Tag Archives: Rick Snyder

Mar 21-Apr 3: CA&N Media Articles and Resources

CA&N Articles, , , , , , ,

Some recent media articles and resources relating to child abuse and neglect. If you have items that you think would be helpful to include in this occasional post, please forward them to me at the email in my signature block.

These stories were chosen because of their perceived relevance to the child welfare community.  MiPSAC is not responsible for the views expressed in any of these articles, nor does it take a position for or against the positions expressed in the articles.  They are presented merely to provide a sampling of what the media is saying about child welfare.

Charlie Enright, JD, MSW
4907 Foster Rd.
Midland, MI  48642
(989) 600-9696
[email protected]
Secretary,
Michigan Professional Society on Abuse of Children, MiPSAC
This and previous posts can be found at: http://www.mipsac.org/category/can-articles

RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES

State Unveils New Volunteer Foster Care Program For Those Aged 18-21

Apr 2, WNEM: The Michigan DHS has announced the launch of its new Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care program, effective immediately.
The new program allows foster children, as they become legal adults, to voluntarily remain under state care until age 21 — if they are in school (high school, GED, vocational or college); in job training; employed 80 hours per month, or are deemed incapable of participating in employment/education activities due to a documented medical condition.
Last November, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law Public Acts 225-230 of 2011, which allow for a variety of benefits, paid for by an approximate 65-35 split of federal and state funding, to be extended to foster youth in transition, including:
●   Extension of foster care payments
●   Continued oversight by a caseworker and counseling
●   Continued health care coverage
●   More time to finish high school and/or pursue vocational or higher education

Bill Eliminates DHS Jobs But Boosts Foster Care Funding

Apr 2, UpNorthLive.com: A bill in Lansing could bring much needed financial support to foster families right here in northern Michigan, but it also would eliminate dozens of employees with the Department of Human Services. For eight years, foster families haven’t been given an increase in pay from the state even though the costs of living has gone up. House bill 5374 would change that. If approved, starting in July families would get an additional three dollars per child per day. This bill would bump the payment to $13.78 and $16.27 a day for teens. The bill would also increase administrative payments at private child placing agencies by $5 per child per day, The county would have to eliminate it’s match rate to receive this increase. While private agencies would benefit from the bill, state agencies would not. The bill recommends the elimination of 64 full time DHS case workers. Link to Article  Link to HB-5374

New Hampshire Parents on Their Own in Abuse, Neglect Cases

Apr 2, NPR: Faced with a budget shortfall, New Hampshire has taken the unusual step of eliminating funding for indigent parent’s counsel. The court and state officials charged with enforcing the new policy now worry that the lack of representation is hurting parents and their children — and children’s advocates are concerned that other states may eventually follow New Hampshire’s lead. Vivek Sankaran, a professor of law at the University of Michigan, predicts New Hampshire may get exactly what it has historically tried to avoid — a generation of kids who grow up without their parents. The practice of child welfare has become “much more sophisticated” in recent years, Sankaran says. “And then you get [these cuts], where we’ve just reverted back to where we were in the 1960s or the 1950s.” Link to Audio/Text of Article

Restitution Sought to Care for Kids Whose Moms Used Them to Make Porn

Apr 2, Detroit Free Press: Steven Demink convinced women to do the unthinkable: molest their children and videotape the sex acts for him to watch — sometimes live via webcam. Demink, 41, is in prison for life for his crimes. So are the mothers, seven at last count. But now, the courts are grappling with, perhaps, a more complicated and emotional issue: Who is left to raise the children and who will pay for their care? In a case unfolding in federal court in Detroit, prosecutors are seeking restitution from Demink, arguing he should pay to help raise the children whose lives he helped shatter. Link to Article

US Child Abuse Costs Billions in Long Run

March 31, Anderson Independent-Mail: Researchers found that the child abuse and neglect that takes place in just one year will cost the U.S. $124 billion over the course of the victims’ lifetimes. “On an emotional level, you don’t get any argument from anyone when you talk about the importance of preventing child maltreatment,” Florence said. “But when it comes to determining how many resources to put toward that effort, it is a harder question to answer, because you have lots of worthy things competing for limited resources. This study demonstrates the substantial benefits of preventing child maltreatment … because it enables us to say more concretely what the costs of child maltreatment really are.” Link to Article

Awareness Training Offered As Part of Child Abuse Prevention Month

Mar 31, Holland Sentinel: Amy Dalman, of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Ottawa County is working to make identifying and reporting child sexual abuse easier for adults, with free trainings scheduled this month across the county. The effort is part of Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is April. There was a training at Herrick District Library was last week, but more free sessions are being offered in Allendale, Hudsonville and Grand Haven. The trainings are based on Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children, a two-and-a-half hour program that covers how to protect children from abuse. While encouraging adults to learn prevention techniques, the Children’s Advocacy Center also has been teaching children about “body safety,” including safe and unsafe touching. Dalman reaches about 90 percent of Ottawa County third graders with a one-time, 50-minute presentation, she said. She also gives a similar — but age-appropriate — presentation to about 1,200 pre-schoolers annually. Link to Article

Coverage for Autism Therapies Heads to Snyder’s Desk

Mar 30, Detroit News: State lawmakers sent Gov. Rick Snyder legislation that would make Michigan the 35th state to mandate autism insurance coverage and provide a funding mechanism to reimburse insurers and third-party health plan administrators for the treatment. Link to Article

Preliminary Budget Would Close Maxey Boys Training School

Mar 30, Livingston Daily.com: A preliminary state budget would close the Maxey Training School in Green Oak Township as part of an effort to shift Michigan’s juvenile offenders into private facilities. The House Department of Human Services Budget Subcommittee’s proposal would also close the Bay Pines Center in Escanaba and the Shawono Center in Grayling, both are also juvenile-detention centers. Link to Article

