F & F Introduces 5th CA. Family Court Reform Bill; Pro-Family Court Reform National Columnist Wins Pulitzer Prize

 

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F & F Introduces 5th CA. Family Court Reform Bill; Pro-Family Court Reform National Columnist Wins Pulitzer Prize April 13, 2010 Top Stories F & F Introduces 5th CA. Family Court Reform Bill Fathers & Families’ mission is to protect children’s right to the love and care of both parents after divorce or separation. One of the ways fit parents are sometimes driven to the margins of their children’s lives is by one parent using the other parent’s disability or partial disability as a pretext to deny them custody or visitation with their children. While some disabled people are truly unable to care for their children, many are not. Fathers & Families is joining with disabled rights advocates, veterans groups, and California Senator Rod Wright (D-Los Angeles) in sponsoring SB 1188 to solve this problem. Existing California family law codes do not address the issue of disabled parents, leaving the door open for unnecessary and often expensive litigation, even in cases where the disabled parent had been successfully parenting the children for many years prior to the separation or divorce. SB 1188 will add Section 3049 to the Family Code. It will read: 3049.  In any proceeding to determine child custody or visitation under this part, in which at least one parent is disabled as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.), a court shall not use the disability of that parent as the basis of an award of custody or visitation to another party unless that party establishes by clear and convincing evidence that a grant of custody or visitation to the disabled parent would be detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the child. SB 1188 shifts the burden of proof onto the parent who raises the disability as an issue, serving as a deterrent to a parent seeking to raise the issue as a way to cause unnecessary litigation. It also reduces disabled parents’ litigation costs and helps reduce court calendar time and costs at a time when California is struggling with budget woes. Fathers & Families often hears from parents who have had their disability unfairly used against them in family court. If this has happened to you, please let us know by filling out our form here. SB 1188 is the 5th California family court reform bill Fathers & Families has been instrumental in introducing this session. Last week AB 2416, a child custody reform bill, passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously and has been put on the consent calendar for the full Assembly. Other current F & F legislation includes three child support reform bills–SB 1355, SB 578, and SB 580. This remarkable progress is no accident–Fathers & Families’ legislative representative Michael Robinson and assistant legislative representative Nicole Silverman have spent many months lobbying legislators and gathering support for our legislative agenda. F & F is creating real, tangible family court reform today, but our deep, professional involvement in Sacramento requires funding–please contribute to the organization that fights for you by clicking here. Together with you in the love of our children, Glenn Sacks, MA Executive Director, Fathers & Families Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S. Founder, Chairman of the Board, Fathers & Families Melissa Hodgdon Deputy Director, Fathers & Families   What's Happening? Two Judges Slapped Down for Requiring Police Report Before Issuing TROs In Hopper Divorce, No Sense of Decency AOL Reports on the High Cost of TROs Amanda Platell: 'Britain's Divorce Laws Need to be Changed to Stop Ladies Leeching Off of Men' BBC Series: Who Needs Fathers? Part III, Missing Fathers F & F Member Gets AOL to Correct Inaccuracies About Sean Goldman Case In the UK, Changing Sex Roles Mean More Parenting Time for Dads Committee OKs bill preserving military parents' custody rights     Join Fathers & Families Fathers and Families is a family court reform organization with a comprehensive strategy, an impressive history of legislative and fundraising success, and the largest reach of any advocacy group of its kind: Get Involved Give a Gift Become an F & F Activist/Supporter by Filling out Our Volunteer Form     Become an F & F Activist/Supporter by Filling out Our Volunteer Form Missed an E-Newsletter? Read Them All Here   Fathers & Families Congratulates Pro-Family Court Reform Columnist Kathleen Parker on Winning Pulitzer Prize “The divorce system is counterintuitive and morally bankrupt, and needs reinventing… What the organized fathers’ groups want isn’t wrong or mean-spirited but right and fair to children. Who among us can blame a man, wrongfully denied his own child, for shouting out that he was  framed?”–syndicated columnist  Kathleen Parker Washington Post syndicated columnist  Kathleen Parker, whose column is published in over 300 newspapers weekly, was recently awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Parker has long been a friend of the family court reform movement in general and of Fathers & Families in particular, and we congratulate her on this impressive and well-deserved honor. Parker was raised by a single father, Hal Connor, and spoke of him warmly and often in her columns. She wrote that from her father “I learned that fathers will lay their lives down for their children. I learned that men are capable of honor, valor, compassion and courage and that they are essential to instilling those virtues in their sons and daughters.” In “I Have My Father’s Hands,” she explained: [My father believed] you did what you had to do in life with aplomb and dignity, whether it was fighting for your country or defending your values and beliefs. His were non-negotiable. He was fair to all and looked down on no one. He demanded honor, loyalty and honesty from his constituents- always. Honor and loyalty to family were the same as honor and loyalty to country. You betrayed neither, and died for both if you had to. His favorite saying, by Theodore Roosevelt, sums up my father’s life and his legacy: “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again … and who, at the worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” I kissed my father’s hands one final time as the hospital chaplain administered his last rites. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. As is this: Goodbye, Popsie. Parker has often covered and praised Fathers & Families’ protest campaigns and work: In “Bad Dads” a Bad Idea (5/2/08), she wrote in support of our successful Campaign Protesting the Fox Reality Show Bad Dads. In Elian II: The Sequel (10/19/07), she supported our Campaign Protesting Florida DCF’s Mistreatment of Loving Father in ‘Elian Gonzalez II’ Case In Let’s not alienate parents in custody battles (5/18/06), she praised our Campaign Against PBS’s Father-Bashing Breaking the Silence In Divorced dads ready to wage a revolution (10/12/99), she described a presentation by Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S., explaining, “I listened to Holstein’s presentation with a mixture of concern and sadness but, more important, of apprehension. I believe in the sincerity of these men, in their desire to be a part of their children’s lives, in their sense that they’ve been mistreated by courts that award children like chattel to mothers and treat fathers as mere financial providers.” Fathers & Families has sent Parker a letter congratulating her. In it, we write: Fathers & Families would like to congratulate you on your recent Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. You have long been a friend of the family court reform movement in general and of Fathers & Families in particular. We have appreciated the eloquence with which you’ve detailed the importance of fathers. Moreover, in an era when too many media commentators lazily and inaccurately blame fathers for all fatherlessness, you have thoroughly investigated the many ways the family court system separates fathers from the children who love them and need them. In so doing, you have made yourself one of the leading voices for reform. We have also often been moved by your descriptions of your relationship with your father, Hal Connor, and the central role he played in your life. Fathers and Families’ mission is to improve the lives of children and strengthen society by protecting the child’s right to the love and care of both parents after separation or divorce. We seek better lives for children through family court reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers. We know that you believe as we do and seek what we seek, and we honor you for your massive contributions to this important cause. Our full letter can be seen here.

