| Earlier today I sent an email saying that it was business as usual at a hearing today for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. However, below is the written testimony of Dr. Richard Gelles which is not business as usual, the fact that Dr. Gelles was even invited to testify is in and of itself progress. Gelles offers compelling information and I suggest all interested in domestic violence and VAWA read his testimony, which can be found here… http://www.dvstats.org/2010-05-05-gelles-congressional-testimony.html Harry Crouch 932 C Street, Suite B San Diego, CA 92101 619-231-1909 Join NCFM on facebook http://facebook.ncfm.org - and pass it around so others can join too! Dedicated to men, their families, children, and the women that love them. |
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
VAWA hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Monday, May 17, 2010
RADAR ALERT: The "Scalping Politicians" Email Is Not From RADAR
RADAR ALERT:
The "Scalping Politicians" Email Is Not From RADAR
It has come to our attention that an email that was neither composed nor approved by RADAR is being circulated over the signature "RADAR." The email states, "When our target politician loses on November 2, we wave around the person's scalp, to send an indelible message to other politicians that they'd better get serious about VAWA reform."
Inflammatory language like this is anathema to RADAR's philosophy. In order for a demoracy to function properly, it is essential that people who hold different opinions be able to talk to each other and try to convince each other with solidly-backed, reasoned arguments. We cannot expect politicians to listen to us unless we respect their right to their own beliefs. RADAR never threatens to "wave around" anyone's scalp.
Was RADAR's name attached to this email by a misguided supporter or by someone who wanted to discredit us? There's no way for us to know. But just in case it's the former, we'd like to ask our supporters to refrain from attaching our name to anything we haven't approved. Any email whose "From" header doesn't contain the domain mediaradar.org is most likely not from RADAR. If you have any doubts, check with us at info@mediaradar.org. Thank you all for your support.
Date of RADAR Release: May 17, 2010
R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence. http://mediaradar.org
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Adoption Agencies non-profit?
Nonprofit adoption agencies often profit someone other than children, families
AJC investigation: Big portions of agency budgets go to top executive
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By law, private adoption agencies in Georgia are supposed to operate as nonprofit organizations.
The law, however, doesn't preclude big salaries for the agencies' executives, or self-dealing by their corporate officers or high overhead costs that don't benefit the children the groups are supposed to help.
For many private adoption and foster care agencies, nonprofit status in the child protection business leaves plenty of room for lucrative rewards, according to an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The newspaper's review of federal tax returns and other public documents found numerous examples where top executives' compensation accounted for one-fourth to one-third of agencies' budgets. In many instances, administrative costs exceeded expenses on direct services for children.
For example, Faithbridge Foster Care Inc., in Alpharetta, spent $293,311 in 2008, according to the tax return it filed for that year with the Internal Revenue Service. It paid its executive director $70,325. It spent another $4,200 to rent a building the director owns (on an annual basis, the rent payments would total $16,800). It paid $40,971 to rent office space from a company belonging to the chairman of its board.
Altogether in 2008, the agency devoted almost 40 percent of its budget to its top officers.
Another agency, Dayton, Ohio-based Phoenix Homes Inc., which operates a branch in Snellville, paid $1.8 million in 2008 to a management company belonging to the nonprofit's president. Phoenix also paid its president about $200,000 in salary and other compensation. A vice president who also works for his boss's management firm collected $117,000 in salary from the nonprofit.
Families First Inc. of Atlanta paid six employees more than $100,000 each in 2008, according to tax documents. It also paid about $32,000 to a board member's company for investment services; meanwhile, the value of the portfolio the firm managed for the agency dropped by almost $1.1 million.
Many executives of adoption and foster care agencies say government budget cuts and fewer charitable contributions have left them strapped for money. Financial troubles recently forced the Catholic Diocese of Savannah to announce it would close St. Mary's Home, which has housed foster children since 1875.
The agencies' finances — especially concerning how they spend, rather than raise, money — is a touchy topic for many nonprofit executives. Most of those contacted recently declined to discuss the matter.