Teacher Hits Student With Pencil, Charged With Assault

Mar 29, ABC12.com: An unusual assault case is unfolding in a Mid-Michigan school district. The weapon in the alleged assault was a pencil. The accused has now resigned his teaching position at Tawas High School. Court papers indicate the teacher threw a pencil at a high school student to get that student’s attention, hitting the student in the head. Court papers show the pencil left a mark on the student’s forehead, and the student said he had a headache afterward. The court papers indicate some students saw the teacher throw the pencil and several students say the teacher has thrown pencils at other students. The teacher now faces one count of assault or assault and battery. The student’s father contacted the school’s principal and complained about the pencil-throwing. Link to Article

Judge: Pastor Covered by Privilege

Mar 28, Wood TV:  An Ionia County circuit court judge said a pastor who invoked clergy-penitent privilege was within his rights when he did not report suspicions of a man molesting his stepchildren to authorities.  Neither side disputes the basic facts: A woman approached the pastor in 2009 and told him that she thought her husband may have been sexually abusing her daughters.  Court documents from prosecutors said the woman told the pastor she was afraid her husband was having the girls touch themselves in front of him. The pastor didn’t report the allegations to police. Rather, he counseled the man. That man denied everything at the time and the girls involved did not want to talk to the pastor. But two years later, the same woman came to the pastor with more abuse allegations. This time, she said her daughter woke up in the middle of the night screaming, “I hate you,” and “I hate, I hate you, don’t ever touch me again.” Records say the girl’s stepfather was in her bedroom. This time, the pastor told the woman she’d have to tell police — or he would. That man was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in 2011 and is still in jail. The pastor was charged in late 2011 with failing to report child abuse — a misdemeanor that is punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. Prosecutors said it was the pastor’s duty to tell police. They pointed out the incident was not told to him in confession and the man’s wife wasn’t admitting a crime she committed.  Link to Article

Wendrow Family Can Continue Its Lawsuit Over Dismissed Child Abuse Accusations

March 28, Detroit Free Press: Julian Wendrow was arrested in December 2007 and remained jailed for 80 days. Thal Wendrow was placed on an electronic tether, and their children were sent to foster care for months before prosecutors dropped the case in 2008. The case against the Wendrows was based solely on statements their mute and autistic daughter, then 14, was said to have made using a widely debunked communication method called facilitated communication.  Link to Article

Fatigue, High Expectations Contribute To Depression in Adoptive Moms

Mar 28, Newsworks.org : Fatigue, worry, and isolation can lead to post-partum depression — and a new study finds those same factors also contribute to depression in adoptive moms. Link to Article

Snyder Makes Appointments to Child Abuse Prevention Board

March 27, Oakland Press: Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointments of Lena Epstein Koretzky, of Bloomfield Hills, and Karl Ieuter, of Sanford, to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board. The 11-person board promotes the health, safety and welfare of Michigan’s children and families by funding local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect. Link to Article

Secrecy Gone: Most Adoptions Today Are ‘Open,’ Report Says

March 27, Baptist Press: A new survey of adoption agencies confirms that the secrecy once associated with adoption is no longer a reality, with 95 percent of all domestic adoptions now being “open” or “semi-open” — that is, the birth parents and adoptive parents having at least some level of contact.  Link to Article

Same-Sex Couple Fights Alleged Sperm Donor Over Child Visitation Rights.

March 27, Mlive.com: A child custody case pending in Genesee Circuit Court is pitting a lesbian couple against a man they claim to have paid to be a donor for their daughter, Trinitee. The man, who was previously married to one of the women for four years, said he never intended to give up his parental rights to the child. Link to Article

Supervising Priest Goes on Trial in Abuse Case

Mar 27, New York Times: The landmark trial of a senior official of the Philadelphia Archdiocese who is accused of shielding priests who sexually abused children and reassigning them to unwary parishes began on Monday with prosecutors charging that the official “paid lip service to child protection and protected the church at all costs.” Link to Article

US Woman Adopts Indian Boy Via Video-Conferencing

Mar 24, Times of India: In one of the first cases of its kind, an American woman has been allowed to adopt an Indian child through video-conferencing, after the mother and child deposed before a US district court from Delhi. The adoption did not involve the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) either, in itself a precedent. On Friday, 31-year-old Rebecca Morlock flew home with Kyle, the boy from Kalimpong who was handed over to her as a newborn four years ago. Link to Article

Court Denies Class in Texas Foster Care Lawsuit

Mar 23, Associated Press: The lawsuit by New York-based advocacy group Children’s Rights claims the Texas foster care system is unconstitutional and forces thousands of children to live in poorly supervised institutions, frequently moving them from one place to another and often splitting up siblings. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 on behalf of nine Texas children. A state district judge in Corpus Christi allowed the class action, but Friday’s ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the plaintiffs had not properly established a legal class. Link to AP Article  Also: Link to TR Article

Expectations, Exhaustion Can Lead Mothers to Post-Adoption Stress

Mar 23, Science Daily: “Feeling tired was by far the largest predictor of depression in mothers who adopted,” said Karen J. Foli, an assistant professor of nursing who studied factors that could predict depression in adoptive mothers. “We didn’t expect to see this, and we aren’t sure if the fatigue is a symptom of the depression or if it is the parenting experience that is the source of the fatigue.” Link to Article

Momentum for Children’s Welfare, Equality

March 23, Huffington Post: We should be opening up more homes to kids, not denying qualified parents who are willing to provide a safe and stable home to children solely because of their sexual orientation or marital status. The only criteria in adoption and foster care placements should be what is in the child’s best interest. Homophobia and discrimination should not be a part of the equation. Link to Article

US: Why Eliminate the Victims of Child Abuse Act?

