Boynton Beach Mayor Arrested - Politics News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach

Jose Angel Rodriguez

Boynton Beach Mayor Arrested - Politics News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach

"A probable cause affidavit said the Boynton Beach mayor used his position to obstruct an ongoing criminal abuse investigation against him by the Department of Children and Families and the Boynton Beach Police Department...."

Read more: http://www.wpbf.com/politics/30309272/detail.html#ixzz1kcemJE3d

Erin Brockovich investigating mysterious disease cluster – USATODAY.com

Erin Brockovich investigating mysterious disease cluster – USATODAY.com






LE ROY, N.Y. – Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has started her own investigation into the mysterious illness that's caused symptoms of facial tics and verbal outbursts among teenag in LeRoy, N.Y., in light of new evidence about a toxic chemical spill more than 40 years ago that caused water and ground contamination.

Brockovich, of Los Angeles, says families of affected teens and other community members asked her to look into the case. She's spent the past week studying federal and state reports about a 1970 train derailment that spilled cyanide and an industrial solvent called trichloroethene (TCE) within three miles of the high school attended by the 12 teen girls who started having these symptoms last fall. As many as five other teens, including one boy and two girls from the Albany area, are reportedly experiencing similar neurological symptoms.

READ MORE:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-01-26/new-york-school-mystery-disease/52804710/1?csp=34news

GOP AN EMBARRASSMENT - PALTRY SHOWING OF DEMOCRATS H.R. 3126 BILL : STOP CHILD ABUSE IN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR TEENS ACT OF 2011

THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE REPUBLICAN SPONSOR AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, A PALTRY SHOWING FROM DEMOCRATS.  THERE SHOULD BE NO PARTISANSHIP, NO CORPORATE LOBBY, WHERE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR FUTURE, ARE CONCERNED.  GET IT?

Representative
George Miller
D-CA


Co-Sponsors of H.R. 3126
Rep. Judy Chu [D, CA-32]
Added October 24, 2011

Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
Added October 24, 2011

Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
Added October 13, 2011

Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
Added October 24, 2011

Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D, OH-10]
Added October 24, 2011

Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
Added November 01, 2011

Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
Added October 24, 2011

Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]
Added October 13, 2011

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D, NY-4]
Added October 06, 2011

Rep. Grace Napolitano [D, CA-38]
Added December 05, 2011

Rep. Jared Polis [D, CO-2]
Added November 14, 2011

Rep. Bobby Rush [D, IL-1]
Added January 17, 2012

Rep. Adam Schiff [D, CA-29]
Added November 01, 2011

Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
Added October 11, 2011

Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
Added November 17, 2011

Rep. Niki Tsongas [D, MA-5]
Added October 11, 2011

Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
Added November 15, 2011

BILL OFFICIAL SUMMARY:


10/6/2011--Introduced.Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 - Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. Defines "covered program" as one operated by a public or private entity that with respect to one or more children unrelated to the program owner or operator:

(1) provides a residential environment; and

(2) operates with a focus on serving children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders, or problems with alcohol or substance abuse. Directs the Assistant Secretary to:

(1) implement an ongoing review process for investigating and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect;

(2) establish public websites with information about each covered program, as well as a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive complaints;

(3) establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and

(4) establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise. Requires the Assistant Secretary to refer any violation of such standards to the Attorney General for appropriate action. Authorizes the Attorney General to file such a complaint on his or her own initiative regardless of whether such a referral has been made. Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs. Require such states to develop policies and procedures to prevent child abuse and neglect at covered programs consistent with the standards specified by this Act. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study outcomes for children in both private and public covered programs under this Act encompassing a broad representation of treatment facilities and geographic regions.

H.R. BILL TEXT:  http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3126/text

GEORGIA:GBI interviews staff at Augusta YDC | The Augusta Chronicle

Hate to break it to everyone, but it is late January 2012.

GBI interviews staff at Augusta YDC The Augusta Chronicle

ATLANTA — The commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice assured Augusta lawmakers Tuesday that her department and the GBI are doing everything they can to investigate the November death of a teen detainee and address personnel problems at the troubled Augusta YDC.

WALTER JONES/MORRIS NEWS SERVICE
Rep. Wayne Howard, D-Augusta, listens as Gale Buckner, the commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice, briefs the Augusta legislative delegation about the ongoing YDC investigation.

Gale Buckner, who has led the department for a few months, told local legislators that a team of 20 Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents began interviewing staff at the Augusta Youth Development Campus at 5 a.m. Tuesday, seeking information on several fronts, including the November beating death of a 19-year-old.





To read more:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2012-01-24/gbi-interviews-staff-augusta-ydc?v=1327442438

UPDATE: SUPPORT H.R. 3126: Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

Blog Articles for H.R.3126: Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress


PLEASE CLICK THE ABOVE OR BELOW LINK, TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND SUPPORT H.R. 3126. SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, BLOGS, ETC. THE WEBSITE WILL EXPEDITE AN EMAIL TO SEND YOUR CONGRESSMAN.

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3126/blogs

STAND UP AGAINST NATSAP, IECA, AND CORPORATE LOBBYISTS.

Please let your voices be heard for the children that have none.

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." — Nelson Mandela 8 May 1995 Pretoria

NOTE: H.R. 3126 is now H.R. 1981 because 'Washington' deems it more important to afford rights to our military canines (we support) than to our children.


 

RIDGE CREEK SCHOOL FACILITY - CONCERNED EMPLOYEE'S ALARMING LETTER DISREGARDED BY GEORGIA' S DHS COMMISSIONER ET AL

According to the author of this letter
(see below), the letter was 'mailed' to
five parties in
January of 2011, including Georgia's DHS Commissioner Clyde Reese who oversees the Office of Residential Child Care (ORCC), and  the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Director John Pickleman, in hopes that an investigation into the Ridge Creek School facility would commence.


Advanc-Ed- SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) accredited the Ridge Creek School facility in February of 2011.  In April of 2011, Advanc-Ed Assistant Director stated in a telephone conversation that he had never heard of complaints ...

Interesting.  Emails and letters over the years clearly indicate that prior to and during Advanc-Ed's "take-over" of SACS, there were numerous complaints to the accrediting board regarding this facility and it's accreditation.

I spoke with the party that drafted this letter.  He/she did not know whom to write, so he/she decided to pull the list of agencies off  the Ridge Creek School's own website.  This is obvious in that the party sent the letter to NATSAP.  Although well-intentioned, he/she did not know that the owner of the facility co-founded NATSAP.  NATSAP, like IECA, Lon Woodbury, and  his educational consultant colleagues would never risk their livelihood in search of the truth, least of all exposing it.

What hit home, as with many former employees and parents, was the clear message that they were frightened to come forth;  this fear, was not of the agencies response.

