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DCF Chief to Florida Gov. Crist: Don’t Drop Gay Adoption Lawsuit

September 16th, 2010   No Comments   Adoption, News & Events

In news from Tallahassee, it was reported in the Palm Beach Post that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist should not drop a lawsuit that could result in a final decision about whether Florida’s 30-year-old ban on gay adoption is constitutional.

The recommendation came from George Sheldon, secretary of the Department of Children and Families.  According to the Post, Sheldon is a Democrat appointed by then-Republican Crist in 2008. He leads the DCF, the agency that challenged a Miami judge’s ruling that Florida’s law barring gay couples from adopting children is unconstitutional. Crist said yesterday he is reviewing whether to drop the lawsuit after releasing a gay-friendly platform in his quest as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate.

Read the entire Post story here.



Lessons Not Learned: Youth Facility Faces Trouble Again

September 14th, 2010   No Comments   Abuse, News & Events

Tampa Bay Academy has not learned that they cannot allow children to be sexually abused and continue to operate. Despite many warnings, damage claims and law suits brought by injured former patients and the prior warnings of the Florida Department of Children & Families, children at Tampa Bay Academy continue to be hurt and injured.

This article, by St. Petersburg Times staff writer Shelley Rossetter, reveals that three children were pulled from the Riverview mental health facility.

Amid reports of violence between patients, the state Department of Children and Families pulled three kids from a Riverview children’s mental health facility last month and plans to remove a dozen more, the Times reported. Read the rest of this entry »



Decline in Florida, Nat’l Foster Youth Stats Good News – But More Work Remains

September 4th, 2010   No Comments   Funding, News & Events

When the number of U.S. children in foster care drops 20 percent over the past decade – and 8 percent in one year, the figures lead caregivers, administrators, advocates and children’s rights attorneys to cite positive changes in the foster care system.

From Florida to New York to California, foster care enrollment – and how long kids are spending in the system – is dropping, according to statistics from the U.S. Health and Human Services Administration’s annual Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System report.

“This is very good news. The statistics and results show how concerted, collaborative efforts by various organizations and caregivers can really make a difference in the lives of so many children,” said Howard Talenfeld, a child advocacy attorney and president of Florida’s Children First. The statewide organization fights for improvements in foster care and children’s issues.

Read the rest of this entry »



Warning to Prospective Parents: Swindle Foster Kids’ Money and Face Jail Time

September 2nd, 2010   No Comments   Adoption, Foster Care, Rights of Foster Children

News that a Tampa, Florida, area couple allegedly stole more than $400,000 from a foster child’s life insurance payout reveals how society’s most vulnerable children remain susceptible – even while in a system designed to protect them or once they’ve aged out and are on their own.

To prospective parents the indictment against the Davenport, Florida, couple also should stand as a warning to those who would swindle money from kids who need it badly: Get caught, and jail time may await.

According to news reports, Radhames Antonio Oropeza, 53, and Asia Concepcion Oropeza, 52, are said to have invited to Florida a foster child whose mother had died, and whose father was in jail. The child was given the proceeds of a $400,000 life insurance policy when he turned 18. The young man’s name has not been released.

Authorities claim the couple convinced the boy he was making real estate investments. The couple faces charges of conspiring to commit fraud and wire fraud. Read the rest of this entry »



Florida foster child advocacy attorney awarded Florida Bar Association’s President’s Award of Merit

August 12th, 2010   No Comments   Advocacy, Foster Care, News & Events

8-11-2010 Sun Sent - FinalFlorida foster child advocacy attorney Howard Talenfeld was recently given the Florida Bar Association’s President’s Award of Merit.

   Florida Bar President Jesse Diner presented the award during the general assembly meeting during the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention at the Boca Raton Resort and Club.

   Also during the assembly, Mayanne Downs was installed as the Florida Bar’s 62nd president, and Scott G. Hawkins was installed as president-elect.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award.” Talenfeld said. “No one who works on behalf of the state’s most vulnerable citizens does so for the recognition. It’s for myself and the countless other attorneys and concerned citizens who work tirelessly to help the state’s children that I accept this award.”



News Release: Governor Crist Announces More than 12,000 Adoptions of Foster Children Since 2007

August 4th, 2010   No Comments   Foster Care, News & Events

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced that more than 12,000 Florida children in foster care have been adopted since 2007, including 3,368 children adopted in the past year. Florida’s recent success reduces the number of Florida children in foster care by nearly 36 percent since 2007.

“Florida has been recognized as the best in the nation at increasing adoptions because we believe the children in our care should have the best opportunity possible to be matched with a loving family,” said Governor Crist. “Our adoption successes are possible because Floridians are looking into their hearts and finding room for the teenagers, sibling groups and children with medical needs who typically wait longer to be adopted.”

In 2009, Florida was awarded a $9.7 million federal bonus for outpacing all other states in the number of adoptions of children from foster care. Florida set adoption records adoptions in fiscal year 2007-08 with 3,674, and in fiscal year 2008-09, with 3,777.

Read the entire story here



Florida Bar News: Attorneys recognized for their service to the Florida Bar

July 20th, 2010   No Comments   Advocacy, Guardian ad Litem & Representation, Legislative & Regulatory Issues, News & Events

Outgoing Florida Bar President Jesse Diner recently recognized several attorneys for their dedication and service to the Florida Bar this past year.

