The problems with the whole supervised visitation center concept are legion by now. By now, it should be more than apparent that this was one of those "bright new ideas" that should be consigned to the dustpan of history. Do you really think that a father--like the father of the murdered 10-year-old boy whose name was given to this center--should be "visiting" with his kids at all? If there is enough evidence to suggest that unsupervised visitation is dangerous, then why are we granting these criminals or would-be criminals supervised visitation?
Even back in 2002, there was mounting evidence that these supervised visitation centers were financial boondoggles that were failing both the interests of abused children and the safety of domestic violence victims. See one report here:
http://www.thelizlibrary.org/site-index/site-index-frame.html#soulhttp://www.thelizlibrary.org/liz/
http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story_2nd.php?story_id=129305078486253400
‘Shane’s Place’ closes from lack of dedicated funds
By Darryl Swan
The South County Spotlight, Dec 22, 2010, Updated 12.9 hours ago
Despite Columbia County Women’s Resource Center fundraising successes this holiday season, the board for the domestic abuse prevention agency earlier this month canceled a program that provided a supervised location where parents who have a history of abuse could safely visit their children.
The WRC in November 2009 started “Shane’s Place,” a name given after Shane Davis, the 10-year-old St. Helens boy who was killed in a murder-suicide by his father.
Davis’ case exposed a shortcoming in Columbia County regarding how separated parents who have a history of domestic abuse, either as the perpetrator or victim, share custody with a child.
Typically it is up to the parent with custody to establish a location where the other parent, restrained under court order, could meet with his or her children. In most cases a relative’s house is used. When conflicts arise, such as when no relative is available, there has been little alternative and the court-allowed visitations and exchanges have taken place without supervision.
Over the last year, Shane’s Place has served 60 people from 17 families, most from St. Helens. It was the only service of its type in Columbia County.
The absence of a dedicated funding source due largely to the flagging economy and a referral system that relied on participation from Columbia County Circuit Court judges proved too cumbersome to keep Shane’s Place going, said WRC Director Rachael Barry-Dame.
“To find a dedicated funding stream...at this time was not really possible,” Barry-Dame said. “At this time we really need to be strategic with our resources.”
WRC relies heavily upon state grants for the majority of its services, though other funding sources are needed for supplies and some administration costs.
Shannon Davis, Shane’s mother, said she was disappointed upon learning the program had been cancelled.
“The only thing I can think of is that it’s sad,” Shannon said. “It’s heartbreaking to me to think that kids are going to be put back in harm’s way again.”
Barry-Dame said this has been a positive year for fundraising, and that other programs, such as job training through Norma’s Place Thrift Store, are showing success. She also said several donors have contributed enough supplies — about $900 worth — to cover the immediate needs identified by the women and children sheltered at the center.
For more information about the Women’s Resource Center or to learn how to contribute, visit http://www.noexcuse4abuse.com./
Dear DD. . . .
ReplyDeleteThey were taking referral business from the circuit courts. Shame on them!
>>The absence of a dedicated funding source due largely to the flagging economy and a referral system that relied on participation from Columbia County Circuit Court judges proved too cumbersome to keep Shane’s Place going, said WRC Director Rachael Barry-Dame.<<
This group would do better, in helping women, to do some of their homework. I did a little, and I guess will post (my posts are getting messier and messier) as this one is over the character limit.
Basically, battered women's advocates need to realize which way the wind has blown -- both as to grants, as to agencies, and as to the family law courts. Then they can help at least mothers, better. Oregon is FULL of major movements to compromise women's rights in the courts, and they are often federally funded up the ying-yang, even when they are nonprofit organizations. Moreover, the "fatherhood funding" via Northwest Family Services (I looked it up, at TAGGS.hhs.) is run by a woman from a theological seminary in Dallas. Mandatory parenting classes through the courts impoverish families while directing business to agents of the court, for profit (i.e., Kids' Turn) and the Cora Anika Theill story just speaks for itself.
Womanspace, Inc. is a larger recipient of DV funding in Oregon, as is the Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence -- a national trend to centralize services. WRC has an Exec Director of about $32K salary (maybe 1/6th to 1/4th of average) and needs to get real about what they are doing. Women can go to a shelter, but if they have kids, the courts will follow them there, and they are back at risk again.
http://familycourtmatters.wordpress.com/read-this-first-the-shadyshaky-foundation-of-family-law/my-comments-your-blogs-1-dastardly-dads-12232010-suggestions-for-an-oregon-shelter/
ReplyDeleteI made a new page my blog to accmmodate my big (4,000 character-plus) mouth on these topics. DD is the first post on it...