Mar 23, Huffington Post: Funding for the Victims of Child Abuse Act represents a fraction of the federal budget. In the case of CASA for Children, that fraction is three ten thousandths of one percent of the $3.8 trillion federal budget. It is a drop in the bucket in terms of deficit reduction. Yet it has a direct impact on the lives of 660,000 children in the foster care and child welfare system. Link to Article

Ennis Center for Children in Flint Now Providing Support Program for Adoptive Parents

Mar 22, Michigan Live: Post-Adoptive Support Services (PASS) focuses on helping adoptive families that are in need of community support, behavior management, and education on the underlying affects that childhood trauma can have on adopted children. Link to Article

Wisconsin Black Earth Pastor Found Guilty of Conspiracy in Child Abuse Case

Mar 21, Wisconsin State Journal: A Black Earth pastor was found guilty Wednesday of eight counts of conspiracy to commit child abuse for advocating the use of wooden rods to spank children as young as two months. Link to Article

LINKS FROM CHILD INFORMATION GATEWAY WEB SITE

The Economic Burden of Child Maltreatment in the United States and Implications for Prevention, by X. Fang, D. S. Brown, C. S. Florence, and J. A. Mercy (in press), was published in Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, and is available on the ScienceDirect website: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213411003140

Prevention of Child Maltreatment in High-risk Rural Families: A Randomized Clinical Trial With Child Welfare Outcomes, by J. F. Silovsky, D. Bard, M. Chaffin, D. Hecht, L. Burris, and A. Owora et al., was published in Children and Youth Services Review, 33(8), and is available on the ScienceDirect website: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740911001459

Mar 7-13: CA&N Media Articles and Updates

CA&N Articles, , , ,

Some recent media articles and resources relating to child abuse and neglect. If you have items that you think would be helpful to include in this occasional post, please forward them to me at the email in my signature block.

These stories were chosen because of their perceived relevance to the child welfare community.  MiPSAC is not responsible for the views expressed in any of these articles, nor does it take a position for or against the positions expressed in the articles.  They are presented merely to provide a sampling of what the media is saying about child welfare.

Charlie Enright, JD, MSW
4907 Foster Rd.
Midland, MI  48642
(989) 600-9696
[email protected]
Secretary,
Michigan Professional Society on Abuse of Children, MiPSAC
This and previous posts can be found at: http://www.mipsac.org/category/can-articles

RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES

No More Head Start Cash for City of Detroit

Mar 9, Detroit Free Press: Following complaints that the Detroit Human Services Department fostered an environment of nepotism, reckless spending and corruption to the detriment of the early childhood education program Head Start, the federal government plans to stop sending $50 million a year to the city to fund the program, the Free Press learned Thursday. Mayor Dave Bing’s office supports the idea and agreed to drop the city’s handling of the program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will seek applicants from other governments and nonprofits to take over administering the Head Start money, which is used to help children of lower-income families prepare for school. Link to Article

Gov. Rick Snyder Aims to Stop Truancy; Cut Welfare If Children Skip School

Mar 8, MLive.com: The governor proposed a program to stop truancy in public schools, calling on the Michigan DHS to put more social workers in public elementary schools in Flint, Detroit, Pontiac and Saginaw. “I also call on DHS to require regular school attendance as a condition for eligibility for temporary cash assistance,” Snyder said. Link to Article

Task Force to Examine Child Misconduct at University

Mar 7, Michigan Daily: In the wake of the recent incident involving alleged child pornography at the University of Michigan Health System and the widely publicized incidents at Penn State University, the University is in the planning phases of assembling a task force to prevent inappropriate conduct with children at the University in the future. Link to Article

Adopted Children More Likely to Abuse Drugs if Biological Parent Did

March 6, CBS News: Adopted children are twice as likely to use drugs if their biological parents used them, according a study of more than 18000 adopted children in Sweden. But don’t discount a child’s environment in the nature vs. nurture debate just yet. The same study showed that adopted children who lived with families with problems, such as divorce, death or criminal activity, also had a high risk of drug abuse. Link to Main Article   Cf: Link to Related Article

State House Votes in Favor of Medical Amnesty Policy

Mar 6, Michigan Daily: A bill supporting medical amnesty, a policy that would prevent individuals under the age of 21 from receiving Minor in Possession of Alcohol citations for seeking medical attention for themselves or others while intoxicated was overwhelmingly passed in the Michigan House of Representatives yesterday in a vote of 105-4. The bill will which now heads to the state Senate, was sponsored by State Rep. Anthony Forlini (R–Harrison Township). He said the bill is crucial in potentially saving the lives of underage drinkers in perilous situations. Link to Article

Same issue, different media outlet

Underage Drinkers Would Receive Amnesty Under Legislation that Passed the State House

Mar 6, mlive.com: Minors who call authorities to get help for a friend suffering from alcohol poisoning wouldn’t have to worry about being cited for underage drinking under legislation passed by the state house today. The aim of the legislation, passed by a vote of 104-5, is to encourage minors to notify emergency medical personnel when they think a friend of theirs is dangerously ill because of binge drinking. Link to Article

RESOURCES WITH TIME LIMITED VALUE

Click on a seminar title to view this SCAO List, and then follow directions.

SCAO-CWS 8th Annual Conference: Pathways To Permanency: Engaging Older Youth To Achieve Positive Outcomes
April 11-12, 2012

Impacting Development: Considerations for Child Welfare Professionals About the Developmental Consequences of Abuse and Neglect
Wednesday, May 9 at 9:00 AM EDT

Testifying in Court for Nonlawyers
Thursday, May 24 at 9:00 AM EDT

Child Welfare Advanced Appellate Training
Thursday, Jun 21 at 9:00 AM EDT

Guidelines for Achieving Permanency in Child Protection Proceedings:The “Yellow Book” Training
Thursday, Jul 26 at 9:00 AM EDT

The ICWA “Qualified Expert Witness” Testimony to Protect the Best Interests of the Indian Child
Wednesday, Aug 8 at 9:00 AM EDT

Telling a Story: Trial Skills for the Child Welfare Lawyer
Thursday, Aug 16 at 9:00 AM EDT

RESOURCES WITH ONGOING VALUE

After the Injury: PTSD in Kids; Helping Parents Help Their Kids Recover

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Web Page: Information for Healthcare Professionals: The information on this site is intended primarily for parents of injured children, but we hope that it will be informative and useful for health care providers as well. We encourage you to explore the information provided on the website about common reactions post injury and what parents and other family members can do to help. As a healthcare provider there are things that you can do to help injured children and their parents. You can be aware of traumatic stress reactions and risk factors, and provide anticipatory guidance that may help to reduce persistent traumatic stress reactions. Link to Professional’s Page  Includes a link to parent’s page.