© 2010. Fathers & Families. All Rights Reserved.

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Reform of Welfare Needed

Below is a post done by Stan Rains along with a study concerning TANF that goes along with his comments. I would like to add to his comments that these studies show that assisting single mothers with federal welfare is very destructive to their ability to succeed as independent providers in the long run. The conclusion that the study comes up with that the federal welfare needs to continue along with addiction and or psychological treatment until the mother is capable of success on her own is truly misguided. If the mother is not willing to avail herself of state, federal, along with local programs to help her treat her issues within the 5 years then what makes them think that they are going to get help after 5 years? This is inside the box thinking that is typical of these big government idiots. If we are to accept that the federal government needs to actually even have any welfare programs then I say that the TANF applicants need to be pre-screened for the drug/mental health issues PRIOR to receiving any checks. If they need treatment then they should be institutionalized at a private contracted facility until they are deemed able to care for themselves with their children being placed with family until they exit the program. A condition to get their children back is that they need to find employment unless there is a valid reason for them to not be able to work such as a physical disability or high unemployment. Finally TANF checks will only be sent out bi-monthly after the recipient passes their bi-monthly employment and drug tests.

Really these programs could be handled better at the state level ultimately the greatest success would be realized through community or family based programs with no government involvement except for maybe some kind of legal action showing that the mother is incapable of self care. If father involvement was actually truly championed by the state through child custody law reform then these mothers would have more of an opportunity to find employment with less stress of caring for the child but of course this is not even in the discussion is it?

