Courts, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

American states are struggling to find answers for ending adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and saving at risk children by reversing the explosive growth of child abuse and neglect. Today, many state ward children are the 4th and 5th generation of abused children raising their own families without parenting skills and with serious drug, alcohol and mental health issues

37% of children overall and 57% of Black children are reported to child protection services in America by the time they turn 18. (American Journal of Public Health 1.17)

12 million children a year are reported to child protection services each year and in many states, 1/3 of foster children are required to take psychotropic medicines

Details
Jun162018

Child Burns, Sex Abuse & Beatings May 2018 (find your state here) 1

Child Death, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

Accused child killers plead not guilty in Seneca County Court
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
The mother and stepfather of a 3-year-old taken off of life support last week after being beaten until he was brain dead pleaded not guilty to murder …
Seneca Falls couple plead not guilty to beating 3-year-old boy to death – 13WHAM-TV
Couple accused of killing toddler pleads not guilty – Spectrum News

Details
Jun202018

YAY Teachers (running for office)

education, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy

Our mean spirited and child unfriendly politics is driving teachers into public office. This is a sample and it the most positive movement towards better treatment of children than we have seen in a long time. Blaming teachers for trouble schools is so wrong.

Looking for better schools, higher graduation rates and safer communities? Support schools and the people on the front lines.

What we do to our children, they will do to society (Pliny the Elder 2000 years ago)

Details
Jun202018

Children at the Border “Torture; “extended exposure to violence and deprivation” (World Health Organization’s definition of torture)

Crime and Courts, Health and Mental Health, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy

The psychotropic medicating (Prozac, Ritalin and Zoloft type drugs) of very young children was deemed worthy of billions in civil fines for big pharmaceutical companies not long ago. Today, America is illegally drugging migrant children with psychotropics without parental consent. It is a crime.

Torture is what happens to a child separated from her mother at a U.S. boarder crossing. Torture results in trauma. Children in cages – toddlers in pens? Traumatizing children has a very real effect on a child’s developing brain, impacts mental health and can last forever. To think this government has a policy of drugging and torturing children should be a wake up call that this administration will stop at nothing to achieve a small political gain.

It’s wrong and we should all be ashamed.

Details
Jun242018

Domestic & International Violence Against Children (May 2018) 3

Child Death, International Child Abuse, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Politics and Funding, Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

Gov’t, UNICEF, partners launch action plan vs violence against children
ABS-CBN News
The Philippine Plan of Action to End Violence Against Children (PPAEVAC) is a set of strategies and recommendations resulting from the National Baseline Study on Violence against Children in 2016. It is a product of consultations between the government, UNICEF and its partners, and details the roles …

Details
Jul12018

Child Trauma & Torture, May 2018, find your state here (6)

Child Death, Health and Mental Health, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

Iowa sees spike in confirmed child abuse cases
Seattle Times
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say publicity around high-profile child abuse cases in Iowa has caused a surge in such reports. Confirmed child …
Iowa sees spike in confirmed child abuse cases – WRAL.com

Details
Jul22018

Criminalizing Mental Illness (statistics & stories)

Crime and Courts, Health and Mental Health, Kids At Risk Action (KARA)

It is upsetting that the only significant authoritative voice speaking to the horrific practice of criminalizing mental illness is Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

Stanek’s Star Tribune article today paints the ugly picture of mentally ill patients not charged with any crime, locked up in a tiny, isolated, empty cell for 23 hours a day for months at a time because there is no other place for them.

HCMC downtown is seeing 800 to 1000 emergency psych visits/month, MN hospitals are turning away mental health patients and a very large percentage of people in the juvenile and criminal justice system suffer from diagnosable mental health problems.

Details
Jul22018

Child Death & Sex Abuse May 2018 (7) find your state here

Child Death, Crime and Courts, Kids At Risk Action (KARA), Public Policy, Sad Stories, Statistics & Facts, The States

NH parents of child who died arrested on drug charges
Boston 25 News
Following the child’s death, police executed a search warrant at 473 Hevey St. and said they found 28.1 grams of heroin, 11.8 grams of cocaine, 15.3 …
Flag as irrelevant

Day care provider enters guilty plea in baby death case
MLive.com
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – A day care provider has pleaded guilty to child neglect in a case involving the death of a toddler in her care at the hands of …
Flag as irrelevant

Details