LINKS FROM CHILD INFORMATION GATEWAY WEB SITE

Child Welfare, Race, and Disparity: New Findings, New Opportunities [Webcast].
Child and Family Policy Forum. Wulczyn, Fred. Fenner, Eric. Mattingly, John. Snowden, Lonnie. Stagner, Matthew. Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago 2012 Link to Webcast

In Their Own Voices: Trauma Survivors’ Experiences in Overcoming Childhood Trauma.
Morrow, Jennifer Ann. Clayman, Sharon. McDonagh, Bonnie. The University of Tennessee. SAGE Open2012  Link to Full Free Article  Link to Article as pdf

Interventions Addressing Child Exposure to Trauma: Part 1: Child Maltreatment and Family Violence. Ford, Julian D. 2012 Link to Article  Link to Article as pdf

Child Maltreatment 2010: Key Findings and Additional Analyses [Webinar].
Nolan, Catherine. Samuels, Bryan. United States. Children’s Bureau. 2012
Link to .wmv file

Updated Trends in Child Maltreatment.
Finkelhor, David. Jones, Lisa. Shattuck, Anne. University of New Hampshire.
Crimes Against Children Research Center. 2011 Link to Article

Knowing the Best of What’s Out There: Understanding and Identifying Evidence-Based Practices in Child Welfare [Webinar]. Walsh, Cambria Rose. Zimmet, Blake. The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. 2011 Link to .wmv file

Preventing and Mitigating the Effects of Childhood Violence and Trauma: An Interview With Carl C. Bell, MD. Health Care Innovations Exchange Team 2012
Link to Article

Focusing on Well-Being: Developing a Protective Factors Framework for Youth in Care [Webinar]. Browne, Charlyn Harper. Notkin, Susan.
National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections. 2012
Link to Audio of Webinar

Coordination of Child Death Review and Citizens Review Panels: Maximizing the Opportunities to Improve Systems and Prevent Fatal Abuse and Neglect [Webinar].
Covington, Teri; National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Death. 2012
Link to Listen Only Webinar

Feb 14-21: CA&N Media Articles and Updates

CA&N Articles, , , ,

Some recent media articles and resources relating to child abuse and neglect. If you have items that you think would be helpful to include in this occasional post, please forward them to me at the email in my signature block.

These stories were chosen because of their perceived relevance to the child welfare community.  MiPSAC is not responsible for the views expressed in any of these articles, nor does it take a position for or against the positions expressed in the articles.  They are presented merely to provide a sampling of what the media is saying about child welfare.

Charlie Enright, JD, MSW
4907 Foster Rd.
Midland, MI  48642
(989) 600-9696
[email protected]
Secretary,
Michigan Professional Society on Abuse of Children, MiPSAC

This and previous posts can be found at: http://www.mipsac.org/category/can-articles

RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES

Journalists Allowed Into Los Angeles’ Dependency Courts

Feb 17, NPR, On The Media (audio only): Link to Program Segment

Los Angeles County Juvenile Court Allows the Press to Observe Proceedings.

Feb 12, Los Angeles Times: Judge Michael Nash, who presides over the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court, has long argued that public access to the court’s proceedings would improve its accountability and the accountability of those who appear before it. Last week, he set out to prove it. A reporter from The Times was allowed to observe some hearings Tuesday, and was able to report the judge’s dissatisfaction with the performance of a social worker in one case. There were furious objections to the presence of these observers, a reminder that the idea of openness is profoundly unsettling in a courthouse accustomed to doing its work in private. But privacy has bred arrogance and resistance to notions that otherwise suit society well: that the public has a right to observe its institutions at work, and that public servants should not be allowed to hide behind secrecy to disguise inefficiency, incompetence or worse. Link to Article

Sex-Changing Treatment for Kids: It’s on the Rise

February 20, Detroit News: A small but growing number of teens and even younger children who believe they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and from doctors who give them sex-changing treatments, according to reports in the medical journal Pediatrics. Link to Article

Scouts to Turn Over Files: Records Detail Accusations of Sex Abuse by Scout Leaders

February 20, Detroit News: A judge overseeing a lawsuit brought by the family of a California boy molested by his troop leader in 2007 has ordered the Boy Scouts of America to hand over confidential files detailing allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders around the nation. The Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge said last month that the Irving, Texas-based organization must turn over the last 20 years’ worth of records by Friday, with victims’ names removed, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. The files will not be made public. Known as “ineligible volunteer files,” the documents have been maintained since the 1920s and are intended to keep suspected molesters and others accused of misconduct out of Scouting. Link to Article

Berrien County Parenting Program in the Works

Feb 19, Herald Palladium: The Berrien County Department of Health recently hired Julie Etter to coordinate its new Positive Parenting Program, or Triple P. Triple P is designed to offer parents and other caregivers instruction in the practical steps to create a safe and loving environment – talking instead of yelling, time-outs instead of spanking. Berrien is one of only two counties in the nation to be awarded a three-year, $330,000 grant from the federal Centers for Disease Control to establish a Triple P project. Triple P was started in Australia 30 years ago and is now used in 23 countries and 27 states. Decades of research have attested to its effectiveness in increasing confidence in parents and reducing stress, depression and anger related to child rearing, Etter said. Although an exact timeline hasn’t yet been established, Etter estimated that Triple P will be available to parents mid-way through the year. Link to Article

Foster Youth Can Attend Career Exploration Day

Feb 18, Ypsilanti Courier: Over 250 youth from Wayne, Washtenaw and Oakland counties are expected to attend the 2012 Career Exploration Day on March 24th. This event will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Western Campus of Wayne County Community College, 9555 Haggerty Road in Belleville. A special focus of the event will be on serving youth in the foster care system. At the event, career and college representatives will engage the youth in discussions about their educational and career goals. Link to Article

Latest Drug Shortage Threatens Children With Leukemia

Feb 16, NPR: What to do when U.S. doctors: caring for patients with life-threatening diseases when the supply of critical drugs threatens to disappear. The latest crisis concerns the old standby cancer drug methotrexate. For six decades, it’s made the difference between rapid death and lifelong cure for thousands of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and a type of bone cancer called osteogenic sarcoma. Link to Article

In The Margins: Funding For Youth Program in Gov. Snyder’s Proposed Budget Could Help Low-Income Communities

Feb 15, Saginaw News: Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed to set aside money for youth in the four most violent cities in Michigan, dedicating $5 million for summer programs with an emphasis in Saginaw, Detroit, Flint and Pontiac. The investment is part of a $48.2-billion budget proposal announced by Snyder Thursday that also addresses dental services for kids, autism treatment and diagnosis and funding for adopted and foster children. Link to Article

Number of Special Ed Students in Berrien County Continues to Decline.