What is more frightening is the lack of agency response.  To clarify, complainants may submit complaint reports to the ORCC anonymously.  If one is using the ORCC website to file a complaint, it cannot be  filed anonymously, although the ORCC states the complainants name will remain anonymous.  
https://services.georgia.gov/dhr/reportfiling/searchFacility.do?action=constituentComplaint

The letter submitted to "jilliestake" with permission given to publish, appalling as it is:

1/20/2011

Department of Human Services

Commissioner’s Office

Commissioner Clyde L. Reese, III, Esq.

2 Peachtree Street, N.W.

Suite 29

-

250

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

RE:      Ridge Creek School

            Dahlonega, Georgia

Gentlemen:

Unfortunately, I must send this letter without an identifying signature as I have no interest in becoming involved in a lawsuit with Ridge Creek School.  Quite frankly the Administration there is so completely out of control I would fear for my safety (employment would not even be an issue) were my name to be written at the bottom of this letter as I would like.  It is important, however, that you become aware of situations that are occurring at the school on a regular basis that are putting the children who are domiciled there at significant risk.  Since your office either provides accreditation or is charged with the responsibility of oversight of the children’s welfare I believe it is vital that you have knowledge of some of the recent incidents at the school which, I feel, are causing significant damage to the children and the community at large.

Since the fall  of 2010 the following incidents have occurred:

• A thirteen-year-old girl with a history of suicidal gestures (if not attempts), sexual promiscuity and self-abuse (cutting, purging, etc.) was allowed to leave a classroom unmonitored for upwards of 50 minutes.  During this time she had a pre-arranged sexual encounter with a fourteen-year-old male student in a bathroom stall.  This was only discovered when she told other students about the instance and they voiced their concern to staff.  The male student then attempted suicide, and was taken to a local mental hospital and (apparently) he now has rape charges pending against him.  The female student then attempted suicide which was also unsuccessful.
• Two other students have had to be cut down by other students in hanging attempts.  To the best of my knowledge this issue of student suicide attempts has never been discussed or otherwise brought up in any staff meeting nor has any specialized training or education been provided to any of the staff despite repeated requests for such training by concerned and upset staff.
• A thirteen-year-old male student (who had turned thirteen only a few days before this incident) told other students that he had been “sexually assaulted” by another male student, age fourteen.  This allegedly occurred in the dorm room which they shared and was only learned when, again, other concerned students told staff.  Although the thirteen-year-old student had a lengthy history of exaggeration and of lying, and his story changed at least five times during the staff investigation, the fourteen-year-old student was charged with sodomy by the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office and he was expelled from Ridge Creek School.  At no time were the investigating authorities told by Ridge Creek School Administration of the thirteen-year-old’s history of lying and manipulation so that they might more accurately determine what charges to bring in this case.
• Since the Christmas holidays the students have “rioted” in the parking lot, destroying property and generally out of control.  The reason given by the students was that so many staff members had either quit or been fired there was no consistency in the Counseling or Recreation departments as regards their treatment and they had no one to talk to or confide in.  In the last three months three counselors have been fired.  Two of them were fired after giving their notice of intention of finding other employment to Ridge Creek School and the Director of Counseling was fired when the Administration learned that he intended to leave the school as soon as possible as he feared the potential loss of his license due to the events that were routinely happening.
• Staff has been routinely and frequently assaulted by the students.  Their automobiles have been broken into and personal items stolen.  The Director of Counseling had the window of his Lincoln SUV smashed with a brick by an angry student.
• A student was released to go home with his father over the Christmas holidays and, later that day, his clothes were found neatly folded with the withdrawal paper on top of the clothes.  When the child’s withdrawal was then more closely examined it was learned that the child’s mother had sole custody and orders had been given to the school to, under no circumstances, release the child to his father.  At this time phone calls to both the child’s father and mother have gone unanswered and he has not been returned to the school at the agreed upon date.  His whereabouts are unknown.

There are many, many more instances where children and staff have been put in troubling and dangerous situations but I hope that the few instances I have given you have been sufficient to put you on notice that you need to sincerely question your involvement with Ridge Creek School.

Please feel free to initiate your own investigation so that you know what appropriate steps you need to take next.  To ignore this situation it to put your organization and it’s’ reputation in peril.  I also hope that you have a sincere interest in your organizations inherent duty to protect the troubled youth that attend a residential boarding school such as Ridge Creek.

I sincerely hope that this letter has sufficiently alerted you to the dangers involved to the children domiciled at Ridge Creek School and that you will quickly take appropriate steps to help insure their safety.

A Concerned Employee

cc:

National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs

Craig LaMont, President, Board of Directors

The Georgia Accrediting Commission
Carvin Brown, Ed.D.,  Executive Director

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

John Pickleman, Chairman                 

Georgia Independent School Association

Dr. Jeff Jackson

Department of Human Services; Commissioner’s Office

Commissioner Clyde L. Reese, III, Esq.

UPDATE: H.R. 3126: The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 | Democrats -Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives

H.R. 3126: The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 Democrats -Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives

GEORGIA IS A POSTER CASE OF WHY THIS LEGISLATION NEEDS AMENDING:

SEEKING STATE REGULATION IS ONLY EFFECTIVE IF STATE AGENCIES ARE ETHICAL IN THEIR PRACTICE OF REGULATING THESE FACILITIES. IF THERE IS CORRUPTION, THIS WILL NOT WORK.   IF THERE IS INDIFFERENCE, THIS WILL NOT WORK.

IF TOP LEVEL EMPLOYEES OBFUSCATE THE TRUTH,  AND ORDER CONTAINMENT, WHILE LOWER LEVEL EMPLOYEES FEAR FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND RETRIBUTION, THIS LEGISLATION WILL NOT WORK.

IF A STATE SYSTEM  IS IN PLACE THAT PROTECTS THE PERPETRATORS, ENABLES THE PERPETRATORS, LEAVING THE ABUSED AND INNOCENT WITH NO VOICE, AND THE STATE WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY, THIS LEGISLATION WILL NOT WORK.

IF THE STATES' PROTECT THE CORRUPTION AND OBFUSCATION OF THEIR OWN AGENCIES UNDER *"SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY" THAT DO HARM, SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS MANDATED REPORTERS, NOT UPHOLDING CHILDRENS' RIGHTS AND THOSE GRANTED BY OUR CONSTITUTION,  THIS LEGISLATION WILL NOT WORK.
* 11th Amendment: 
 http://classes.lls.edu/archive/manheimk/fedcts/echarts/11th-t.htm
* Stripping Doctrine: 
http://classes.lls.edu/archive/manheimk/fedcts/echarts/11th-t.htm#11thamd2_8

H.R. 3126 WANTS REGULATION BY STATES,  BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH, IS IT?

