Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressFebruary 9, 2015

Just 12 hours before police say a man threw his 5-year-old daughter to her death off a Tampa Bay bridge last month, his own attorney called Florida’s child abuse hotline, warning that his client was suffering from mental delusions. But the hotline operator didn’t refer the call to investigators because she didn’t think the child […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 6, 2015

If it’s too early to anoint a presidential front-runner among the Republicans, the national media are obviously treating Jeb Bush as one. Among the in-depth articles already up and running is a Boston Globe inquiry into his teenage years at the elite Phillips Academy nearly half a century ago. Another is a biting review on […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 5, 2015

If it’s too early to anoint a presidential front-runner among the Republicans, the national media are obviously treating Jeb Bush as one. Among the in-depth articles already up and running is a Boston Globe inquiry into his teenage years at the elite Phillips Academy nearly half a century ago. Another is a biting review on […]

Ryan RayJanuary 27, 2015

As mental health becomes an increasingly prominent issue in child welfare and especially following acts of public violence, discussion by Florida lawmakers has not kept pace. Florida’s famous “Baker Act” — formally known as the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 — which allows for involuntary commitment to a medical institution in some cases hasn’t been […]

Ryan RayJanuary 27, 2015

As mental health becomes an increasingly prominent issue in child welfare and especially following acts of public violence, discussion by Florida lawmakers has not kept pace. Florida’s famous “Baker Act” — formally known as the Florida Mental Health Act of 1971 — which allows for involuntary commitment to a medical institution in some cases hasn’t been […]

Peter SchorschJune 2, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott deserves some credit for being one of the loudest critics of the Obama administration’s handling of the scandal at the Veterans Administration. Last week, Scott announced that Florida is suing the VA to grant state health inspectors access to VA hospitals. For more than a month, the Obama administration denied state health inspectors […]

Guest AuthorMay 6, 2014

Whoever limited the length of the Florida legislative session did so wisely. There’s no telling how much damage earnest but ideological politicians can do in 90 days. Too often we saw legislators proposing bills to suit constituents with narrow interests. Exhibit 1: The Growler bill pushed by major beer distributors but one that could have […]

Guest AuthorMay 3, 2014

If an agency is under fire for failing to live up to its statutory responsibility, it can respond in one of two ways. It can take immediate steps to fix the problem and swing the doors wide to public oversight to make sure it won’t happen again. Or it can do what the Florida Department […]

Florence SnyderSeptember 3, 2013

As Sen. Eleanor Sobel and Interim Department of Children & Families Secretary Esther Jacobo were practicing their talking points for last month’s Tri-County Legislative Delegation Town Hall, the Miami Herald was toting up bodies for its explanatory journalism headlined Killing our kids. Veteran reporter Carol Marbin Miller knows where the public records are, and she’s […]

Tag: Department of Children and Families

Hotline ignored calls on girl thrown over bridge by dad

Martin Dyckman: Jeb Bush’s behavior in the Schiavo case is unworthy of a governor — or a president

Martin Dyckman: Jeb Bush’s behavior in the Schiavo case is unworthy of a governor — or a president

Joe Abruzzo, Lori Berman file 'Baker Act' reform bill

Joe Abruzzo, Lori Berman file ‘Baker Act’ reform bill

Peter Schorsch: Scott outraged by VA scandal, but unfazed by DCF cover-up

Andrew Skerritt: Ideological politicians run amok during legislative session

Doug Clifton: DCF makes it harder to check up on its performance

Florence Snyder: State is failing the vulnerable children in its care