A lack of industry standards and government rules enable people running such agencies to spend freely for their own benefit, said Pablo Eisenberg, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership.
"What you're finding is certainly the trend in nonprofits," Eisenberg said. "An increasing number of people are pushing for a kind of free market in nonprofits."
He described directors who don't challenge excessive spending as "totally incompetent."
"There's no accountability," Eisenberg said. "There are no guidelines by the IRS, even on self-dealing. It's just appalling."
Big salaries, overhead
For many agencies, the free market approach especially applies to executive salaries.
For example, Chinese Children Adoption International, which has an Atlanta office, paid its top two officers — who are married to each other — a total of about $410,000 in 2006, the latest year for which its tax returns are available. The total budget for the agency, headquartered in Centennial, Colo., was $5.2 million.
Similarly, in 2007, Open Door Adoption Agency Inc. of Thomasville paid a total of $201,000 to its two top executives, also a husband and wife, out of a $1.2 million budget.
Some agencies devote significant portions of their budgets just for one executive's salary. For instance, Alpharetta-based AAA Partners in Adoption Inc. told the IRS that its executive director's total compensation for 2008 was $107,747 — one-fourth of all its expenses that year.
The adoption and foster care agency Bethany Christian Services, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in Atlanta and Columbus, paid 72 employees at least $50,000 in 2007, according to its tax returns. The chief executive earned $169,000, while the agency's vice president collected $178,000.
Bethany had a total budget of $9.1 million. However, $7.2 million, or almost four of every five dollars, went to management expenses. Another $1.2 million covered fund-raising costs — far more than the $694,000 that went to programs that directly served children.
The agency put more into employee pension plans than into children's services.
Bethany collected $803,225 from the Georgia Department of Human Services for supervising foster children in 2009, state records show. The state money covers administrative costs as well as direct services to children.
Faithbridge, where the executive director and the board chairman received 40 percent of all spending, received about $75,000 from the state in 2008. The agency said in tax documents that the public money helped offset $145,969 in expenses for placing foster children. In its tax documents, the agency said it "partnered" with state agencies to "provide foster homes for children and return children home to extended families."
Bill Hancock, the agency's executive director, did not respond to messages requesting an interview.
Faithbridge disclosed to the IRS its dealings with its officers. But it generally avoids public scrutiny.
"The organization," Faithbridge says in tax documents, "does not make its governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public."
Dimmed outlook
At some agencies, executives work for next to nothing, or even less.
Adoption Planning Inc. of Atlanta, for instance, reported on its most recent tax return that it paid its executive director, Rhonda Fishbein, just $2,500 in 2008. The same year, the tax return said, Fishbein lent the agency $28,000 in "working capital."
The Giving Tree Inc. of Decatur received a $25,000 interest-free loan in 2007 from its executive director, Yvette Bowden. Her compensation that year totaled about $67,000.
And Christian Homes Inc. of Pavo, near Valdosta, reported on its most recent tax return that none of its $54,580 budget went to salaries or any other expenses other than services for children.
For many agencies, especially those that rely on public money, the financial outlook has dimmed.
The state has cut payments to many agencies because of deep budget shortfalls. Consequently, some organizations say they are struggling to survive.
For eight years, Morningstar Treatment Services based its annual budget on state payments to house 58 children in its Youth Estate group home near Brunswick. But now the state pays only for 48 children, and Morningstar is "taking a $60,000 to $70,000 hit a month," said Barry Kerr, the agency's chief executive officer.
"I don't think there's an administrator you could interview who would not say it's not having a significant impact," he said.
Morningstar spends relatively little on fund-raising — $186,000 of a $10 million budget in 2008. Executive salaries also trail those at many other agencies; Kerr's salary and expense reimbursement totaled $115,000 in 2008. The only self-dealing the agency reported to the IRS involved the payment of $51,304 to a consulting firm owned by a Morningstar employee.
As public money becomes scarcer, some agencies have tried to get more private funding. For instance, The Bridge, a group home in northwest Atlanta, has increased its reliance on private donors to an amount equal to one-fourth of its annual budget, said Tom Russell, the agency's chief executive officer.
