That a state would have insufficient intensive residential care for children is more common than one would expect. South Carolina’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is desperate for access to psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) beds for children. That state’s PRTF beds are filled with children from other states, leaving little room for children from South Carolina and forcing the…
Posts published in “musings”
Every parent has heard it from the back seat, “Are we there yet?” No. We are not there yet. Louisiana is still working to gather the pieces for a sound foundation upon which we might create a healthy environment for our Children. This coming Thursday, our House of Representatives will take up State Rep. Stephanie Hilferty’s House Bill 649, which…
Louisiana's definition of "battery" is remarkably like our state's definition of "corporal punishment", making it difficult not to see today's vote as blatant approval of battery against children.
I have gathered a list – a collection of Kid Count headlines – and I will update it because it provides a decades-long mirror into which we in Louisiana can gaze and see how our children have fared. The headlines are from news articles about Louisiana’s Kids Count ranking for child well-being. This may be obvious, but it is important…
I have a few thoughts to share today as I muse on some work I am doing on an historical report of annual newspaper headlines which describe the poor conditions of Louisiana’s children. I may ramble as I go, but here goes. Louisiana’s children and families require robust nonprofits throughout our state. The well-being of Louisiana’s children has lagged the…
A brief discourse presented to the Louisiana Interchurch Conference’s Fall Board of Directors Meeting, by Rick Wheat, President and Chief Executive Officer, Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services, on September 25, 2017, at St. Xavier Cathedral Catholic Church Complex, Alexandria, Louisiana. Good afternoon! You cannot imagine how excited I am to share a few words with all of you…