Welfare destroys Women Recipients

Posted by: "Stan Rains" patriotdad2004@yahoo.com   patriotdad2004

Sun Apr 4, 2010 9:14 am (PDT)

Below is a bizarre article on the horrendous effects of welfare on women.  The data shows that welfare support of single mothers destroys women at rates in excess of 5 times that of non-welfare mothers in some categories.   
 
This article  finds at its conclusion, not that welfare should be limited even further, but that welfare needs to be expanded.   The argument is that the TANF imposed five year self-sufficiency deadline is too harsh and causing women to become drug addicts and mentally ill.
 
I believe the answer is closer to the observation that entitled individuals lose themselves, just as we have seen with so many wealthy young starlets who have little to contribute to society other than as eye candy.  The passing of their youth destroys them for they have built nothing inside of themselves.
 
Could it be that the reality of the the trap in which these women have been placed by feminist policy has rung their bell and that realization is overwhelming?
 
Below, in the article is some of the data set upon which the listed authors draw their conclusion that even more tax dollars are needed to support single mothers raising feral animal children (Review the prognosis of single mother children as drug addicts and other criminals).
 
Below the two articles I further address the stupidity of those jumping to an illogical conclusion.
 
Feminist thought propoganda has invaded even those we would hold to be more learned than the general public.   But then, the Global Warming scam shows how academia can be bought, cheaply.
 
Stan Rains
****************************************************
Untreated Psychiatric And Substance Abuse Disorders Common Among Single Mothers Receiving Welfare Assistance
Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 03 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Urban single mothers nearing the end of their welfare eligibility appear more likely to have substance use and psychiatric disorders than women in the general population, and often do not receive treatment, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

In 1996, U.S. welfare reform legislation created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, according to background information in the article. Unlike previous programs, TANF imposed a five-year limit on financial support for families with children younger than age 18. The new regulations also involved stricter requirements for employment and work-related activities. "These changes were intended to enhance self-sufficiency and reduce long-term reliance on public income support," the authors write.

Concerns about the new legislation have emerged from findings regarding the mental health vulnerabilities of low-income families headed by women. Judith A. Cook, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues surveyed 333 urban single mothers in the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF, part of a random sample of 1,000 women selected by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Participants were all "work eligible," meaning they had not been exempted from employment requirements by factors such as pregnancy, substance use treatment or disability. Between 2003 and 2004, in-person interviews were conducted to detect psychiatric and substance use disorders and assess whether women with these conditions received treatment.

A total of 61 percent of the women had a psychiatric or substance use disorder during their lifetime and 46.8 percent had at least one disorder in the 12 months preceding the interview. Psychiatric disorders-the most common being anxiety and mood disorders-affected 53.2 percent of the women over their lifetime and 44.1 within the previous 12-months. A total of 29.1 percent had lifetime substance use disorders and 9 percent had substance use disorders within the previous 12 months.

These rates are significantly higher than those of U.S. women in the general population, the authors note. For example, depression in the previous 12 months was more than twice as common in the study sample as in a recent national study of women in the general population (17.4 percent vs. 8.6 percent), prevalence of anxiety disorders was 60 percent higher (39 percent vs. 23.4 percent), drug abuse estimates were five times higher (5.4 percent vs. 0.7 percent) and alcohol abuse and dependence estimates were almost three times higher (5.1 percent vs. 1.8 percent). In addition, 21.3 percent of the participants on TANF had both substance use and other mental health disorders over their lifetime, including 6.3 percent in the previous 12 months.

"These results confirm what has long been suspected on the basis of earlier research, namely, mothers of young children remaining on TANF near the end of their lifetime eligibility face significant behavioral health challenges within the context of poverty, single parenthood and low human capital in the way of formal education and job skills," the authors write.

"Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated," they continue. Only 21.7 percent of those with psychiatric disorders in the previous 12 months received treatment, whereas 41.4 percent of those with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment. "The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children."