OK, I finished that lengthy post, and in the process learned something about a group called "Womanspace, Inc." up in Oregon (and elsewhere) that's reeling in some serious grant money from Dept. of HHS now.
Also about the family court programs in Oregon, and a little reminder on my site about the origins, extent, and impact of the "Access Visitation Grants Funding" that my explain why some Circuit County Judges (like the one whose ruling allowed a Dad to carbon monoxide to death a young boy, for which Shane's Place" was named after.
We don't need more supervised visitation centers, but more Supervised GRANTS programs -- and that's going to take a collective wakeup to taxpayers. The media will act puzzled, but this puzzle has a limited number of pieces, which are lined up to point to "don't give a damn" when excess free money is floating around, in the form of grants that aren't well-tracked because most people outside government (lke MSM?) and few DV agencies even talk about them....
To talk about these, on the part of a coalition funded by federal grants, would be to jeopardize those grants, probably. So we Noncustodial Mothers through Family Court Frauds have to do this, I suppose.
http://familycourtmatters.wordpress.com/read-this-first-the-shadyshaky-foundation-of-family-law/my-comments-your-blogs-1-dastardly-dads-12232010-suggestions-for-an-oregon-shelter/
An Oregon state representative, "Wingard" (26th District Republican) who endorsed a legislative resolution (with another, Shields) in 2009, that "Fatherhood" is cool -- guess what? He had a 2001 child abuse conviction with his former girlfriend!
ReplyDelete(2008) Contentious race for District 26 heats up
http://www.sherwoodgazette.com/news/story.php?story_id=122272409953229700
Republican Matt Wingard’s past, along with Democrats’ voter registration push, likely to make difference in race
BY STEVE LAW
Pamplin Media Group, Sep 29, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (3 Reader comments)
JAIME VALDEZ / PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP
Democrat Jessica Adamson of Sherwood, left, and Republican Matt Wingard of Wilsonville, are locked in a tight battle for the state’s House District 26 seat. Wingard’s past legal troubles could play a part in the election outcome.
ADVERTISEMENTS
The Oregon House seat representing Wilsonville, Sherwood, Aloha and Gaston ordinarily is safe territory for Republicans, but not this year.
The duel between Republican Matt Wingard and Democrat Jessica Adamson is turning into a barnburner, thanks to Wingard’s 2001 child-abuse conviction and Democratic registration gains that halved the GOP voter edge.
Both contenders are relatively young candidates shooting for their first elective office, but with extensive political resumes. Neither has a lengthy tenure in the district. Libertarian candidate Marc Delphine also is competing for the House District 26 seat.
Wingard, 35, from Wilsonville, is a believer in limited government who consults for Portland’s free-market think tank, Cascade Policy Institute, and an on-line charter school. He was a legislative committee manager one session in Salem, and ran Rob Kremer’s campaign for state school superintendent.
Wingard said he’ll push for expanded use of charter schools, tax credits for parents who enroll their children in private schools, and a new auditing unit overseen by lawmakers. He opposes new taxes and transportation fee increases, and says government should put money into wider highways and buses – not rail lines – to ease traffic congestion.
Child abuse conviction
So far, the ideological differences between Wingard and Adamson are being eclipsed by Wingard’s child abuse conviction and related controversies stemming from coparenting a son with an estranged former girlfriend.
In a preemptive move in January, Wingard notified newspaper editorial boards of his 2001 child abuse conviction and thick court file. He was indicted by a Clackamas County grand jury on two felony counts and one misdemeanor, after his son’s doctor reported suspected child abuse to authorities. In a plea agreement, Wingard pled guilty to one misdemeanor conviction for fourth-degree assault. He completed community service and anger management classes, and his parental rights were suspended, for what turned out to be three years.
Pico alleged a long pattern of emotionally and physically abusive parenting, and included doctor’s notes that listed injuries to their son after he returned from weekend visits with Wingard. The doctors’ reports cite bruises to the boy’s legs and other body parts, and more than one instance where the son reported being slapped in the face.
In the affidavit, Pico also described a pattern of authoritarian parenting by Wingard. She accused him of forcefeeding their son to the point of vomiting when he wouldn’t eat; holding him tightly against his chest to get him to stop crying; and locking him in a dark stairwell to get over his fear of the dark."
And he still was elected (no one else to replace him...)