FEDERAL LAWS NEED TO BE CHANGED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.  THAT INCLUDES AMENDING THE 11TH AMENDMENT.

IN GEORGIA, MANDATED REPORTERS GET OFF WITH A REPORT FROM THE ORCC, MAYBE A FINE TO THE FACILITY AFTER YEARS OF VIOLATIONS -  A RARITY THAT THE MANDATED REPORTER IS PROSECUTED, IT'S A MISDEMEANOR - 50 TO 100 DOLLAR FINE IN COURT.  SHOCKING?

IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT TRANSPIRES IN THESE TEEN FACILITIES.

ANOTHER POSTER CASE:  WEST RIDGE ACADEMY, FORMERLY UTAH BOYS RANCH (KNOWN ABUSIVE FACILITY), CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES - A FORMER UTAH STATE SENATOR, CHRIS BUTTARS WAS THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR.   CONFLICT OF INTEREST MUCH? THANKFULLY, HE RESIGNED HIS SENATE SEAT.  LAWSUIT FILED BY ERIC NORWOOD SUMS IT UP PRETTY ELOQUENTLY.  2:10-cv-07944-GAF -MAN

"THE LEGISLATION IS BETTER THAN NOTHING" ...  NO MORE SMALL STEPS.  ENOUGH ABUSES, DEATHS, RAPES, ATTEMPTED SUICIDES -

H.R. 3126 CAN BE AMENDED BUT IT NEEDS SUPPORT THAT CANNOT WAIT UNTIL A CONGRESSMAN OR SENATOR LOSES A CHILD AND FINDS AN AGENDA.

Today we were informed that H.R. 3126 does not have enough support by the House Majority Leaders. This can change. Please call the House Majority Leaders in support of H.R. 3126.

H.R. 3126: The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011
Issues: Education, Other Education and Youth Issues
On October 6, 2011, two senior Democratic lawmakers from the House and the Senate reintroduced legislation to stop abuse in teen residential programs. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the Senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, reintroduced H.R. 3126, "Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act " to set common-sense, minimum safety standards that states would need to adopt and enforce to protect teens from physical, mental and sexual abuse in these programs.
Facts on H.R. 3126
Documented Incidents of Abuse
Letters of Support
GAO Reports on Residential Facilities:
"Improved Data and Enhanced Oversight Would Help Safeguard the Well-Being of Youth with Behavioral and Emotional Challenges," May 2008 (.pdf)
"Selected Cases of Death, Abuse, and Deceptive Marketing," April 2008 (.pdf)
"State and Federal Oversight Gaps May Increase Risk to Youth Well-Being," April 2008 (.pdf)
"Concerns Regarding Abuse and Death in Certain Programs for Troubled Youth," October 2007 (.pdf)
Keeping Kids Safe: Facts on The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011
Tens of thousands of U.S. teenagers attend private and public residential programs – including therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness camps, boot camps, and behavior modification facilities – that are intended to help them with behavioral, emotional, mental health, or substance abuse problems. Depending on the state in which the program operates, some of these programs are subject to State law or regulation, while others are not. As a result of this loose patchwork of state oversight, children at some the programs have been subject to abuse and neglect with little to no accountability.
The Government Accountability Office found thousands of allegations of child abuse and neglect at residential programs for teens since the early 1990s. Tragically, in a number of cases, this abuse and neglect led to the death of a child. To address this urgent problem, the “Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011” would:
Keep teens safe with minimum standards for residential programs that are focused on teens with behavioral, emotional, mental health, or substance abuse problems
Prohibit programs from physically, mentally, or sexually abusing children in their care;
Prohibit programs from denying children essential water, food, clothing, shelter, or medical care – whether as a form of punishment or for any other reason;
Require programs to provide children with reasonable access to a telephone and inform children accordingly;
Require programs to train staff in what constitutes child abuse and neglect and how to report it;
Require that programs only physically restrain children if it is necessary for their safety or the safety of others, and to do so in a way that is consistent with federal law already applicable in other contexts; and
Require programs to have plans in place to provide emergency medical care.
Increase transparency to help parents make safer choices for their children
Require programs to disclose to parents the qualifications, roles, and responsibilities of staff members;
Require programs to notify parents of substantiated reports of child abuse or violations of health and safety laws; and
Require programs to include a link or web address for the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will carry information on residential programs.
Documented Incidents of Abuse at Residential Programs
Deaths
In August, 2009, a 16-year-old boy died after ‘boot camp’ staff failed to provide medical care on a hike when he began to show significant and prolonged signs of heat exhaustion. In an affidavit requesting a search warrant the Sheriff’s Deputy indicated that he believed the death was a homicide and the result of criminal mistreatment and reckless endangerment by the school. After an investigation the Oregon Department of Human services found evidence that at least two staff members neglected the care of the victim by failing to provide medical which likely endangered his life. (Bend, OR)
A 17-year-old girl collapsed on a nature walk and died several weeks later in the hospital; it was later discovered that at least seven employees of the center were lacking in CPR training. (New Ulm, TX, 7/10)
A 16-year-old boy died after a staff member physically restrained him in a closet because the child refused to show the staff member what he had in his hand; it turned out to be a pen cap. That same year, a 16 year old girl had been sexually abused by a staff member at the same facility. (Manvel, TX, 2010-2011)
Sexual Abuse
Two 15-year-old boys were given drugs and cigarettes in exchange for sex by a staff member who pleaded no contest to four felony counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and was sentenced to prison for one to fifteen years. (Roosevelt, UT, 11/09)
16-year-old girl said she had sexual contact with a 32-year-old youth care specialist. An affidavit states that another 17-year-old girl witnessed sexual contact between them in the staff member’s car. (Lincoln, NE, 12/09) (Man was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contenst to a misdemeanor of attempted sex abuse, a downgrade from the original two felony accounts of sex abuse of a protected person.)
According to a report by VA licensing officials, the facility failed to properly report and document an allegation of sexual abuse within 24 hours to the agency that places the child in the facility and to the resident's guardian. The facility also failed to properly document a January allegation in which the boy said another resident touched him in a sexual manner. (Norfolk, VA, 1/11) (Regained full license several months later.) This same facility was also investigated for a series of incidents that included:
A choking that rendered a resident unconscious that staff referred to as ‘horse play’
Staff telling paramedics responding to a 911 call that a girl was suffering from respiratory distress, but not that she had attempted suicide;
Staff failing to report two other suicide attempts to regulators;
Staff telling regulators that the fire department responded to a false alarm instead of a small fire that forced an evacuation;
Staff allowing residents to run away.
Other Reports of Neglect
As they had done in previous years, regulators told Refuge administrators in 2010 to stop some of the home's punitive practices and carry out more staff training. Violations included providing insufficient food and clothing, mishandling of residents’ money and medications, abusive treatment by an inadequately trained staff, and therapeutic support for the troubled young residents was all but nonexistent. The division also scheduled quarterly inspections of Refuge for the next year, a far more intensive regimen than normal, but an October memo from the deputy director of the Community Care Licensing Division said the California budget crisis had weakened the agency’s ability to monitor residential program. (Oakland, CA, 2010-2011)
Letters of Support for H.R. 3126:
American Bar Association
"Parents of troubled children need greater confidence that, when they place their child in a residential facility their child will be safe and properly cared for, the child’s human rights and dignity will be protected and the staff of the facility will be qualified to help their child. For these parents, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act represents a significant and necessary federal step to help protect American children and youth from abuse and neglect in residential care."
American Academy of Pediatrics
"The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act would establish a framework for the regulation and inspection of residential programs that offer specialized therapy or behavior modification for children and adolescents. The bill would ensure that facilities adhere to minimum child protection standards and disclose staff training and qualifications. It would also require parents to be informed of any changes to a child’s health care regimen, such as changes to medication. Each of these measures will improve transparency and help ensure the quality of such programs. "
American Humane Association
"It is critical that families seeking help for their children in need of mental or other behavioral health services including substance abuse treatment are able to select and find providers who are meeting the proper safety and health standards."
The Arc (formerly Disability Policy Coalition)
"Whether at home or in alternative residential programs, children’s safety comes first. Children subjected to abusive environments cannot learn, grow, or reach their potential. Given the repeated, substantiated claims of abuse and death in residential facilities, legislation is needed to ensure that our country’s children are safe, properly cared for, and situated to learn and grow to the best of their abilities. We believe the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act provides the reporting mechanisms, funding, surveillance, and training requirements needed to ensure that facilities are staffed with qualified, equipped, and safe personnel."
Autism National Committee (AutCom)
"The bill will ensure that children of all ages placed in residential programs are to be free from abuse and neglect. These facilities include any private or public residential program with a focus on serving children who have emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders; or alcohol or substance abuse problems. A number of children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome are in such programs."
Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
"The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act recognizes, and balances properly, the important role of both the federal and state governments in protecting children from abuse and neglect at the hands of some residential programs. Additionally, the bill will provide families with the critical information necessary to make informed decisions."
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
​"Programs designed to offer treatment for mental health or substance abuse must use quality programs grounded in best practices that ensure the safety of children. Families often have to make extremely difficult choices when seeking placements for children with these types of needs. Unfortunately, a number of the programs your legislation seeks to regulate flourish because parents lack even the most basic information, including whether their children will be treated humanely."
Mental Health Coalition
"We applaud your resolve to address the challenges facing many families. Your crucial legislation would seek relief from these risks by (1) establishing standards for these programs that are consistent with current child protection laws; (2) ensuring that personnel is qualified; (3) shifting these programs to be family-centered, as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate; (4) creating mechanisms for the monitoring and enforcement of these goals; (5) calling for greater transparency and accessibility to the compliance of these standards; and (6) providing grants to states for the prevention of child abuse and neglect and for the treatment of children’s mental health or substance use conditions."
National Child Abuse Coalition (NCAC)
"We believe that legislation is needed to ensure children’s safety in all such programs. We share your belief that Congress has an obligation to ensure that children are safe when they are entrusted to the care of a residential treatment program. Residential facilities treating and caring for children should not be exempt from state licensure and state regulation or inspection."
American Association of Children's Residential Centers (AACRC)
"Your effort to promulgate and staunchly support this legislation has generated a great deal of activity that is yielding positive outcomes in reshaping individual residential programs and the system."
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
"Your legislation, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs For Teens Act, has raised the profile of unsafe and unacceptable practices in some residential children’s programs and this increased attention has resulted in positive changes."
Easter Seals
"The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act will go a long way to protect children who find themselves in residential programs. The bill will also help families who must face the terrible decision to place their child in a residential facility by providing them with essential information the need to make the most appropriate decision."