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66[3]:249-258.
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/66/3/249 
 

Prevalence of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders Among Single Mothers Nearing Lifetime Welfare Eligibility Limits
Judith A. Cook, PhD ; Lynne O. Mock, PhD ; Jessica A. Jonikas, MA ; Jane K. Burke-Miller, PhD ; Tina M. Carter, BA ; Amanda Taylor, MA ; Carol A. Petersen, MEd ; Dennis D. Grey, BA ; David Gruenenfelder, MA

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(3):249-258.
Context  In the 1990s, US welfare reform legislation imposed a 5-year lifetime limit on financial support for low-income families with young children (younger than 18 years). With increasing numbers of single mothers and their children reaching the end of their welfare eligibility, there is concern about potentially high rates of untreated psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population.
Objective  To determine the prevalence, correlates, and likelihood of treatment for mental and substance use disorders in a population of urban single mothers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Design  In-person diagnostic assessments were conducted from November 1, 2003, to October 31, 2004.
Setting  Cook County, Illinois.
Participants  Female TANF recipients and residents of Cook County (N = 333) who were randomly sampled during the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF.
Main Outcome Measure  Prevalence rates of DSM-IV mental and substance use disorders using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Results  Lifetime prevalence of Composite International Diagnostic Interview disorders was 61.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.7%-66.3%); 12-month prevalence was 46.8% (41.5%-52.2%). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders was 53.2% (95% CI, 47.8%-58.5%); 12-month prevalence was 44.1% (38.8%-49.5%). Lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders was 29.1% (95% CI, 23.9%-33.8%); 12-month prevalence was 9.0% (6.8%-12.0%). Lifetime prevalence of comorbid mental/substance use disorders was 21.3% (95% CI, 16.9%-25.7%); 12-month prevalence was 6.3% (3.7%-8.9%). Only 21.7% (95% CI, 14.8%-28.5%) of participants with 12-month mental disorders received treatment for mental disorders; 41.4% (22.3%-60.4%) of participants with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment for substance use disorders.
Conclusions  Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated. The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children.

Author Affiliations: Department of Psychiatry (Drs Cook and Burke-Miller, Mss Jonikas and Carter, and Mr Grey) and The Wellness Center (Ms Petersen), University of Illinois at Chicago, and Research Department, Community Mental Health Council (Dr Mock), Chicago, Illinois; Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis (Ms Taylor); and Institute for Legal and Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Springfield (Mr Gruenenfelder).
*********************************************
 
Comment posted on the first article (Subject to the authors editing):
 
The absence of any consideration that the very act of providing an irresponsible woman (single or otherwise) with a full range of necessities is a luxury that are not only undeserving and unearned IS the creation of this plethora of problems for these women from mental illness to drug abuse.
 
An article several years back in the Laredo, Texas newspaper stated the violent drug lords are dependent on the money paid to welfare moms and the other social services that can be converted to cash or traded for drugs.
The existence and continuation of TANF and other such human destruction programs are the cause of greater human tragedy than the supposed reasons for their creations were in the first place.
 
How ignorant can such a group of supposedly intelligent individuals be as the authors of the base study show themselves.  I guess the names signing off on the original study with conclusion speaks to that very clearly.

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

TANF Reform Needed

Honorable Senator Stabenow,

Below is a post done by Stan Rains along with a study concerning TANF that goes along with his comments. I would like to add to his comments that these studies show that assisting single mothers with federal welfare is very destructive to their ability to succeed as independent providers in the long run. The conclusion that the study comes up with that the federal welfare needs to continue along with addiction and or psychological treatment until the mother is capable of success on her own is truly misguided. If the mother is not willing to avail herself of state, federal, along with local programs to help her treat her issues within the 5 years then what makes them think that they are going to get help after 5 years? If we are to accept that the federal government needs to actually even have any welfare programs then I say that the TANF applicants need to be pre-screened for the drug/mental health issues PRIOR to receiving any checks. If they need treatment then they should be institutionalized at a private contracted facility until they are deemed able to care for themselves with their children being placed with family until they exit the program. A condition to get their children back is that they need to find employment unless there is a valid reason for them to not be able to work such as a physical disability or high unemployment. Finally TANF checks will only be sent out bi-monthly after the recipient passes their bi-monthly employment and drug tests.

Really these programs could be handled better at the state level ultimately the greatest success would be realized through community or family based programs with no government involvement except for maybe some kind of legal action showing that the mother is incapable of self care. If father involvement was actually truly championed by the state through child custody law reform then these mothers would have more of an opportunity to find employment with less stress of caring for the child but of course this is not even in the discussion is it?