Even so, only about 5 percent of its spending goes into fund-raising efforts.
By contrast, Georgia Agape Inc., an Atlanta foster care and adoption agency, spent $273,000 on fund-raising in 2008, or 17 percent of its total budget — even though it relies heavily on government appropriations.
How we got the story
This is the final installment in a four-part series on the regulation of privately operated adoption and foster care agencies in Georgia.
For today's article, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution examined federal income tax returns for most of the 336 private foster care and adoption agencies licensed in Georgia. Federal law allows public inspection of nonprofits' tax returns. Most of those documents are available free online from organizations such as the Foundation Center (www.
foundationcenter.org) or GuideStar (www.guidestar.org).
--
Dennis Lawrence
Child and Family Rights Advocate
www.miparentalrights.ning.com
616-848-0664
Adoption Agencies non-profit?
Nonprofit adoption agencies often profit someone other than children, families
AJC investigation: Big portions of agency budgets go to top executive
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By law, private adoption agencies in Georgia are supposed to operate as nonprofit organizations.
The law, however, doesn't preclude big salaries for the agencies' executives, or self-dealing by their corporate officers or high overhead costs that don't benefit the children the groups are supposed to help.
For many private adoption and foster care agencies, nonprofit status in the child protection business leaves plenty of room for lucrative rewards, according to an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The newspaper's review of federal tax returns and other public documents found numerous examples where top executives' compensation accounted for one-fourth to one-third of agencies' budgets. In many instances, administrative costs exceeded expenses on direct services for children.
For example, Faithbridge Foster Care Inc., in Alpharetta, spent $293,311 in 2008, according to the tax return it filed for that year with the Internal Revenue Service. It paid its executive director $70,325. It spent another $4,200 to rent a building the director owns (on an annual basis, the rent payments would total $16,800). It paid $40,971 to rent office space from a company belonging to the chairman of its board.
Altogether in 2008, the agency devoted almost 40 percent of its budget to its top officers.
Another agency, Dayton, Ohio-based Phoenix Homes Inc., which operates a branch in Snellville, paid $1.8 million in 2008 to a management company belonging to the nonprofit's president. Phoenix also paid its president about $200,000 in salary and other compensation. A vice president who also works for his boss's management firm collected $117,000 in salary from the nonprofit.
Families First Inc. of Atlanta paid six employees more than $100,000 each in 2008, according to tax documents. It also paid about $32,000 to a board member's company for investment services; meanwhile, the value of the portfolio the firm managed for the agency dropped by almost $1.1 million.
Many executives of adoption and foster care agencies say government budget cuts and fewer charitable contributions have left them strapped for money. Financial troubles recently forced the Catholic Diocese of Savannah to announce it would close St. Mary's Home, which has housed foster children since 1875.
The agencies' finances — especially concerning how they spend, rather than raise, money — is a touchy topic for many nonprofit executives. Most of those contacted recently declined to discuss the matter.
A lack of industry standards and government rules enable people running such agencies to spend freely for their own benefit, said Pablo Eisenberg, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership.
"What you're finding is certainly the trend in nonprofits," Eisenberg said. "An increasing number of people are pushing for a kind of free market in nonprofits."
He described directors who don't challenge excessive spending as "totally incompetent."
"There's no accountability," Eisenberg said. "There are no guidelines by the IRS, even on self-dealing. It's just appalling."
Big salaries, overhead
For many agencies, the free market approach especially applies to executive salaries.
For example, Chinese Children Adoption International, which has an Atlanta office, paid its top two officers — who are married to each other — a total of about $410,000 in 2006, the latest year for which its tax returns are available. The total budget for the agency, headquartered in Centennial, Colo., was $5.2 million.
Similarly, in 2007, Open Door Adoption Agency Inc. of Thomasville paid a total of $201,000 to its two top executives, also a husband and wife, out of a $1.2 million budget.