JOE PATERNO HAS PASSED AWAY AT AGE 85

The legendary coach of Penn State has succombed to complications

that arose in fighting his cancer diagnosis and a broken pelvis.

He was 85.

Whatever ones position regarding Penn State,

Mr. Paterno was a husband, father, and grandfather.

Our condolences to his family.

MITT ROMNEY - THE COMPANY HE KEEPS - CONNECTION TO CHILD ABUSE IN TEEN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES: ROBERT LITCHFIELD AND MEL SEMBLER

"Mitt Romney is intelligent, business savvy, and carries himself well. He obviously is not garish and understands "old money walks, new money talks." Yes, there is another adage, but we won't go there. "

However, Romney's connection to Bain Capital, CRC Health, the Aspen Education Teen Gulag industry, Robert Litchfield of WWASP, Mel and Betty Sembler of Straight, Inc. is a huge blemish. Hopefully, he will not run an anti-child abuse campaign.

Now, Mrs. Romney has announced she would like to work with at risk teens.

SUGGESTION: 

IF ANYONE IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE ANYTHING, HOW ABOUT SUPPORTING H.R. 3126 "STOP CHILD ABUSE IN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR TEENS ACT 2011."

ANNOUNCE YOU MADE A HUGE, YEARS OLD, INSENSITIVE ERROR IN JUDGEMENT, WHICH WILL BE CORRECTED - FORTHWITH.

 This is a problem. Mitt Romney needs to address it and fix it.  Some history:

 http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20091115/NEWS0107/911150428/

http://institutional-child-abuse-news.wikispaces.com/Aspen+Education+Group 

It is reported that Mitt Romney left Bain Capital in 1999, although his contractual and buyout clause concerning the number of years attached may  exceed 1999.

In all fairness, long after Romney left Bain Capital, CRC Health was acquired by Bain Capital in 2005.  Aspen Education was acquired by CRC health in 2006, where child abuse and deaths have occurred.  As stated before, unfortunately for Mitt Romney, he is still "the face" of Bain Capital.

Where Mitt Romney erred, he chose the wrong "company" to keep.  If character is to be an issue of the 2012 campaign, this is fair game, and righteously so.

Robert Litchfield was appointed to co-chair Mitt Romney's Utah campaign finance committee.  Then in 2007, Robert Litchfield was forced to leave Romeny's campaign as Litchfield was the founder of WWASP (World Wide Association of Specialty Programs), programs that horrifically abused children in the US and abroad.   Litchfield and WWASP were facing several lawsuits.

In 2008, Mel Sembler (co-founder along with his wife Betty, of the abusive "Straight, Inc.) whose abusive teen programs were shut down by Congress in 1993 due to the "inhumane conditions and treatment" of children, was appointed to Romney's finance chair.  Odd that he and his wife were not appointed stripes behind bars.

