Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Florence SnyderApril 21, 2017

In the wake of two suicides of teenage foster children in their “care,” the “leadership team” of Miami’s “community-based care” agency took their marbles and accrued benefits and went home. Judging from their whiny, self-involved letters of resignation, the agency’s name — Our Kids — refers to the six-figure people running the place, and not […]

Erin ClarkApril 17, 2017

For the community-based care providers that perform the lion’s share of child welfare services in Florida, the proposed 2017 budget is a disappointment. A press release that accompanied the Jan. 31 release of Republican Gov. Rick Scott’s “Fighting for Florida’s future” budget proposal touts “a record $632 million to provide core services to children who […]

Les NeuhausMarch 28, 2017

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Naika Venant’s mother vehemently refutes narratives by the state agency in a March 13 report, including suggestion she ‘allegedly’ commented on Facebook Live thread taunting daughter while watching and did nothing; lawyer says agencies ‘abysmally failed’ Naika. *** Naika Venant was a girl whose personality had turned from that of a bright and gifted child […]

Les NeuhausMarch 27, 2017

A Pinellas County court set a trial date for John Jonchuck, arrested in 2015 for throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a St. Petersburg bridge. The Tampa Bay Times reported Monday that the trial will begin early February. In a pretrial hearing Monday, Jonchuck’s three public defenders listened as Pinellas County Circuit Judge Chris Helinger announced […]

Les NeuhausMarch 24, 2017

Part of a psychological evaluation administered to Naika Venant in June 2015 included a sentence completion test. For the beginning stem sentence “The thing I want to do most of all is …” the then-12-year-old girl responded: “Die happy.” Sentence tests can provide indications of attitudes, beliefs, motivations or other mental states. Other sentences she […]

Les NeuhausMarch 21, 2017

Two measures dealing with drug testing for certain public aid applicants and law enforcement taking over DCF’s role investigative role in another county met no resistance Tuesday. Among several bills heard by the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee were two dealing with applicants of temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) and child welfare […]

Les NeuhausMarch 20, 2017

Three bills dealing with issues of child support, sexual exploitation of minors and the controversial Baker Act were passed favorably by the House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee Monday. Rep. Kimberly Daniels introduced HB 313, while Rep. Jeanette Nuñez put forth her legislation on child trafficking in HB 1383 and Rep. David Silvers added his […]

Les NeuhausMarch 17, 2017

The mother of a teen who committed suicide was in her car when she began receiving a trickle of text messages, Then a barrage of texts began streaming in. “Where’s your daughter,” one read. “Please please please check on your daughter,” read another. Gina Alexis, the mother of Naika Venant, the 14-year-old girl who hung […]

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. […]

Tag: Department of Children and Families
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Florence Snyder: Why children die, Part 4 — Clues in the resignation letters

Florida child welfare providers do more with less, but how much less?

Did Florida DCF create media frenzy after foster child’s suicide to distract from agency errors?

February trial date set for John Jonchuck, accused of throwing daughter off St. Pete bridge

Psychotropic cocktail may have contributed to Facebook Live suicide

Breezing through committee: Welfare drug testing, DCF takes backseat in Walton County

House bills move ahead on loss of driver’s licenses, human trafficking, Baker Act

Records released by DCF portray different picture of mother in teen’s Facebook Live suicide

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

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