Some agencies devote significant portions of their budgets just for one executive's salary. For instance, Alpharetta-based AAA Partners in Adoption Inc. told the IRS that its executive director's total compensation for 2008 was $107,747 — one-fourth of all its expenses that year.
The adoption and foster care agency Bethany Christian Services, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in Atlanta and Columbus, paid 72 employees at least $50,000 in 2007, according to its tax returns. The chief executive earned $169,000, while the agency's vice president collected $178,000.
Bethany had a total budget of $9.1 million. However, $7.2 million, or almost four of every five dollars, went to management expenses. Another $1.2 million covered fund-raising costs — far more than the $694,000 that went to programs that directly served children.
The agency put more into employee pension plans than into children's services.
Bethany collected $803,225 from the Georgia Department of Human Services for supervising foster children in 2009, state records show. The state money covers administrative costs as well as direct services to children.
Faithbridge, where the executive director and the board chairman received 40 percent of all spending, received about $75,000 from the state in 2008. The agency said in tax documents that the public money helped offset $145,969 in expenses for placing foster children. In its tax documents, the agency said it "partnered" with state agencies to "provide foster homes for children and return children home to extended families."
Bill Hancock, the agency's executive director, did not respond to messages requesting an interview.
Faithbridge disclosed to the IRS its dealings with its officers. But it generally avoids public scrutiny.
"The organization," Faithbridge says in tax documents, "does not make its governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public."
Dimmed outlook
At some agencies, executives work for next to nothing, or even less.
Adoption Planning Inc. of Atlanta, for instance, reported on its most recent tax return that it paid its executive director, Rhonda Fishbein, just $2,500 in 2008. The same year, the tax return said, Fishbein lent the agency $28,000 in "working capital."
The Giving Tree Inc. of Decatur received a $25,000 interest-free loan in 2007 from its executive director, Yvette Bowden. Her compensation that year totaled about $67,000.
And Christian Homes Inc. of Pavo, near Valdosta, reported on its most recent tax return that none of its $54,580 budget went to salaries or any other expenses other than services for children.
For many agencies, especially those that rely on public money, the financial outlook has dimmed.
The state has cut payments to many agencies because of deep budget shortfalls. Consequently, some organizations say they are struggling to survive.
For eight years, Morningstar Treatment Services based its annual budget on state payments to house 58 children in its Youth Estate group home near Brunswick. But now the state pays only for 48 children, and Morningstar is "taking a $60,000 to $70,000 hit a month," said Barry Kerr, the agency's chief executive officer.
"I don't think there's an administrator you could interview who would not say it's not having a significant impact," he said.
Morningstar spends relatively little on fund-raising — $186,000 of a $10 million budget in 2008. Executive salaries also trail those at many other agencies; Kerr's salary and expense reimbursement totaled $115,000 in 2008. The only self-dealing the agency reported to the IRS involved the payment of $51,304 to a consulting firm owned by a Morningstar employee.
As public money becomes scarcer, some agencies have tried to get more private funding. For instance, The Bridge, a group home in northwest Atlanta, has increased its reliance on private donors to an amount equal to one-fourth of its annual budget, said Tom Russell, the agency's chief executive officer.
Even so, only about 5 percent of its spending goes into fund-raising efforts.
By contrast, Georgia Agape Inc., an Atlanta foster care and adoption agency, spent $273,000 on fund-raising in 2008, or 17 percent of its total budget — even though it relies heavily on government appropriations.
How we got the story
This is the final installment in a four-part series on the regulation of privately operated adoption and foster care agencies in Georgia.
For today's article, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution examined federal income tax returns for most of the 336 private foster care and adoption agencies licensed in Georgia. Federal law allows public inspection of nonprofits' tax returns. Most of those documents are available free online from organizations such as the Foundation Center (www.
foundationcenter.org) or GuideStar (www.guidestar.org).
--
Dennis Lawrence
Child and Family Rights Advocate
www.miparentalrights.ning.com
616-848-0664
DADS and MOMS PAC May eNewsletter!
DADS and MOMS PAC eNewsletter!