In  October of 2011, it was announced that the Semblers are back on Romney's Florida's Finance Team:

http://www.mittromney.com/news/press/2011/10/mitt-romney-announces-florida-finance-team
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/blog/mitt-romney-names-florida-finance-team

MEL SEMBLER, BETTY SEMBLER, ROBERT LITCHFIELD, AND OTHERS HAVE NEVER BEEN PROSECUTED FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AND HUMANITY.  LIKE MOST OWNERS AND STAFF OF THESE FACILITIES - THEY WALK AWAY.
WHY?

• MONEY. 
• CORPORATE AMERICA. 
• CHILDREN ARE AFFORDED LESS RIGHTS THAN OUR ANIMALS. 
• THE NATSAP LOBBY IS STRONG AND THEY WILL ENSURE THE BOUNTIES ON OUR CHILDREN'S HEADS CONTINUES.
• A SENATOR'S OR CONGRESSMAN'S CHILD HAS NOT PERISHED AT THE HANDS OF THESE INEPT, PONTIFICATING, DESPICABLE , SOCIO-PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR HUMAN BEINGS.

Governor Romney - When you run with them, you become no better than "them."

Shared by a friend:

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
from ― Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World

TWO LITTLE BOYS DUMP A 5lb BAG OF FLOUR ALL OVER THE HOUSE

from Kids

Two Boys Dump a 5lb Bag of Flour All Over House

An Ohio mom who was not feeling well went to the bathroom longer than usual and when she came out she was surprised to find that her two boys, ages 1 and 3, had dumped flour ....

She is remarkably calm :)

http://comedy.video.yahoo.com/?vid=27356583

Gingrich slams CNN for asking about ex-wife - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Gingrich slams CNN for asking about ex-wife - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick Santorum-Linked Universal Health Services Facility: Fraud, Assault And Alleged 'Exorcism'

Rick Santorum-Linked Universal Health Services Facility: Fraud, Assault And Alleged 'Exorcism'

It appears Rick Santorum keeps the same 'kind' of company as Mitt Romney.  Universal Health Services is much like CRC - ASPEN Education owned by Bain Capital, which unfortunately for Romney, still retains his 'face,' whether he was gone long before the acquisition or not.  Abuse, negligence, and deaths of children.  Romney's long standing relationship with an abusive owner of these teen facilities in Utah, just will not go away.  And, either will Santorum's connection.

Now, Mrs. Romney announces she would like to work with "at risk teens."
Let us hope Mrs. Santorum does not do the same.

Last night, Mark Levine on his radio show "outed" this tidbit. "Torture in America: Kids Abused in "Treatment Centers" SpeakOut."

http://marklevine.tv/torture-in-america-kids-abused-in-treatment-centers-speak-out/


Anonymous shared these links:

http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=22495&p=275489&hilit=aspen#p275489

http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=22125&p=268901&hilit=aspen#p268901

http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=16338&p=249235&hilit=aspen#p206142

US Govt Advertises for Aspen

http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?p=225181&highlight=woodbury#225181http://www.fornits.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18633&p=247649&hilit=aspen#p247649

January 20, 2012 10:45 AM

MARK LEVINE DC PUNDIT HOSTS : Torture in America: Kids Abused in “Treatment Centers” Speak Out

Mark Levine DC Pundit of Inside Scoop hosts another radio show giving survivors of teen residential facilities an opportunity to "speak out!"

From Mark Levine on facebook:

OK, it's set. My next show on survivors of institutional abuse will be Thursday, January 19th from 7-10 pm ET (6-9 pm CT, 5-8 pm MT, 4-7 pm PT). All are welcome to call in, but survivors of CURRENTLY EXISTING programs will be given preference. That is not to diminish the suffering of those under programs that have been shut down, but I feel like we should, in a fire, focus on the immediacy of victims who are burning before addressing the real and important needs of those who have been burnt but who aren't in immediate danger. Please spread the word.

***

You can listen live: http://www.marklevinetalk.com/), and it will be permanently housed here: http://marklevine.tv/torture-in-america%20...%20-speak-out. If you have troubled listening on Mark's site, try: http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/stream-live/.

http://marklevine.tv/

To call in:


888-488-MARK (6275)

Thank you Mark Levine.

Be a HERO and Help STOP SOPA Now!! I'll tell you How! This Video that M...

UTAH BOYS RANCH/WEST RIDGE ACADEMY- LAWSUIT FILED - ALLEGATIONS ABUSE NEGLIGENCE PLUS "TRAPPED IN A MORMON GULAG"

"TRAPPED IN A MORMON GULAG"
  by Eric Norwood  "2009 Brodie Award Winner"
http://utahboysranchwra.wordpress.com/trapped-in-a-mormon-gulag/

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND THE FORMER UTAH BOYS RANCH, NOW WEST RIDGE ACADEMY, ACCORDING TO MR. NORWOOD, CONTACT "FAMILY SOLUTIONS:" http://utahboysranchwra.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/jared-hamner-loves-bees/

(720) 446-0188 ASK FOR DORE E. FRANCES PhD. Advocate? Educational Consultant  Therapeutic Consultant

Teen pleads guilty in Hope battery - Bonner County Daily Bee: Local News: sandpoint, bonner county, hope, joseph john martin, marshall owens dittrich#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter

Teen pleads guilty in Hope battery - Bonner County Daily Bee: Local News: sandpoint, bonner county, hope, joseph john martin, marshall owens dittrich#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter#.Twe7k0GjgAs.twitter: SANDPOINT — A teenage runaway from Denver pleaded guilty
Thursday to beating and attempting to rob a Bonner County woman
last summer.

Calif. HS student devises possible cancer cure - CBS News

Calif. HS student devises possible cancer cure - CBS News

        STORY FROM CBS NEWS by Steve Hartman

(CBS News)
If you ever worry about the future of America, there is no need: it is in good hands. A high school student named Angela is proof of that. We think you'll agree she is nothing short of amazing. CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman met her on the road.

Born to Chinese immigrants, 17-year-old Angela Zhang of Cupertino, California is a typical American teenager. She's really into shoes and is just learning how to drive.

But there is one thing that separates her from every other student at Monta Vista High School, something she first shared with her chemistry teacher, Kavita Gupta.

It's a research paper Angela wrote in her spare time -- and it is advanced, to say the least. Gupta says all she knows is its recipe -- for curing cancer.

"Cure for cancer -- a high school student," said Gupta. "It's just so mind-boggling. I just cannot even begin to comprehend how she even thought about it or did this."

"I just thought, 'Why not?' 'What is there to lose?'" said Angela.

When she was a freshman, she started reading doctorate level papers on bio-engineering.

