Category: News & Notes
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DCF investigating Miami’s child welfare dysfunction
The Department of Children and Families is convening a Peer Review Team to investigate the problems in Miami. I don’t know if it’s a public meeting, but it should be. See email below for details. From: Mike Carroll <Mike_Carroll@info.dcf.state.fl.us> Date: 04/25/2017 10:30 AM (GMT-05:00) To: “Ferradaz, Gilda” <Gilda.Ferradaz@myflfamilies.com> Subject: Miami Peer Review Launch Meeting (5/1/17:…
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CYLC files petition for reunification through developmental disability services
The Children and Youth Law Clinic (where I work) recently filed a petition with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities asking the agency to clarify the procedure and criteria for removing foster children from the Waitlist when they are reunified with their parents. Specifically, we asked about the procedure for children with severe developmental disabilities who can…
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Judge C. Alan Lawson (5DCA) appointed to Florida Supreme Court. How did he rule on child welfare cases?
Governor Scott has appointed Judge C. Alan Lawson of the Fifth District to the Florida Supreme Court. Judge Lawson will replace Justice James E.C. Perry who has reached mandatory retirement age. News reports have focused on Judge Lawson’s conservative credentials, but I thought I would take a look at his child welfare rulings to…
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Florida DCF Adopts LGBTQ Group Home Protections on Transgender Day of Remembrance
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a yearly memorial to transgender people who lost their lives to violence. Reports of homicides of transgender people have increased over the last years as families and friends of trans victims refuse to allow their identities to be erased. This year in Florida we remember with sadness India Clarke from Tampa, Vanessa Santillan from Miami,…
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DCF holding workshop on Extended Foster Care and PESS rules today
The new Independent Living Program went into effect on January 1, and since that time it’s been operating without administrative rules. That’s not for lack of effort to get rules passed. Good people have been working on this: a previous round of proposed rules, which were detailed and provided lots of support to youth and…
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Now Hiring: Attorneys for Children
Florida’s dependent children finally have attorneys, or at least some of them do. Governor Scott today signed into law House Bill 561, which creates section 39.0135, entitled Appointment of an attorney for a dependent child with certain special needs, for: children who reside in or are being considered for placement in a skilled nursing home, children who have…
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Michigan Supreme Court Rules One-Parent Doctrine Unconstitutional
Take note Florida: The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that removing a child from an uncharged parent is unconstitutional. We accordingly hold that due process requires a specific adjudication of a parent’s unfitness before the state can infringe the constitutionally protected parent-child relationship. In doing so, we announce no new constitutional right. Rather, we affirm that an…
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ILSAC Meeting on Tuesday
ILSAC is meeting on Tuesday, June 3, in a webcast event. What a wonderful opportunity to express exactly how EFC has been going thus far. Independent Living Services Advisory Council Meeting Event Type: Public Meeting Date/Time: Tuesday, June 3, 2014 – 13:00 to 16:00 Location: webcast event 1317 Winewood Blvd. Tallahssee Florida 32399 United States The purpose of the meeting…
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Florida Fifth DCA Approves Second-Parent Adoptions
In a long-awaited opinion, the Fifth District Court of Appeal (Daytona) last week held that second-parent adoptions, the adoption of a child by a gay parent’s partner, is within the jurisdiction of the courts and cannot later be challenged by the parents. The case–In re Adoption of D.P.P.–involves an unmarried lesbian couple who conceived with an…
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Florida Bar News: Foundation supports Miami Law’s advocacy for foster youth
We could not be prouder of both of the clients in this article. Thank you to the Florida Bar Foundation and everyone who made success (defined in very different ways) possible for them.