Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Les NeuhausMarch 13, 2017

A bill that would require drug testing for adults of families previously convicted of drug offenses who are applying for temporary family assistance from the state of Florida passed a House committee Monday. Sponsored by Rep. Chris Latvala, the bill – HB 1117 — would mandate the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to give […]

Les NeuhausMarch 13, 2017

A documentary film about Florida’s privatized child welfare and fostering programs — made by a Guardian ad Litem and filmmaker from Palm Beach — casts a draconian look at what happens to children when they are taken from abusive situations at home and become dependents of the state, at taxpayer expense, often to their peril. […]

Les NeuhausMarch 10, 2017

Five minutes could’ve been enough time for a deadly mistake to happen, a parent was reported saying after it was revealed one of the teachers at her toddler’s daycare class in Hobe Sound, Florida, had fallen asleep during class – in the class – as a second teacher was gone in a bathroom, leaving the […]

Les NeuhausMarch 10, 2017

A couple living in southwest Florida have been charged in Alabama with 727 counts of sexual crimes and physical abuses against their 11 adopted and foster children, law enforcement officials in both states told FloridaPolitics.com Friday. Police in both states are calling it the most shocking case they’ve ever seen. “I’ve been working sex crimes […]

Les NeuhausMarch 8, 2017

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A mother and father have had enough of their neighbors’ drug-dealing, late-night romps that devolve from friendly partying into “screaming matches,” court records in a lawsuit filed in early March indicate. Jose and Lisa Alecia, with their two children, are homeowners in the Gibsonton neighborhood, located in Hillsborough County outside of Tampa, are seeking $75,000 […]

Les NeuhausMarch 6, 2017

As legislators in Tallahassee prepare themselves to convene their 60-day Session Tuesday, expect an assortment of proposed bills to be hashed out over the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Hot-button subjects with bipartisan support in the Senate and House include improvements in mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, working toward identifying and reducing […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 24, 2017

A total of 931 combined child deaths were reported in Florida in both 2015 and 2016, according to the state’s Child Abuse Death Review Committee (CADR), which met in Tampa Friday to discuss the issue. Broken down, 474 of those reviewable fatalities were in 2015, with another 457 reviewable notifications made in 2016. More than […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 23, 2017

Standing before the members of the Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee Thursday, Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Mike Carroll admitted Naika Venant had been in out of foster care since 2009. Since April alone, she had been in 10 foster homes alone that included a hotel and a child welfare office building, according […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 22, 2017

It’s another interesting day in the Florida child welfare business and not a bit has anything to do with a Department of Children and Families (DCF) child protection investigator being arrested. That’s good news. Starting with the positive, the Tallahassee Democrat reported Tony Dungy was in the state capital to speak at a DCF Black History Month Celebration, […]

Florence SnyderJanuary 27, 2017

How many adults does it take to get a 4-year-old girl from day care to her “destination?” Quite a few for a 4-year-old in the “care” of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and its “community partners” at Eckerd Kids and Camelot Community Care. We don’t know the child’s name because #PrivacyLaws. But […]

Tag: DCF
Image via AP.

House committee OK’s bill to drug test temporary family aid seekers

‘Foster Shock’ documentary takes Florida’s privatized child welfare system to task

Teacher fell asleep during school, leaving toddlers unsupervised

Florida couple face ‘shocking’ 700+ counts of abuse against fostered, adopted children

Family complains about noisy, alleged drug-dealing neighbors; gets DCF-style investigation by Sheriff’s office

Range of DCF oversight issues, bills to be debated by Florida lawmakers this Session

Child Abuse Death Review Committee to examine fatality emergency calls

Dismayed, DCF head Mike Carroll explains fragments of Facebook Live suicide case

DCF files: Tony Dungy, adoption, false reports and a new trend – falling asleep in cars, high and with kids

Florida’s children live and die at the crowded corner of Dickens & Orwell, part 3