"At first it was a little bit overwhelming," said Angela, "but I found that it almost became like a puzzle, being able to decode something."

By sophomore year she'd talked her way into the lab at Stanford, and by junior year was doing her own research.

In a lab area, Hartman asked Angela: "Try and make it for a feeble mind, such as this one, to understand."

Angela: "So I made something that's an iron-oxide, gold dangle...

Hartman: "You lost me." (laughter)

Eventually, here's what he did get.

Angela's idea was to mix cancer medicine in a polymer that would attach to nanoparticles -- nanoparticles that would then attach to cancer cells and show up on an MRI. so doctors could see exactly where the tumors are. Then she thought shat if you aimed an infrared light at the tumors to melt the polymer and release the medicine, thus killing the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells completely unharmed.

"I think it was more of a -- 'This is really cool, I want to see if it works' -- type thing," she said.

"And when you found out it did..." asked Hartman.

"That was pretty amazing."

It'll take years to know if it works in humans -- but in mice -- the tumors almost completely disappeared.

Angela recently entered her project in the national Siemens science contest. It was no contest. She got a check for $100,000 and promptly bought about a dozen more pairs of shoes.

"I got these shoes because they're purple and I didn't have purple yet," she explained.

Easy to forget, she is still high school. It's just her dreams that keep graduating.

"I'm excited to learn just everything possible," she said. "Everything in the sciences -- biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, even computer science -- to make new innovations possible."

Pretty big flats to fill. How will she top her cancer discovery? We can't wait.

(Brian) Deer in the Headlights...

From the "BOLEN REPORT:

(Brian) Deer in the Headlights...

(Brian) Deer in the Headlights...

Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

It's Deer Hunting season in Texas.

No, I'm not talking about hunting White Tail Deer along the Milk River in West Texas, or Mule Deer anywhere in the Texas Panhandle. So, put that key to the gun cabinet back in your pocket.

White Tail and Mule are NOT the deer being hunted in Texas in THIS story. Nobody is going to be wearing camouflage, and we aren't going to have to hike eleven miles before dawn, carrying a sixty pound pack.

Today we are after the imported Deer variety, the Brian. 

We'll be doing our hunting in Downtown Austin, Texas, the State Capitol. Specifically, we'll be centering our story in the Travis County Courthouse (pictured on the right), where, unless you are a member of law enforcement, guns are pretty much prohibited.

But, make no mistake, Brian Deer, here, is under the gun.

The hero of our story today is a guy I haven't yet met - Andy Wakefield, who just happened to be a resident of Austin, Texas on January 5th, 2011, the day that Brian Deer's article "Secrets of the MMR Scare: How the Case Against the MMR Vaccine Was Fixed" was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). It was accompanied by two editorials by Fiona Godlee, Editor of the BMJ titled "Wakefield's Article Linking MMR Vaccine and Autism Was Fraudulent," and "Editor's Choice: The Fraud Behind the MMR Scare."

Yup, I'm talking, here, about the Andy Wakefield, from Britain, famous for suggesting that there might be a connection between the MMR vaccine and Autism, and suggested, to the horror of the vaccine industry, that further study was warranted. That same Andy Wakefield we see, officially, as Andrew J. Wakefield MB., BS., BRCS, formerly of Great Britain - but now a Texan.

It looks as though our Andy found a law firm in Austin, Texas called DiNovo Price Ellwanger & Hardy LLP who assigned to Andy their top business litigator Partner William M. Parrish (Bill), who, for the last thirty years has specialized in intellectual property issues and complex business litigation.

On January 3rd, 2012, a few days before the Statute of Limitations could run out, Bill Parrish filed, for his client Andrew J. Wakefield MB., BS., BRCS (Andy) a lawsuit in Travis County, Texas against Brian Deer, the British Medical Journal, Fiona Godlee. The lawsuit claims that:

"This defamation lawsuit arises, in part, out of the publication on or about January 5, 2011 and thereafter, in the British Medical Journal, of an article authored for the BMJ by Brian Deer, titled Secrets of the MMR Scare (Exhibit A) and accompanying editorials by the BMJ’s editor, Fiona Godlee (Exhibit B 1-2). Defendants’ article and editorials, distributed to subscribers in Texas and which form the basis of Plaintiff’s claims, contained unfair, incorrect, inaccurate and unjust criticisms of findings previously reported by Dr. Wakefield and 12 other co-authors. More significantly, Defendants accused Dr. Wakefield of fraud and of fraudulently and intentionally manipulating and falsifying data and diagnoses in connection with a clinical paper he co-authored called Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children, originally published in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998 (the “Lancet Paper”). Defendants’ false and defamatory allegations have been widely disseminated by Defendants through the BMJ and other sources since their original publication."

Wait a minute. Didn't all this happen in Britain? Shouldn't a lawsuit be filed there, not in Texas? Nope. The Jurisdiction is properly in Texas for the reason stated just below. Brian Deer, and the other Defendants, will have to grab their checkbooks, jump on an airplane, fly to Austin, Texas, and find themselves an attorney firm to represent them in this action. Why? Read this:

"This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendants pursuant to the Texas Long-Arm Statute and consistent with the requirements of Due Process because the Defendants purposefully availed themselves of the privileges, benefits, advantages, and profits of conducting their affairs in the State of Texas by directing a significant and regular flow of publications, including periodicals, journals, articles, subscriptions, and electronic media to institutional and
individual residents of this State. Defendants further committed a tort, which is the subject of this suit, in whole or in part, in this State, to wit, authoring, editing, and approving articles and making statements with knowledge or intent that said articles be published and statements be made and directed to residents of this State, including, but not limited to Plaintiff at his residence in Austin, Texas. Said articles, publications and statements contained false and defamatory
allegations about Plaintiff Dr. Wakefield and his affairs, business and reputation in the State of Texas as detailed herein."

This is going to be fun. Why? This case is NOT going to be a Kangaroo Court conducted on behalf of the Vaccine Construction like the so-called hearings in front of the British General Medical Council (BMC). This will be a REAL Court, with REAL rules, and a requirement for REAL evidence standards. Frankly, neither Brian Deer, Fiona Godlee, nor the British Medical Journal (BMJ) stand a chance in this forum. So far they controlled the battlefield. Now they stand in a minefield, and Andy Wakefield has the minefield actuator button in his hand.

Details of the case...

You can read the whole Texas filing by clicking here. Before you do that let me give you a few highlights. For a short read, click here to read the "Demand Letter" sent to the British Medical Journal, Brian Deer, and Fiona Godlee on November 10th, 2011. The letter lays out the basis of the claim against the Defendants and demands retraction of the original articles and protection of the information relied on. Of course, the Defendants failed to respond. Hence the lawsuit.

You can read the Plaintiff's Exhibits by clicking here.

