What Happens When States Don’t Track Child Deaths Accurately? (Pt 2)

A close up of a computer screen with a lot of data and lines of code on it.

Welcome back and thanks for joining us. We’ve been looking at a recent study done by ProPublica, where they gathered data on abuse and neglect related child deaths from all 50 states, under the federal law (Child Abuse Treatment and Prevention Act, called CAPTA). Unsurprisingly, child welfare agencies in many states either refused to comply or simply didn’t know about the law. It took ProPublica three years and they still weren’t able to gather all of the data. 

Why were some states still not in compliance with federal law?

Good question, and one that unfortunately doesn’t have an answer. According to ProPublica, the state of Wyoming released no information and refused to say why. Montana also refused, and even went on the record to say that they knew they were violating federal law, but wouldn’t provide any other explanation. The state of Kansas agreed to provide the data, but only if ProPublica paid $11,000 for it. Why? They refused to answer that question. And then there were states who provided the data on child deaths, but left out critical pieces of info that federal law says must be included, like the cause of death. All in all, it was very confusing!

The Federal government is hoping to readdress the issue again.

The new data collection guidelines laid out by Congress in 2012 helped a lot. But it wasn’t enough. And because the federal government doesn’t provide enough funding to states, it can be hard to enforce the law. However, just last year in May, the House approved a bill that would upgrade CAPTA‘s voluntary reporting laws surrounding the issues of near-fatalities and fatalities in children. The Senate has a similar one in progress, although they aren’t the same, and insiders say there’s likely to be some compromise before any laws can be passed.

You might be surprised, but we’re not.

This complete disregard for federal laws, and total refusal to follow the rules might surprise some of our readers, but it certainly doesn’t surprise us. Here in Michigan CPS has a long history of refusing to comply with the law, not following protocol, and making unreasonable demands on families despite court orders to the contrary. It can be extremely frustrating, and for parents who are targeted by CPS, completely terrifying. But you don’t have to manage this alone. In fact, you really shouldn’t deal with CPS without getting professional help! And that’s where we come in.

Call us the moment CPS reaches out to you!

Whether you get a letter in the mail, a phone call, or a worker on your doorstep, the moment CPS reaches out to you, you need to call us! Our skilled and experienced CPS defense attorneys have decades of experience defending parents’s rights, and protecting families from the invasive tactics of CPS. We know what you’re up against, and we know how to fight them. So don’t wait – call us immediately at 866 766 5245 and get help!


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