Welfare destroys Women Recipients

Posted by: "Stan Rains" patriotdad2004@yahoo.com   patriotdad2004

Sun Apr 4, 2010 9:14 am (PDT)

Below is a bizarre article on the horrendous effects of welfare on women.  The data shows that welfare support of single mothers destroys women at rates in excess of 5 times that of non-welfare mothers in some categories.   
 
This article  finds at its conclusion, not that welfare should be limited even further, but that welfare needs to be expanded.   The argument is that the TANF imposed five year self-sufficiency deadline is too harsh and causing women to become drug addicts and mentally ill.
 
I believe the answer is closer to the observation that entitled individuals lose themselves, just as we have seen with so many wealthy young starlets who have little to contribute to society other than as eye candy.  The passing of their youth destroys them for they have built nothing inside of themselves.
 
Could it be that the reality of the the trap in which these women have been placed by feminist policy has rung their bell and that realization is overwhelming?
 
Below, in the article is some of the data set upon which the listed authors draw their conclusion that even more tax dollars are needed to support single mothers raising feral animal children (Review the prognosis of single mother children as drug addicts and other criminals).
 
Below the two articles I further address the stupidity of those jumping to an illogical conclusion.
 
Feminist thought propoganda has invaded even those we would hold to be more learned than the general public.   But then, the Global Warming scam shows how academia can be bought, cheaply.
 
Stan Rains
****************************************************
Untreated Psychiatric And Substance Abuse Disorders Common Among Single Mothers Receiving Welfare Assistance
Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 03 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Current Article Ratings:

Patient / Public:

Health Professional:

Article Opinions:
 0 posts
Find other articles on: "percent drug addicts single mothers"

Urban single mothers nearing the end of their welfare eligibility appear more likely to have substance use and psychiatric disorders than women in the general population, and often do not receive treatment, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

In 1996, U.S. welfare reform legislation created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, according to background information in the article. Unlike previous programs, TANF imposed a five-year limit on financial support for families with children younger than age 18. The new regulations also involved stricter requirements for employment and work-related activities. "These changes were intended to enhance self-sufficiency and reduce long-term reliance on public income support," the authors write.

Concerns about the new legislation have emerged from findings regarding the mental health vulnerabilities of low-income families headed by women. Judith A. Cook, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues surveyed 333 urban single mothers in the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF, part of a random sample of 1,000 women selected by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Participants were all "work eligible," meaning they had not been exempted from employment requirements by factors such as pregnancy, substance use treatment or disability. Between 2003 and 2004, in-person interviews were conducted to detect psychiatric and substance use disorders and assess whether women with these conditions received treatment.

A total of 61 percent of the women had a psychiatric or substance use disorder during their lifetime and 46.8 percent had at least one disorder in the 12 months preceding the interview. Psychiatric disorders-the most common being anxiety and mood disorders-affected 53.2 percent of the women over their lifetime and 44.1 within the previous 12-months. A total of 29.1 percent had lifetime substance use disorders and 9 percent had substance use disorders within the previous 12 months.

These rates are significantly higher than those of U.S. women in the general population, the authors note. For example, depression in the previous 12 months was more than twice as common in the study sample as in a recent national study of women in the general population (17.4 percent vs. 8.6 percent), prevalence of anxiety disorders was 60 percent higher (39 percent vs. 23.4 percent), drug abuse estimates were five times higher (5.4 percent vs. 0.7 percent) and alcohol abuse and dependence estimates were almost three times higher (5.1 percent vs. 1.8 percent). In addition, 21.3 percent of the participants on TANF had both substance use and other mental health disorders over their lifetime, including 6.3 percent in the previous 12 months.

"These results confirm what has long been suspected on the basis of earlier research, namely, mothers of young children remaining on TANF near the end of their lifetime eligibility face significant behavioral health challenges within the context of poverty, single parenthood and low human capital in the way of formal education and job skills," the authors write.

"Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated," they continue. Only 21.7 percent of those with psychiatric disorders in the previous 12 months received treatment, whereas 41.4 percent of those with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment. "The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children."