A shared parenting initiative
May 2010
Email: info@dadsmomspac.org web: http://www.dadsmomspac.org/index.html
Bill research and legislative contacts: http://www.dadsmomspac.org/pacnews.html
Dads and Moms PAC,
It has been a year of change and we are sure you want to see more. Dads and Moms PAC (also Dads of Michigan PAC) has a new web site and is growing stronger every day. We are in the midst of collecting signatures for the ballot initiative and gathering candidate recommendations for the November election from you. Please use the candidate questionnaire and ballot initiative to get the issue of Shared Parenting and equal protection on the legislative agenda. Parents deserve equal protection under the law.
We are also actively invigorating and recruiting new Dads and Moms PAC Delegates in every County in Michigan. We also encourage you to become a Precinct Delegate.
What we have learned is that law is not the only solution. The laws are on the books for equal protection, but there are some fundamental changes to law that must occur. How the States interpret the law, Policy – the local procedures, is also what must change. Your local officials are interpreting the law and in effect legislating law through local procedures. You must get involved in selecting candidates that will not only change the law, but change policy.
A candidate list will be publish this year. Please keep us posted and submit your candidate recommendations to info@dadsmomspac.org Our list will be announced in July.
There are several groups working the issues at the DC level; ACFC, CRC, Men’s Health Network, Parental Rights.Org, and several think tanks link the Eagle Forum and the Heritage Foundation, to name but a few.
The DC Rally will be a great event this year and you will want to experience the excitement of DC and the festival.
4th Annual FAMILY PRESERVATION FESTIVAL
JULY 23 - 25, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC
UPPER SENATE PARK
200 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC 20001
(North Side Of The Capitol Building)
FAMILY PRESERVATION FESTIVAL 2010 IS DESTINED TO BE THE LARGEST GATHERING EVER OF FATHERS, MOTHERS, GRANDPARENTS AND OUR CHILDREN ALL OF WHICH WILL BE CAMPAIGNING FOR EQUAL PARENTING RIGHTS, FAMILY COURT REFORM, CPS REFORM, STOP PARENTAL ALIENATION AND MORE.
http://familypreservationfestival2010.yolasite.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Family-Preservation-Festival/247442833020?ref=mf
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Talk to your State Representatives!
Go to the following link, find out who your representatives are and start contacting them now! Be in D.C. on Thursday to let them know that we need change!
KEY MICHIGAN LEGISLATION
· HB 5114 is a “shared parenting” bill; http://www.dadsmomspac.org/shared_parenting.html which will amend current law so that a written custody agreement by both parents will be presumed to be in everyone’s best interests. It is the successor of HB 4564. In cases where parents cannot write a custody agreement, the court will establish one, based on the presumption of the right of both parents to joint physical and legal custody of minor children. This presumption may be rebutted if there is clear and convincing evidence that one parent is “unfit, unwilling or unable” to handle their parental responsibilities. Passage of HB 5114 will make the presumption of shared custody the rule rather than the exception in Michigan, allowing both parents to retain physical custody of their children for “alternating and substantially equal” periods of time. We are currently working with key stakeholder groups and legislative leaders to garner additional support for this bill.
Support the following candidates for the 2010 November election
Current sponsors include: Brian Calley, Kevin Green, Jeoff Hansen, David Agema, Tom McMillin, Tom Pearce, Ken Kurtz, Rick Jones, Marty Knollenberg, Robert Dean, Mike Huckleberry, Richard LaBlanc, Ken Horn, Bill Rogers
The following is a list of representatives serving on the House Judiciary Committee. This is a key committee that will likely determine the fate of this proposal.
Reps. Meadows (C), Lipton (Maj. VC), Lisa Brown, Constan, Corriveau, Coulouris, Kandrevas, Bettie Cook Scott, Warren, Schuitmaker (Min. VC), Amash, Haveman, Rick Jones, Kowall, Rocca
Ballot Initiative http://www.dadsmomspac.org/pac-news.html
Dads and Moms PAC is supporting the state wide effort for a ballot initiative for Shared Parenting in 2010. Although this is a big task, the use of electronic and social networks provide options that were not available in 2004, the last year this was attempted. We also hope that this will generate a lot of discussion about the benefits of parent involvement in their children’s lives despite divorce and custody. Download the ballot and instructions and start helping today. Email info@dadsmomspac.org to get involved.