Among the honorees included foster child and advocacy attorney Howard Talenfeld, for his work to build consensus on representation legislation as the Chair of the Florida Bar Legal Needs of Children Committee.

Read the entire story here



Florida Child Advocate Lawyer Howard Talenfeld Receives President’s Award of Merit

June 25th, 2010   No Comments   News & Events

Florida foster child and advocacy attorney Howard Talenfeld today was given the Florida Bar Association’s President’s Award of Merit.

The award was presented by Florida Bar President Jesse Diner during the General Assembly meeting at the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Talenfeld was lauded for helping build consensus on representation legislation as the Chair of the Florida Bar Legal Needs of Children Committee.

“Although the Florida Board of Governors approved this legislation as a position of the Florida Bar, obtaining the support of the Florida Legislature is a huge, next step.” Talenfeld said. “We cannot change our focus until this legislation is passed, which would give the right to foster children to have their own attorney appear in their dependency case and state paid attorneys in critical cases.”

Also during the assembly, Mayanne Downs was installed as the Florida Bar’s 62nd President, and Scott G. Hawkins was installed as President-Elect.



Broward Day’s Legislative Wrap Up Luncheon Awards Local Advocates

June 21st, 2010   No Comments   Advocacy, News & Events

Broward Days recently held its Legislative Wrap Up Luncheon at the Riverside Hotel. The event honored local advocates, including children’s rights attorney Howard Talenfeld.

Talenfeld received the “Community Advocate Award” for his work protecting the rights and needs of society’s most vulnerable citizens, including foster children, the developmentally disabled and the mentally ill.

“Howard exemplifies the consistent and effective dialogue with our legislature that is the core of Broward days. He is a role model for respectful, civil, yet forceful advocacy,” aaid Jerome Majzlin, Broward Days Executive Director.

The event, held on June 9, featured a presentation from State Representative Ari Porth, Chair, Broward Delegation, as well as the special message “From Tally to our Towns,” presented by Keynote Speaker Craig Zinn of Craig Zinn Automotive. Citrix Systems received the Outstanding Corporate Citizen award.



Miami Herald: Suspension of Miami Doctor Lifted in Denis Maltez case

June 11th, 2010   No Comments   Mental Health Issues, News & Events

As reported by the Miami Herald, an appeals court has set aside the Department of Health’s emergency suspension of Miami psychiatrist Steven L. Kaplan, accused of over-prescribing anti-psychotic medication to an autistic child.

The boy, Denis Maltez, died in May 2007 at age 12. The medical examiner said he stopped breathing in part because of the heavy prescription drugs he was taking, but the psychiatrist disputes that.

The May 26 ruling by the First District Court of Appeal stayed the May 7 emergency suspension issued by Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros “pending a final disposition” of the case, records show. That can take months, and if the physician contests it, years.

According to child advocate and Broward County attorney Howard Talenfeld, who represented Denis’ mother, Martha Quesada, in a civil suit over the boy’s death, he had not heard about the appeals court ruling. In any event, the suit against Kaplan “is over,” Talenfeld said, indicating it has been settled.

Read the entire story here



Law Firm Lobbyists Convince Florida Legislature, Governor to Pass Claims Bill to Help Former Foster Child Raped by Foster Father

June 7th, 2010   No Comments   Abuse, Damage Claims, Foster Care, News & Events

Lobbyists and attorney advocates from the Fort Lauderdale law firm Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate, P.A. successfully convince the Florida Legislature and Governor Charlie Crist to pass a claims bill to help  a former foster child raped by her foster father.

According to the Naples Daily News, Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a bill that will release $1.2 million to the guardian of a mentally retarded woman who had a baby after being raped as a teen by her foster father in Immokalee.

The claims bill Crist signed Thursday afternoon was approved by the Legislature and releases the remainder of a $1.3 million settlement by the state Department of Children and Families to Darlene Achille, the guardian for her sister, Pierreisna, 26, and her 9-year-old daughter.

“The next step is obviously getting the money,” said attorney Richard Filson of Sarasota, who filed the lawsuit in 2002. “I talked to Pierreisna and she is very happy. … They’re living in a small apartment. It’s good news to them.”

Read the entire story here



DBR: Broward Judge Frusciante – Chief Judge of the Dependency and Juvenile Delinquency – Resigns

June 1st, 2010   No Comments   Delinquency, Dependency, News & Events

Broward County, Florida Circuit Judge John Frusciante, chief judge of the dependency and juvenile delinquency divisions, is leaving the bench in October.

Frusciante, who did not return calls to the Daily Business Review by deadline Friday, did not state his reasons for leaving in his resignation letter to Gov. Charlie Crist, saying, “I now submit to you my intention to resign from that position effective Oct. 29.”

“He cared so much about individual children and cases,” said Child Advocate Attorney Howard Talenfeld of Colodny Fass Talenfeld Kalinsky & Abate in Fort Lauderdale and president of Florida’s Children First, a statewide group of child advocates. “He always saw the systemic problems and always brought the child welfare community together to solve them.”

Read the entire story here

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