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66[3]:249-258.
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/66/3/249 
 

Prevalence of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders Among Single Mothers Nearing Lifetime Welfare Eligibility Limits
Judith A. Cook, PhD ; Lynne O. Mock, PhD ; Jessica A. Jonikas, MA ; Jane K. Burke-Miller, PhD ; Tina M. Carter, BA ; Amanda Taylor, MA ; Carol A. Petersen, MEd ; Dennis D. Grey, BA ; David Gruenenfelder, MA

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(3):249-258.
Context  In the 1990s, US welfare reform legislation imposed a 5-year lifetime limit on financial support for low-income families with young children (younger than 18 years). With increasing numbers of single mothers and their children reaching the end of their welfare eligibility, there is concern about potentially high rates of untreated psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population.
Objective  To determine the prevalence, correlates, and likelihood of treatment for mental and substance use disorders in a population of urban single mothers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Design  In-person diagnostic assessments were conducted from November 1, 2003, to October 31, 2004.
Setting  Cook County, Illinois.
Participants  Female TANF recipients and residents of Cook County (N = 333) who were randomly sampled during the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF.
Main Outcome Measure  Prevalence rates of DSM-IV mental and substance use disorders using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Results  Lifetime prevalence of Composite International Diagnostic Interview disorders was 61.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.7%-66.3%); 12-month prevalence was 46.8% (41.5%-52.2%). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders was 53.2% (95% CI, 47.8%-58.5%); 12-month prevalence was 44.1% (38.8%-49.5%). Lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders was 29.1% (95% CI, 23.9%-33.8%); 12-month prevalence was 9.0% (6.8%-12.0%). Lifetime prevalence of comorbid mental/substance use disorders was 21.3% (95% CI, 16.9%-25.7%); 12-month prevalence was 6.3% (3.7%-8.9%). Only 21.7% (95% CI, 14.8%-28.5%) of participants with 12-month mental disorders received treatment for mental disorders; 41.4% (22.3%-60.4%) of participants with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment for substance use disorders.
Conclusions  Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated. The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children.

Author Affiliations: Department of Psychiatry (Drs Cook and Burke-Miller, Mss Jonikas and Carter, and Mr Grey) and The Wellness Center (Ms Petersen), University of Illinois at Chicago, and Research Department, Community Mental Health Council (Dr Mock), Chicago, Illinois; Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis (Ms Taylor); and Institute for Legal and Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Springfield (Mr Gruenenfelder).
*********************************************
 
Comment posted on the first article (Subject to the authors editing):
 
The absence of any consideration that the very act of providing an irresponsible woman (single or otherwise) with a full range of necessities is a luxury that are not only undeserving and unearned IS the creation of this plethora of problems for these women from mental illness to drug abuse.
 
An article several years back in the Laredo, Texas newspaper stated the violent drug lords are dependent on the money paid to welfare moms and the other social services that can be converted to cash or traded for drugs.
The existence and continuation of TANF and other such human destruction programs are the cause of greater human tragedy than the supposed reasons for their creations were in the first place.
 
How ignorant can such a group of supposedly intelligent individuals be as the authors of the base study show themselves.  I guess the names signing off on the original study with conclusion speaks to that very clearly.

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

 

 

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

Tennesse Equal Parenting Rights

Yahoo! Alerts Yahoo! News - My Alerts - Edit Alert   Saturday, April 03, 2010 5:04 AM PDT   Sponsored Link Special Offer - Free Trial of Blockbuster.com Rent Movies from Blockbuster.com. Delivered Direct To Your Mailbox. Click here to start today. www.Blockbuster.com   'Equal parenting time' bill won't benefit all children The Tennessean Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:23 AM PDT Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Adolpho Birch Jr. once said, "Judicial independence is the judge's right to do the right thing or, believing it to be the right thing, to do the wrong thing."   See more news stories that match my keyword Darrick Scott-Farnsworth Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com  Work 269 353-5041 Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287 True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property   You received this email because you subscribed to Yahoo! Alerts. Use this link to unsubscribe from this alert. To change your communications preferences for other Yahoo! business lines, please visit your Marketing Preferences. To learn more about Yahoo!'s use of personal information, including the use of web beacons in HTML-based email, please read our Privacy Policy. Yahoo! is located at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089.

