I was out fishing part of last week, so there’s lots of news to catch up on:
A six-year-old in Virginia brought a gun to school and shot his teacher. Of course, a child that age is legally incompetent to be prosecuted, even in juvenile court. As the article suggests, there is talk of placing the child in foster care.
Massachusetts’ legislature has passed a new foster parent bill of rights, joining around 17 other states with such laws. These laws are generally aspirational, as I haven’t found any caselaw specifically enforcing those rights in a court proceeding.
Children’s Rights and other groups have sued the state of Iowa over inadequate services for children with mental health issues. As with similar actions, the allegations are that the State is not providing the continuum of services that children need to stay out of hospitals and treatment facilities. You can view the complaint here.
Alaska, also, is under investigation by the federal government for “failing to provide services to children with behavioral health disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs,” which could constitute a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Notice a pattern here?
There’s lots of legislative activity this year focused on gender dysphoria treatments for children under the age of 18, especially those that can permanently affect the child, such as hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery.
Tennessee now has extended foster care for youth aged 18-21.
This op-ed suggests that California’s child welfare system reforms have not succeeded.
Apparently removals to foster care have increased dramatically in Montana. The Attorney General blames opioids and meth. In my experience, removal rates are more often tied to agency policy and politics.
Child protection reform is on the agenda in Maine following reports highly critical of the work of the child protection agency.
Arizona’s new Attorney General says she is in need of funding for more child protection attorneys in her office.
This is helpful — in Louisiana, you now have to provide a drivers’ license showing you are at least 18 to watch online pornography.