Follow these links …
Ballot Initiative Instructions (link)
2010 Child Parent Relationship Protection Initiative (link)
Please sign up for the cause at Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/449336/about?cause_id=449336
Shared Parenting Ballot Initiative - also found at A Childs Right
To access the ballot initiative from the organization A Childs Right, click here.
Also, sign the ACFC Shared Parenting Petition
http://www.acfc.org/site/PageServer#SP_Petition
Just like the advice above, it is better to write or call individual editors and reporters. Tell them what is on your mind. Suggest story ideas to them. Tell them how family law is destroying your life, or the lives of you family. They are always looking for a fresh take on an issue. Give it to them! Follow the procedures listed in the notes for contacting elected officials above.
http://www.dadsmomspac.org/contact_directories.html#media
Dads and Moms PAC Action: Many of you cannot commit the time to be in Lansing or DC for legislative sessions. With many of the pending bills reaching a critical stage, your small monthly contribution or one time contribution is greatly appreciated. We can process these via credit card each month via the Paypal account at http://www.dadsmomspac.org. Please contact us to make your pledge.
" …because the best parent is both parents”
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Congressional Dist 3: This Weekend: Volunteer for Justin Amash for Congress
Here is a chance to check out Amash and gather some last minute Equal Parenting Ballot Proposal signatures.
From: Amy Oberlin [mailto:amy@justinamash.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 12:10 PM
To: darricksf@achildsright.net
Subject: This Weekend: Volunteer for Justin Amash for Congress
Hello Darrick,
Thank you for volunteering your time and efforts for Justin Amash! My name is Amy Oberlin, and I am working as Volunteer Coordinator for Justin Amash for Congress. I grew up in Grand Rapids and recently graduated from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I'm looking forward to working more closely with you as the campaign season heats up.
We are looking for volunteers to represent the campaign at community events in the Third Congressional District this weekend. We need your help to spread the word about Justin Amash in your community.
Please let me know if you would be able to volunteer at one of the following events:
Wyoming Relay for Life
When: Friday, May 14, 12PM to Saturday, May 15, 12PM
Where: Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St SW, Wyoming, MI,
What: American Cancer Society fundraising event. More information at http://tinyurl.com/29nhtgg
Your Job: Wear a Justin Amash for Congress t-shirt, walk the track with the other Relayers. Participate in on-site fundraising activities at your leisure.
Arts in Ada
When: Saturday, May 15, 9AM to 4PM
Where: Bronson St, Ada, MI 49301
What: Art festival in Downtown Ada. More information at http://www.adaarts.org/
Your Job: Wear a Justin Amash for Congress t-shirt, pass out palm cards to Festival attendees.
T-shirts and palm cards are available at the campaign office, 1500 E Beltline Ave SE, Ste 250. In addition, if you know of events in your community at which Justin should be represented, please let us know and we will do our best to support you.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication. With your help, we will win this race!
--
Amy Oberlin
Volunteer Coordinator
Justin Amash for Congress
1500 E Beltline Ave SE, Ste 250
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616-648-1626 (cell)
VAWA HEARINGS IN CONGRESS - CHILD SUPPORT ISSUES
Posted by: "Stan Rains" patriotdad2004@yahoo.com patriotdad2004
Mon May 10, 2010 1:40 pm (PDT)
Mike McCormick of ACFC at www.acfc.org needs verifiable stories of false allegations, false arrests, etc. as he and a coalition of several other groups and individuals work to offset the input from the various advocacy groups growing fat on VAWA funds.
Here is Mike's request below:
***********************************************************************************************
Dear Reader
Here's a roundup of recent events and news relating to shared parenting.
