Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 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 NeuhausMarch 1, 2017

Caseworkers at the Florida Department of Children and Families are being forced to shoulder nearly unbelievable workloads, leading some to falsify records, according to a new report by an Orlando TV news station. A single child protection investigator in the (DCF) had at one point 32 cases with 77 accompanying children, show DCF documents provided […]

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 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, […]

Les NeuhausFebruary 20, 2017

A former child protection detective in Florida was arrested for lying in an ongoing investigation involving the possible sexual assault of a child, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Children and Families confirmed Monday. According to court records, Brittanee Sharmayne Carter, 27, was taken into custody by agents of the Florida Department of Law […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 7, 2017

The head of the state’s child welfare agency told a legislative panel his department has now handed over “5,000 pages of documents” to a judge looking into why a foster child hung herself while broadcasting it on social media. Mike Carroll, secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), spoke to the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee this week. […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 23, 2017

Representative Frank White filed a new ‘Safe Families bill’ Monday morning, which would set up provisions for what to do with children in need of a place to go, but who do not necessarily need the foster care system. The bill, HB 363, will authorize qualified nonprofit organizations to establish programs for temporary respite for children […]

Michael MolineDecember 23, 2016

More than 3,000 at-risk children will spend the holidays with their birth or adoptive families after a push by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Agency staff worked with dependency judges and local groups to expedite the reunification of foster kids with their families or relatives, or to facilitate their adoption. “The heart of our […]

Peter SchorschNovember 14, 2016

The Florida Department of Children and Families announced Monday it will receive $8 million in federal money to fund services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in underserved communities. The 2016 Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) grant will fund victim services providers such as law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and courts by […]

Tag: Department of Children and Families

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

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

Review of 250 reports by DCF investigators accused of lying shows 40 percent falsified

Child Abuse Death Review Committee to examine fatality emergency calls

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

Florida child protection investigator arrested for lying in possible sex abuse case

Mike Carroll: “We aren’t always able” to save “broken” children

Frank White’s ‘Safe Families’ bill would let volunteer families help out children when their parents can’t

Florida children’s agency helped kids go home for the holidays

DCF receives $8 million grant to fund community-based projects targeting domestic violence and sexual assault