Some highlights of the filing that will make you tingle:

"Defendant BMJ Publishing Group LTD which does business as The British Medical Journal, BMJ Group, and BMJ (hereinafter collectively “BMJ”) is a British limited liability company organized under the laws of the United Kingdom that may be served with process pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Hague Convention by serving this Original Petition via international registered mail as follows: BMJ Publishing Group LTD, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP, United Kingdom. Issuance of Citation for BMJ Publishing Group LTD d/b/a The British Medical Journal, BMJ Group and BMJ is requested at this time.

Defendant Brian Deer is a citizen and resident of the United Kingdom who may be served with process pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra-Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters (“Hague Convention”) via international registered mail as follows: Brian Deer, 65 Herne Hill House, Railton Road, London, SE24 OEF, United Kingdom. Issuance of Citation for Brian Deer is requested at this time.

Defendant Dr. Fiona Godlee is a citizen and resident of the United Kingdom who may be served with process pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Hague Convention via international registered mail as follows: Dr. Fiona Godlee, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP, United Kingdom. Issuance of Citation for Dr. Fiona Godlee is requested at this time.

Venue in this defamation lawsuit is mandatory in Travis County, Texas pursuant to TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE §15.017, because Travis County was the residence of Plaintiff, Dr. Wakefield, at the time of the accrual of the causes of action alleged herein.

3.2 The amount in controversy is within the jurisdictional range appropriate to this Court’s subject matter jurisdiction."

According to Texas law, Brian Deer, the BMJ, and Fiona Godlee only have a limited amount of time to respond to the lawsuit before Wakefield files for a Default Judgment. I don't know what those time limits are yet, as I just got the initial information last night, and haven't been able to interview the attorneys yet.

But, once the Defendants are officially served with the lawsuit they must Respond with what is called an "Answer" in Texas. If they don't and a Default Judgment is asked for and Ordered by the Court, then the Court will award EVERYTHING the Plaintiff Andrew Wakefield asked for. Just below is what Wakefield is seeking.

V. DEFAMATION - 5.1 Dr. Wakefield hereby brings this common law cause of action libel, slander and
defamation against Defendants based on the malicious publication of false claims about Dr. Wakefield as detailed above and incorporated by reference herein.

5.2 Each of the Defendants knowingly misrepresented facts with the purpose of making false accusations against Dr. Wakefield. These false statements were published with actual malice.

5.3 These false claims were known to be false by the Defendants at the time they were made and were made and published with the intent to cause substantial harm to Dr. Wakefield’s reputation, to open him up to scorn in his community, and to damage his livelihood.

5.4 The false statements, intended by Defendants to injure Dr. Wakefield in his trade and profession, constitute defamation per se, therefore damages are presumed from the publication of these false statements.

5.5 Alternatively, these statements, intended by Defendants to injure Dr. Wakefield in his trade and profession, constitute defamation per quod.

5.6 The malicious publication of the false statements about Dr. Wakefield detailed above have caused and continue to cause actual general and special damages to Dr. Wakefield, including, injury to character and reputation, humiliation, injury to feelings, and loss of earning capacity.

VI. EXEMPLARY DAMAGES - 6.1 Because Defendants acted with actual malice, the Plaintiff is entitled to recover exemplary damages as defined by the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 43.001, et seq.

VII. DECLARATORY JUDGMENT - 7.1 In addition, Plaintiff seeks a declaratory judgment that the Defendants’ published false and misleading statements regarding Dr. Wakefield and/or the Lancet Paper.

VIII. -PRAYER - Dr. Wakefield hereby prays for a trial by jury as to all disputed issues of fact, and upon findings appropriate, further prays for judgment from this Court against the Defendants for: nominal damages, actual and compensatory damages, special damages, including injury to reputation and character, injury to feelings, humiliation, loss of earning capacity, exemplary damages pursuant to TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE §41.001, et. seq., declaratory relief, costs and expenses, prejudgment and post-judgment interest as allowed by law, and for such other and further relief to which he may be justly entitled.

In short, Brian Deer, and the BMJ have no choice but to show up in Texas and fight it out. If they don't it is likely to be the end of the BMJ, and Brian Deer, for Britain honors claims found in the US Courts. There would, in fact, be a legal finding that NONE of what Brian Deer said was true.

Of course the Autism Community already knows that...

Smile here...

And, stay tuned.

Tim Bolen - Consumer Advocate

ALSO:

ANDERSON COOPER INTERVIEWS ANDREW WAKEFIELD

http://youtu.be/l6kOxkPJfRM

CYBER BULLYING - SUE SCHEFF APPEARS ON ANDERSON COOPER - APPARENTLY NOT FULLY VETTED BY PRODUCERS

A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THOSE THAT KNOW THE TRUE STORY - LAWSUITS - SUE SCHEFF'S EXHALTATION OF THE FAKE PhD, "THE RENOWN BERNIE FARROW"; AND THE LISTS GOES ON ...

*MAIA SZALAVITZ TAKE IS BELOW:

TO CONTACT ANDERSON COOPER : http://www.andersoncooper.com/page/ask-anderson/form/

Sue Scheff's states her life was almost ruined ...

PHIL ELBERG, ATTORNEY, STATED RIGTHLY:

“It’s unfortunate that nuts and angry people have chosen to attack Sue Scheff in obscene terms,” says attorney Phil Elberg, who represented Fornits when it was sued along with Bock by Scheff (the Fornits case was dropped). Elberg's one of the few lawyers to have won multimillion dollar judgments against tough love programs. He adds, “This has allowed the focus to shift away from the tactics that Scheff has used and the fact that she describes herself on the net as a child advocate and a critic of the industry, when in reality, she symbolizes so much of what is wrong with it.”
*
Tough Love and Free Speech

How a 'child advocate' gamed the media

Maia Szalavitz

Broward County (Jan 19)--Noted author and self-styled "child advocate" Sue Scheff has been linked to fraud and child abuse, according to recently filed court records. Yet a Google search would never indicate the trouble that Ms. Scheff faces. How can this be?

Sue Scheff has some serious chutzpah. Portrayed by ABC News, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and Forbes as a beleaguered mom running a small business to help parents find treatment for troubled teens, Scheff's been telling reporters about a service called Reputation Defender, which she says allowed her to triumph over a bunch of rage-filled Internet cranks. Scheff says these vengeance-seeking wackos nearly destroyed her, an innocent businesswoman, with a series of libelous comments posted on online discussion boards. They had called her a ?fraud? and ?con artist,? she says, and claimed that she was referring teens to tough love programs that then abused them.

What none of this media coverage mentions is that a few years back, Scheff was sued for the same types of comments now directed at her?highlighting the abuses of a "tough love" rehab center (in this case, one of Scheff's rivals). At the time, she framed the suit against her as an attempt to squelch her free speech.