VAWA Reauthorization Hearings Reveal Robust Support
Members of the U.S. Senate judiciary committee batted around the question of whether recessions increase domestic violence while discussing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The tenor of Senators’ questions and answers from witnesses -- most of them employees of the domestic violence industry -- suggested the primary questions were about how much and in what way to expand the act while reauthorizing.
The May 5 hearing was titled “The Increased Importance of the Violence Against Women Act in a Time of Economic Crisis.” Witnesses said certain features of the recent recession suggest it might be worse than prior downturns, which were not found to increase in domestic violence. However they presented little evidence supporting the idea that the recession has actually increased violence against women.
Witnesses included Susan Carbon, a former family court judge President Obama appointed last fall to direct the federal Office on Violence Against Women. Carbon noted that her office had distributed more than $4 billion in grants under VAWA since 1996, and stressed the need to improve financial support of domestic violence victims. In response to a question about how the law could be improved, she said she’d like to increase efforts to prevent violence as well as provide services to victims. She also requested expanded services for sexual assault.
Other witnesses included Auburn Watersong, from the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Lolita Ulloa from the victim services division of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in Minneapolis, and Richard Gelles, a domestic violence researcher and dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.
ACFC's Executive Director Michael McCormick attended the hearing and Thursday joined with 20 other individuals in an effort organized by SAVE to talk with members of Congress about concerns with VAWA.
Dr. Richard Gelles of the University of Pennsylvania made this observation about the family courts during the hearing: "Family Courts are at the epicenter of junk science." A growing number of researchers are expressing concern about the effect of ideology and advocacy on policy. We support efforts aimed at incorporating empirically supported practices and solid social science research into statute development.
You can learn more about the hearing, including watching a webcast of the event, at the judiciary committee website here.
As the VAWA reauthorization gets underway please send us your stories of fales allegations to gain advantage in custody situations, or instances where you may have been falsely arrested or had a false restraining order issued. Send your story (be brief and include the state and county involved) to info@acfc.org.
Child Support Office’s Puzzling Endorsement
The Texas Shared Parenting Project is getting “rave reviews,” according to the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, despite an evaluation that indicated the federally funded project did little more than indicate that its approach was largely ineffective.
An article the OCSE’s January newsletter offered the endorsement and described the parenting project’s methodology. It consisted of showing a group of volunteer parents a 15-minute video on parental conflict’s negative effects on children, followed by a 45-minute facilitated session on co-parenting and visitation. According to the article, the project generated more parental agreement, faster disposition of child support and medical support issues and, in one instance, a significant increase in support payment rates.
That’s a rather loose interpretation of what was actually said in an evaluation prepared for the Texas Attorney General by the Center For Policy Research in Denver. That report noted that the pilot project was intended “to educate and assist parents with access and visitation problems, in order to decrease the number of cases sent to court and increase parent-child contact and regular payment of child support.” In general, however, it found that any improvements in these areas compared to a control group of parents that didn’t go through the program were either insignificant, inconsistent or possibly due to other factors.
On the specific issue of shared parenting, the evaluation found “no significant differences between experimental and comparison cases with respect to amounts of parent-child contact either prior to or following the scheduled meeting with the CSO.” In other words, kids spent about the same amount of time with their parents after the program.
It’s probably incorrect to denounce the project as a total failure. If nothing else, it suggested that such brief video and face-to-face education and counseling sessions weren’t that effective. And there were some promising results. For instance, standard parenting orders were established in 85 percent of the cases that went through the program, up from 70 percent in the control group. And, to be sure, child support workers did enthusiastically endorse the project, according to the report.
Still, if this inconclusive project funded under the federal Access and Visitation grants program is worthy of a rave, it would be interesting to see one judged a failure.
Read the OCSE report on the Texas Shared Parenting Project here.
While the Senate debates VAWA funding issues, the question of funding ACFC comes to a simple question: Will you or won’t you? We rely on donations from members and others to support our mission of education on the importance of children having two actively involved fit parents. Please visit our website or click this link and donate today. Thank you.
ACFC
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