Feb 15, Herald Palladium: For the seventh year in a row, Berrien Regional Education Service Agency has seen a decrease in the number of students who need special education services throughout the county. Superintendent Kevin Ivers said the agency emphasis on early intervention appears to be paying off, if the latest numbers are any indication. We believe that early childhood education is a factor – getting kids identified earlier, and getting them support earlier, will help them be successful when they enter kindergarten.

The district offers numerous programs to help parents and children who need special education services, including: Early On Michigan, Parents as Teachers, and Project Find. Link to Article

Restoring Kids, and a Community

Feb 15, Michigan Today: A program built around the concept that kids can and want to reduce violence and improve their neighborhoods led to lower crime rates, better upkeep on homes and more students who said they learned to resolve conflicts without violence. The afterschool and summer program, called Youth Empowerment Solutions for Peaceful Communities (YES), is a University of Michigan School of Public Health case study that included seventh and eighth grade students at select schools in Flint, Mich. Link to Article

Governor Snyder Presented His Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Proposal to the Legislature.

Feb 10, Michigan’s Children has taken a quick look at how the proposal will impact children and youth in Michigan. Link to Michigan Children’s Summary

Feb 7-14: CA&N Media Articles and Resources

CA&N Articles, , , , , , , , ,

Some recent media articles and resources relating to child abuse and neglect. If you have items that you think would be helpful to include in this occasional post, please forward them to me at the email in my signature block.

These stories were chosen because of their perceived relevance to the child welfare community.  MiPSAC is not responsible for the views expressed in any of these articles, nor does it take a position for or against the positions expressed in the articles.  They are presented merely to provide a sampling of what the media is saying about child welfare.

Charlie Enright, JD, MSW
4907 Foster Rd.
Midland, MI  48642
(989) 600-9696
[email protected]
Secretary,
Michigan Professional Society on Abuse of Children, MiPSAC

This and previous posts can be found at: http://www.mipsac.org/category/can-articles

RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES

Bill to Help Victims of Sexual Abuse Sue Perpetrator in Michigan

Feb 13, UpNorthLive.com: There is a new bill floating around Lansing that seeks to extend the age limit that a victim of sexual abuse can sue the perpetrator. “All the bill does is extend the statute of limitations for civil action against the perpetrator of criminal sexual child abuse for 10 years after they reach maturity,” said State Rep. Mark Meadows, D – East Lansing. Right now, victims in the state of Michigan are unable to sue after the age of 19. That limit would be pushed back to 28. Link to Article

Mission to Protect: Strategies to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children

Feb 13, Midland Daily News: Protecting children, staff and volunteers is a paramount and constant mission for local groups providing youth activities. Link to Article
From: www.stopitnow.org
Questions to ask of programs
Adult behavior that raises concerns about sexual abuse
Sexual abuse warning signs

Mount Clemens Priest Suspended After Parishioner Charged in Sex Assault

Feb 12, Macomb Daily: The pastor of St. Peter Catholic Parish in Mount Clemens has been temporarily suspended from his priestly duties for failing to provide a safe environment on parish property, according to the Archdiocese of Detroit. Bishop Michael Bynes said in a statement: “There is no allegation of abuse against Fr. Cooney. But the Archdiocese does hold him accountable”. Both the victim and the defendant are parishioners at the church and apparently were caught in the act of having sex during a pancake breakfast after a Mass at the church in mid-December. Link to Article

US Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Vatican Dismissed

Feb 11, AP/Midland Daily News: Lawyers for a man who was sexually abused decades ago by a priest at a Wisconsin school for the deaf have withdrawn their lawsuit naming Pope Benedict XVI and other top Vatican officials as defendants, a major victory for the Holy See, which has long insisted the pope bears no liability for the actions of an abusive priest. Link to Article

U-M Leader: ‘Serious Failure’ in Child Porn Case

Feb 10, The Times Herald: The University of Michigan botched the response to child pornography found on a computer flash drive at a campus hospital, the school’s president said Friday, noting that a six-month delay in reporting it was a “serious failure.” An internal investigation determined that a hospital attorney aware of the incident decided after a month there was not enough evidence to summon police and closed the matter in June. The case was reopened by fall and charges were filed against a man who was a resident physician. The flash drive containing child porn was found in a staff lounge. The delay was a “serious failure on the part of our institution — there is simply no other way to describe it,” U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement accompanying the report. Link to Article

Details of Snyder’s Budget Plan

Feb 09, AP, Detroit News: Highlights of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s $48.2 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year that starts in October:

Education

  • K-12 schools would receive a 1 percent funding increase compared to the money received in the current budget plan. Much of the additional money is set aside for schools that can seek “best practices” bonuses by offering dual enrollment or advanced placement courses, offering online or “blended” learning, and other practices. Another portion would be set aside for bonuses for school districts that can demonstrate academic achievement in math and reading for 3rd through 8th graders and in several subjects at the high school level. Districts would get $179 million toward teacher pension costs, similar to help they’re receiving this year.
  • About $12.5 million would be added to this fiscal year’s early education spending with part of the state budget surplus. About $115 million would go toward early education in the next fiscal year.
  • Increases funding for operations to Michigan’s 15 public universities by 3 percent. The increase is tied to some improvements in graduation measures and also to limiting tuition increases to 4 percent or less.
  • State aid to community colleges would increase by 3 percent, with money distributed based on degrees earned in high-demand fields. Link to Article