 

Tennessee 'Equal parenting time' bill: http://ping.fm/kBccR

Michigan Parents who are being prosecuted for support

I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

"The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the Michigan
Innocence Clinic asked an appeals court today to overturn the felony
conviction of a Detroit woman who was too poor to pay more than $1,100
a month in child support"

If I were a parent in substantially similar circumstances, I would consider contacting both the ACLU and the Michigan Innocence Clinic.

ACLU of Michigan
http://www.aclumich.org/get-help/submit-complaint

Michigan Innocence Clinic
http://www.law.umich.edu/centersandprograms/clinical/Pages/InnocenceClinic.aspx
(Click on "application")

If I were a father, I would make it a point to share with other fathers the results of my requests.

If I were a father in such a situation, I might be concerned that there may be some gender bias in handling requests for assistance in handling these 'debtors prison' cases by these entities. As a non-lawyer, I believe must offer their services in a non-discriminatory manner. However, I might be concerned that they would be reluctant to offer the same services to fathers as they have to mothers.

To mitigate my concerns, if I were such a father, I would make contact with other fathers making similar requests and advocates interested in ensuring justice for all parents. If I observed that all, or substantially all, of our requests were rejected, and if we felt it was due to our gender, then I might ask others to consider file complaints directly with these organizations as well as the national ACLU, the University of Michigan, various elected officials, the various governmental civil rights boards, and the Michigan Bar Association.

Sincerely,

Doug Dante

http://www.scribd.com/DougDante

 

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

MI Court Must Overturn Conviction of Mother Too Poor to Pay Child Support

 Finally the ACLU is getting involved with the corrupt child custody industry. I don't think they will actually go after the underlying laws that create the dead broke parents. Title IV-D and E need to be scrapped and allow the states individually to handle truly abandoned children. For sure, parents ordered to pay support ought to be considered innocent until proven guilty and the Bradley Amendment needs to be repealed so that mistakenly imputed support amounts can be wiped clean.

http://www.aclumich.org/issues/due-process/2010-03/1423
 
Court Must Overturn Conviction of Mother Too Poor to Pay Child Support, ACLU Says

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 4, 2010

LANSING, Mich. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the Michigan Innocence Clinic asked an appeals court today to overturn the felony conviction of a Detroit woman who was too poor to pay more than $1,100 a month in child support. Selesa Likine suffers from a severe mental illness that has resulted in her losing both her job and the custody of her three children.

"Today we have an opportunity to set the standard for how we treat our most vulnerable members of society – people like Ms. Likine, whose only 'crime' is being poor," said Michael J. Steinberg, ACLU of Michigan legal director. "With more Michiganders on the edge of economic catastrophe, it is more important than ever to stop the government's attempts to resurrect debtor's prisons from the dustbin of history."

In 2005, Selesa Likine was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. After a lengthy hospital stay, she was terminated from her job and has not been able to work since. In 2007, despite the fact that her only income was the $603 a month she received in Social Security benefits, the court increased her child support payments from $181 to $1131 a month. The Friend of the Court mistakenly recommended the larger amount because of a commission Likine received in a one-time transaction selling real estate. It was her only sale and her real estate license lapsed in 2006 because she couldn't pay for renewal and continuing education costs.

For years, Likine attempted unsuccessfully to have the child support payments modified. In November 2008, Likine was convicted in Oakland County Circuit Court and later sentenced to probation for failing to pay the amount owed.

Today, the ACLU of Michigan and the Michigan Innocence Clinic are appealing her conviction, arguing before the Michigan Court of Appeals that the trial court violated her constitutional rights by not allowing her to present evidence that she was unable to pay her assessed child support and by not instructing the jury that inability to pay is a defense.

According to the brief, "Had the jury heard that she was unable to obtain employment after September 2005 because of her mental illness, Ms. Likine would have had a reasonably likely chance of acquittal by the jury. The error was therefore sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome."

Last month, a judge adjusted Likine's child support payments to $25 a month; however, she still owes tens of thousands of dollars in back payments.

In addition to Steinberg, Likine is represented by Michigan Innocence Clinic Co-directors Bridget McCormack and David A. Moran. Moran argued today's appeal.

To read the brief on appeal, click here.

 
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Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property