The major news organizations also mention an $11 million libel judgment Scheff boasts about winning against one of her critics, a woman named Carey Bock. But none of these accounts actually looked into the details of that judgment. Bock?s home had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina during the course of the legal action. Due to her address change, and the stress and depression brought on by the storm, she wasn't even present at her own trial, nor was she represented by counsel.

Bock's current lawyer, Tom McGowan, says he's seeking to have the judgment set aside, because Bock never received notice of the trial date. ?They get pretty wacky on these sites, but it?s an outrage what?s going on,? says McGowan. If Bock had actually made it to court, the outcome may well have been quite different.

While all of this may seem like an installment of "News of the Weird," it has serious implications for free speech on the Internet?and highlights how the media often fails to get the whole story.

The saga begins in 2000, when Scheff sent her own daughter to a program affiliated with the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASP, sometimes called WWASPS). Scheff was initially a booster of WWASP, and even referred other parents to its programs. For a referral, WWASP paid $1000 per child, or offered a month?s free treatment for the referrer's child. WWASP clients spend at least 18 months in treatment, at $3000-$5000 per month.

At some point, Sue Scheff became aware of online bulletin boards where teens who had been in WWASP programs were telling horrific stories of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Users also posted media accounts detailing how nine WWASP-affiliated programs were closed following police investigations, regulatory infractions and/or allegations of child abuse.

Scheff later wrote on her website that she had become uncomfortable with some of the organization's methods. She removed her daughter from the program, and began posting her own allegations against WWASP on online forums, under several different names. She also set up her own consultant business, called Parents Universal Resource Experts (PURE), and began taking referral payments for placing teens, just as WWASP does.

While this sort of practice isn't illegal, it's widely considered unethical. Conflicts of interest arise when consultants get higher referral fees from some programs than they get from others. The temptation arises to place kids in the programs that pay more, even though these may not be the programs best suited to a particular child. Once you're being regularly paid by a program, it?s hard to be objective about its quality. This is why codes of ethics in psychology and psychiatry typically bar such "dual relationships."

Under the Lanham Act, which bans business competitors from making false and inflammatory claims about rivals, WWASP sued Scheff over her critical online posts. Because the court was able to substantiate Scheff?s claims with vivid testimony from victims, WWASP lost.

Soon, however, the online boards buzzed again with yet more reports of abuse at new programs, and this time they included programs where Sue Scheff was referring children. It was around this time that Scheff launched her own lawsuit against Bock. Scheff had helped Bock remove her two sons from a WWASP program, but Bock eventually become outraged by what she considered to be Scheff?s unethical referrals. The $11 million judgment resulted only after Bock didn't show up in court to defend herself.

(Note: The original version of this article stated that the judgment against Bock was "default." Technically, this is incorrect. There was a trial and verdict. But Bock wasn't present, nor did she have counsel present to represent her.)

Meanwhile, child welfare investigators substantiated charges of abuse in 2005 at the Whitmore Academy in Utah, a program to which Scheff made referrals. Regulators shut the program down. Just last month, another complaint was filed against Scheff and another program where she places teens, the Focal Point Academy in Nevada. In that filing, a Florida couple alleges that Scheff failed to disclose that she was being paid by Focal Point, nor did she tell them that the business was licensed only as a foster home, not for residential treatment. The complaint describes these failures to disclose as ?fraudulent misrepresentations? and ?kickbacks.?

The complaint also details how the couple?s teenage son, R.G., was sexually abused by other boys at the program, who ?would hold R.G. down in order to take out their penises, which they would rub on his face, while they threatened and beat him.? He was also allegedly repeatedly threatened with anal rape?and the complaint charges that he was beaten after reporting the bullies to school authorities, who neither reported the sexual abuse to the state as legally required, or made efforts to stop it.

Eventually, Scheff hired Reputation Defender to rehabilitate her image online. Reputation Defender sells itself as a service that removes reputation-damaging posts on the Internet, or at least attempts to make them less prominent on search engines. Scheff and Reputation Defender appear to have contacted the Internet service providers for the site that hosts the most popular discussion boards for victims of tough love programs, a site called fornits.com. According to fornits founder Ginger McNulty, two different service providers recently removed fornits.com from their servers after complaints. Both ISPs refused to divulge the source of the complaints. But the timing is awfully suggestive.

(Disclosure: McNulty did some paid web design work for my book Help at Any Cost.)

The Electronic Frontier Foundation?a premier defender of free speech on the net?was quoted in Forbes as supportive of Reputation Defender. But its spokesperson, staff attorney Kevin Bankston, said that the group was described to him as using positive articles to defend against negative ones, not suppressing speech. ?To the extent that Reputation Defender is using baseless legal threats to get speech critical of its clients taken taken down?that is something we?d have serious problems with,? he said.

Fornits is a mostly unmoderated forum, and, as a result, can sometimes include obscene, angry, and off-color rants and slurs. But it's also one of the best sources parents and journalists have for finding out about abuse in residential teen tough-love programs, often straight from the mouths of abused teens and their parents.

Before the Internet existed, thousands of teens who felt they had been harmed by tough love had few ways of complaining, or finding out if others had endured similar experiences. Without places like fornits, they can't be heard, in part because journalists have few other ways to find them.

?It?s unfortunate that nuts and angry people have chosen to attack Sue Scheff in obscene terms,? says attorney Phil Elberg, who represented fornits when it was sued along with Bock by Scheff (the fornits case was dropped). Elberg's one of the few lawyers to have won multimillion dollar judgments against tough love programs. He adds, ?This has allowed the focus to shift away from the tactics that Scheff has used and the fact that she describes herself on the net as a child advocate and a critic of the industry, when in reality, she symbolizes so much of what is wrong with it.?

Also unfortunate is the reporting by ABC News investigative reporter Martin Bashir on the new show, I-Caught, as well as coverage in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and Forbes. All told only half the story. Both McNulty and McGowan say they tried to contact these reporters to set the record straight, but were ignored.

The whole sordid story reveals the flaws in both unmoderated online media and in what passes these days for journalism. One way Reputation Defender has managed to move positive stories about Scheff up the ranks on Google is by posting ?news stories? she has written on citizen journalism sites like NowPublic. But the mainstream media is not supposed to be as easy to game.

They could start correcting the record by reporting on Reputation Defender?s attempts at censorship and obfuscation, instead of cheering on efforts to silence websites that, for all their flaws, have a history of exposing real incidents of child abuse.

Maia Szalavitz is author of Help At Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids (Riverhead, 2006) and a senior fellow at stats.org. Her latest book, co-written with Dr. Bruce D. Perry is The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog and Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook. (Basic Books, 2007).