Foster Care Gap: State Will Tap Federal Funds to Aid Youths Ages 18-21

Feb 08, Detroit Free Press: Soon, Michigan will tap into federal funds that will extend support to young adults in foster care until their 21st birthdays. These services are critical, coming at a time when at-risk young people either are getting a foothold on life or are in danger of slipping into the public welfare system. Each year, more than 500 foster youth age out of Michigan’s foster system, some at just 18, with no family support. A new state law is part of a federal push to improve outcomes for these young adults. In Michigan, it will mean three additional years of financial help, counseling and life-skills training for youth who age out at 18. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act became law in October 2008, and was considered by some to be one of the most significant changes to national foster care policy in a decade or more. In addition to making it easier to keep foster youth with relatives and improve adoption rates, it bolstered support for older youth. One of those provisions set aside federal funds for states that extend care to youths until they turn 21, provided those young adults are working or going to school. In Michigan, legislative fiscal analysts have estimated that extending care would add $13.8 million to the budget, though more than half would be reimbursed by federal money. Still, the state didn’t have a lot of choice. It’s under a federal court agreement to drastically improve outcomes for its foster youth. Link to Article

Mt. Morris Couple Accused in Child Abuse and Pornography Case Involving Infant

Feb 08, Mlive.com: Neighbors of Dan and Alisha Hall, charged Tuesday with sexually abusing their infant daughter and possessing hundreds of child pornography images, said they kept their distance from the couple. Daniel and Alisha Hall of Mt. Morris were arraigned Tuesday in Genesee District Court. Police believe Daniel Hall sexually abused his six-month-old daughter while Alisha Hall photographed the abuse. Link to Article

Grandfather, Mother sentenced for Coercing Girl to Recant Allegations That Grandfather Molested Her

Feb 08, Macomb Daily: A 71-year-old man and his adult daughter used shopping, a movie and potential loss of his financial support to coerce his 11-year-old granddaughter into recanting her accusation that he molested her in a Utica motel. They were sentenced to two years probation each after they pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice in exchange for dismissal of witnesses bribery or intimidation charge. The sentence displeased the girl’s father, a 38-year-old Lincoln Park man whose name is being withheld to protect his daughter’s identity. His daughter is receiving psychiatric care. He said he would like to have seen the grandfather behind bars. Link to Article

Department of Human Services Mentor Earns State Honor

Feb 08, Morning Sun: Selene Wadhawan, who has worked for the Michigan Department of Human Services for 12 years, has mentored many youth. Wadhawan, a children’s services supervisor at the DHS office in Mt. Pleasant, recently won a state award for her efforts in mentoring foster youth. Michigan DHS Director Maura Corrigan telephoned Wadhawan with the news late last month, and she has the award on display in her office. Wadhawan, who founded the Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiative youth board in Isabella and Midland counties, was the first recipient of the Outstanding Mentor Award, which recognizes a DHS employee who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to mentoring foster youth. Link to Article

Detroit Schools’ No. 1 Mission: Getting Kids to Class

Feb 8, NPR: Ask Detroit teachers about their biggest challenge, and many will say, “You can’t teach kids who don’t come to class.” Last year, the average Detroit public high school student missed at least 28 days of school. Now, as part of its effort to get parents more involved, the district has launched a major initiative to improve attendance. The effort includes parent workshops and attendance agents charged with pushing parents to send their kids to school every day. Link to NPR Article

Detroit To Parents: Time To Get Involved In Education

Feb 7, NPR: In Detroit, officials say they are trying everything they can to revive the city’s public school system, from replacing dilapidated buildings to hiring new school leaders. Detroit Public Schools is also focusing on a neglected piece of the education equation: parents. The effort to involve parents in public education in Detroit focuses on a lot of little things, like “the homework corner” in Myesha Williams’ house on Doris Street. “The homework corner is awesome!” Williams says, beaming. With eight children — five still in school — Williams’ home is packed tight. But unlike many families in this city, Williams has set aside a special corner to help her kids focus. The Detroit Parent Network, a local nonprofit working with the school system, has outfitted Williams’ homework space to look like a classroom, complete with a neat bookshelf, a whiteboard and framed pictures. The idea is that this home will serve as a model that neighbors will emulate. Link to NPR Article

RESOURCES WITH TIME LIMITED VALUE

Weiss Advocacy Center to Host Lectures About Child Abuse

Feb 12, Flint Journal: Flint, Michigan: The Weiss Advocacy Center‘ 2012 Speaker Series will feature presentations about child abuse and its effects, and how to recognize child predators.

Feb. 27, John Micsak will give a presentation on the long-term effects of abuse on a child’s brain, and how those can sometimes lead to behavioral issues “This is the Brain. This is the Brain After Abuse.”.

March 26, Dr. Edwin Gullekson  will discuss how to recognize physical and behavioral signs of abuse that are most common in children who are abused “What does Abuse Look Like?”.

April 16, Clayton Township Police Chief Mike Powers will discuss how to recognize pedophiles and how they lure parents into trusting them. “What Do Predators Look Like?”

From the Foster Youth In Transition DHS Website:

2012 Michigan Teen Conference! Take Charge of your Journey Youth ages 14 – 21 who are in foster care or independent living are invited to the annual teen conference at Ferris State University on June 19-20. Request YIT funds now for youth registration fees. Click here for cost and registration information.

FREE EVENT: COLLEGE GOAL SUNDAY!!
If you are a high school senior, you should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the end of February for the following school year! College Goal Sunday is being held at over 35 locations across the state and youth can come complete the FAFSA with the help of professional financial aid administrators. Go to http://www.micollegegoal.org/ to find the location near you! Don’t miss out on being eligible for college funding! University of Michigan – Dearborn campus also offers a foster youth specific Collage Goal Sunday. Click here for more information.

Upcoming SCAO Off-Site Programs

Review the list of programs below. Click on each program title to review a summary of the program and featured faculty. Enrolling in an Upcoming Off-Site Program: To enroll click on a program title below then choose “Register” in the summary box. Complete the registration form as requested and click “Continue”.

Based on a True Story: Best Practice for Child Welfare Professionals : Wednesday, Mar 14 at 9:00 AM EDT

Self-Care for Child Welfare Professionals: Avoiding Burnout : Friday, Mar 16 at 9:00 AM EDT

Impacting Development: Considerations for Child Welfare Professionals About the Developmental Consequences of Abuse and Neglect : Wednesday, May 9 at 9:00 AM EDT

Testifying in Court for Non Lawyers : Thursday, May 24 at 9:00 AM EDT

Child Welfare Advanced Appellate Training : Thursday, Jun 21 at 9:00 AM EDT

The ICWA “Qualified Expert Witness” Testimony to Protect the Best Interests of the Indian Child : Wednesday, Aug 8 at 9:00 AM EDT

Upcoming SCAO Webinar Programs
Click on the program title to review a summary of the program and featured faculty. Enrolling in an Upcoming Program: To enroll please click on a program title below then choose “Register” in the summary box. Complete the registration form as requested and click “Continue”.
Appeals by Leave: What Child Welfare Attorneys Need to Know : Tuesday, Feb 21 at 12:00 PM EST

The 18th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Washington DC

April 16-20, 2012 is sponsored by the Children’s Bureau’s Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) and features child welfare leaders and experts including; practitioners, policy makers, cutting-edge researchers, and advocates. Participants will have a unique opportunity to learn from these individuals: influence and shape practice, policy, and research; and network with professionals dedicated to the well-being of our nation’s children and families. Link to Registration Page

RESOURCES WITH ONGOING VALUE

From the Foster Youth In Transition DHS Website:

The FYIT web site was the result of a recommendation made by the Statewide Task Force on Youth Transitioning from Foster Care in 2006. Over 100 members from public and private organizations that care about improving services to foster youth participated. Youth representatives were part of the Task Force and acted as a lead for each of the six subcommittees that consisted of the State Court Administrative Office, Child Welfare Services Division; the Governor’s Task Force on Children’s Justice; the Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Institute; the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman; and Children’s Charter of the Courts of Michigan. The site provides information on a variety of issues important to current and former foster youth, as well as, links to other sites that share information on how to develop supports, find services, get answers to important questions and keep you posted on what’s new.

http://www.michigan.gov/fyit

The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)

The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) is a way for youth who experience foster care to share their experiences so that services can be improved. Hearing back from youth allows DHS and the community to better understand how foster care impacts young people and how they can change policies and improve resources to make it better. Your participation matters! It makes sure Michigan does not make decisions about you, without you!

A Handbook for Youth In Foster Care – Now Available!
Recent changes in financial aid expand college opportunities for foster youth. See how these changes may affect you.

Child Abuse Evaluation & Treatment for Medical Providers

Provides a single, comprehensive source of child abuse information that offers tools and resources with which to diagnose and manage child and adolescent abuse victims. It is a resource for medical providers who do not have a background or expertise in child abuse pediatrics and are striving to develop best practice standards for their patient care setting. The website is a book and is organized by chapters. You can access information in three ways: use the Table of Contents, the A-Z Index, or enter key words in the search box. This website should not take the place of consultation with a child abuse medical expert or careful case review with a multidisciplinary team. Link to Site

YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTARY FOSTER CARE

Extending Foster Care to Age 21 – On Adoption Day, Nov. 22, 2011, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Act (Public Acts 225 through 230 of 2011) that will allow Michigan foster youth to voluntarily remain under state care until age 21 if they are in job training, in college, employed or disabled. Extended benefits are made possible by the Federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, which gave states the option to receive matching federal funds to extend financial assistance through federal Title IV-E funding to eligible foster youth. The Michigan Department of Human Services is awaiting approval of the state plan from the federal government, with the program launch planned for April 2012. The Q&A below provides an overview of the program: Link to DHS Info on This Program

MICHIGAN APPELLATE COURT CASES

Court: Michigan Court of Appeals (Unpublished)

Case Name: In re Swiss

The court found no clear error given respondent’s negative history as to parental rights (his parental rights to two other children were previously terminated), “his predilection to engage in criminal behavior resulting in multiple terms of imprisonment and reflecting an inability to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law,” the nature of his criminal acts – “actions pertaining to narcotics trafficking and intimidating/assaultive behavior, his current state of incarceration and the length of sentence absent identification of a family member or relative who could act as the child’s temporary caregiver, and given the fact that respondent chose to continue his criminal ways and risk imprisonment instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to fully participate in services after the petitioner-DHS first became involved.”, all played a role” in the termination of his parental rights, not incarceration alone. Contrary to respondent’s arguments, Mason was distinguishable and did not require reversal. Full Text Opinion.

Jan 17-24: CA&N Media Articles and Resources

CA&N Articles, , , , , , , , ,

Some recent media articles and resources relating to child abuse and neglect.  If you have items that you think would be helpful to include in this occasional post, please forward them to me at the email in my signature block.

These stories were chosen because of their perceived relevance to the child welfare community.  MiPSAC is not responsible for the views expressed in any of these articles, nor does it take a position for or against the positions expressed in the articles.  They are presented merely to provide a sampling of what the media is saying about child welfare.

Charlie Enright, JD, MSW
4907 Foster Rd.
Midland, MI  48642
(989) 600-9696
[email protected]
Secretary,
Michigan Professional Society on Abuse of Children, MiPSAC

This and previous posts can be found at: http://www.mipsac.org/category/can-articles

RECENT MEDIA ARTICLES

Funding at Risk for Detroit’s Social Services State Officials Detail Misspending in Review of Detroit’s Finances

Jan 23, The Detroit News: The city is managing federal funding so poorly that it’s risking future dollars for social service programs intended to help disadvantaged residents, officials examining Detroit’s finances say. Link to Article

City’s Spending

Here are some examples of how the city spends federal funds in social service areas:

  • Head Start: $49.1 million
  • Energy Assistance: $1 million
  • Weatherization Program: $3.3 million
  • Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program: $4.1 million

Same-Sex Couple Fights to Change adoption Laws So Their Kids Have Same Rights as Other Children

Jan 22, WXYZ: Imagine not being allowed to adopt a child you had raised since birth. That is what some same-sex partners are facing. Michigan is among a handful of states that still offers no legal protections for gays and lesbians – and that can have major consequences for their children. A local lesbian couple has been raising three children since birth, kids who otherwise would have been in the foster care system. One of the women adopted one child – while the other woman had to adopt the other two – that’s because the law in Michigan won’t let them jointly adopt all three kids. And they’re hoping this lawsuit will change the lives of children all over Michigan. Link to Article

Michigan in Dire Need of Adoptive and Foster Parents

Jan 21, Oakland Press: Although 92 percent of children placed in foster care because of neglect, abuse or family problems are adopted by relatives or foster parents, more than 400 have no relatives or families being considered for their adoption. The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange is an organization working to find homes for the children who have been waiting the longest for permanent families. The truth is that your marital status, age, income and sexual orientation will not disqualify you from adopting a child who is in foster care in Michigan. You don’t need to own your own home, have children already, be young, wealthy or a stay-at-home parent to adopt or foster. Link to Article

Mount Clemens Hospital Intern Says Baby Fell Down Stairs

Jan 21, Macomb Daily: The defendant, who two months before the incident left his intern post at Mount Clemens Regional Hospital, is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and first-degree child abuse, accused of assaulting a 13-month-old child while under his care. He was dating the girl’s mother, who also worked at the hospital. The prosecutor said the injuries are inconsistent with a fall. The girl suffered multiple skull fractures, bruises on her face and torso, and tears in her vaginal area and anus. Link to Article

Prosecutors Say Anger, Not the Devil, Made Warren Step-dad Attack Boy

Jan: 20, Oakland Press: The Assistant Macomb prosecutor, in opening statements in the Randall Caballero trial preemptively countered the defense’s claim that Caballero was legally insane — that “the devil” made him try to kill the child. Caballero, 36, is charged with attempted murder and first-degree child abuse, accused of walking the barely dressed boy about a quarter-mile from their home where he choked him and pushed him in a snow bank. The boy was found by a police officer a short time later with a body temperature of 79.5 degrees and taken to a hospital. Caballero told police, “I just killed my stepson. I strangled my 3-year-old stepson and left his body. He made another comment, the devil made him do it.” The defense claims Caballero has been diagnosed as bipolar for which he has been hospitalized at least four times since 2007. Caballero’s treating psychiatrist is expected to testify in agreement that Caballero was insane, although that will be opposed by the state expert who will accuse Caballero of faking insanity. The prosecutor said the victim’s mother will testify that Caballero successfully pretended to be mentally ill to receive Social Security Disability. A professional at a facility that housed him says in a report that Caballero was faking. The prosecutor said “He’s a malingerer and a liar,” “Manipulation is what he did to doctors and the state to get disability. “Now he’s (trying) to manipulate to escape punishment for his behavior, trying to kill that child.” The victim, who is now 5, has recovered from his physical injuries and receives counseling, according to his paternal grandmother, Rhonda Castillo. He resides with his father and twin brother in Madison Heights as well as with Spring Caballero in Sterling Heights. Link to Article

Drug Arrests Create Racial Caste System, Says Author Michelle Alexander

Jan 19, Grand Rapids Press: Alexander authored an award-winning book asserting the punitive obsession of the modern criminal justice system is an extension of the so-called Jim Crow laws, which legalized discrimination against blacks and other minorities until the 1960s. The book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” contends the war on drugs is the biggest cause of a disproportionate number of mostly black nonviolent offenders being placed behind bars than ever in our nation’s history. Alexander, who was a clerk for a U.S. Supreme Court justice and is on the faculty at Ohio State University, said her research for the book shows crime rates have steadied during recent decades while prison populations have quintupled. Those behind bars are largely young black men serving time for drug convictions that lead to a cycle of unemployment, family breakdowns and a host of other social problems. She said drug law enforcement, which has done little to stem the flow of narcotics, has not been aimed at kingpins and traffickers. Instead, it is used to bolster the numbers of arrests for an agency seeking federal funding. Racial stereotypes have driven the drug war into major urban areas, inhabited largely by minorities, when studies show blacks are no more likely to use drugs than their white suburban counterparts. Link to Article

WMU’s Seita Scholars Program Mentioned by Gov. Rick Snyder During State of the State

Jan 18, Kalamazoo Gazette: Western Michigan University’s Seita Scholars Program was mentioned by Gov. Rick Snyder tonight during his second State of the State address. Snyder mentioned the program when he talked about the accomplishments the state has made to help foster children, including extending foster-services to age 21. Link to Article

Pawn Shop Owner Says Woman Offered Sex Act by Her Daughter and Herself

Jan 17, 7 Action News: The owner tells 7 Action News he called police. A statement issued by Child Protective Services says they are grateful for people who report suspected abuse. They say they check out reports of abuse, along with law enforcement, and if they feel a child is in immediate danger, the child would be removed from a home. In this case that did not happen. It is reported police did do a welfare check on the child at the home and that they believed she was safe. Southgate Police say they have a report and an investigation will be started. Link to Article

Michigan Has a Quarter of the Nation’s For-Profit Charter Schools. Should We Care?

Jan 15, Kalamazoo Gazatte: A newly enacted state law allows expansion of charter schools, but it turns out Michigan already has a disproportionate share of the nation’s for-profit charter school market, according to a recent report by a Western Michigan University professor. Michigan has 181 of the nation’s 758 for-profit charter schools, the most of any state. No. 2 is Florida, with 150 for-profit schools. “The idea behind charters was to have locally run, autonomous schools that would foster innovation,” he said. “But now you have schools in Michigan that are operated by companies based as far away as Florida and California,” with a minimum of local control and using a cookie-cutter approach. Link to Article

RESOURCES WITH TIME LIMITED VALUE

Upcoming SCAO Webinar Programs

Enjoy the convenience of learning from the comfort of your office-desk and save valuable travel time! Check and enroll in a live simulcast. Please review the list of programs below. Click on each program title to review a summary of the program and featured faculty.

Instructions: Click on a seminar title to view its planned agenda, and then choose Register to enroll. On the designated day, please come back to the lobby page and click the Attend button.

Upcoming SCAO Off-Site Programs

Review the list of programs below. Click on each program title to review a summary of the program and featured faculty.

Instructions for Enrolling in an Upcoming Off-Site Program
To enroll click on a program title below then choose “Register” in the summary box. Complete the registration form as requested and click “Continue”.