Let's Get Honest! Absolutely Uncommon Analysis of Family & Conciliation Courts' Operations, Practices, & History

No, really.  Think about it — Jesus would’ve been in foster care by now, and then where would shari’a law, honor killings, and domestic violence have been?  In fact, there’d probably not even be a Pope — just emperors and/or priest-kings… or . .. (God forbid) matriarchy…

When I read about these things, I think some entities are running frightened of women.  I mean, this is really as much overdone as some of the decorations we see around town these days.

WWJD (what would Jesus Do) should rather be WWJB (Where would Jesus Be — if he’d been born in the USA, and in (let’s say for example) Ohio?)

He was an at-risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent without a significant father-figure IN HIS HOME.   Look at it — died early, social reject, etc.  Who was going to teach him ethics? Certainly not his mother!  Moreover, she was showing up pregnant before the wedding ceremony.  Bush et al would’ve had a fit!  Abstinence education missed his generation.  The guy never bought a home, never got a college degree, didn’t reproduce.  Ran around preaching with a bunch of cult disciples…

How do you co-parent with God?  And the irony of it is a lot of the people pushing this are conservative Christians.  Not to mention, as I read the story (in the Bible, not the Nativity scenes around the neighborhood), Jesus himself was considered a threat to both religious and governmental authorities.  Moreover, he didn’t treat women like sub-human species; perhaps that related to the crucifixion — who knows?

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Once Ohio got Fatherhood Voted into law, there’s always the expansions and updates.  Here’s some:

It’s just about everywhere:

http://fatherhood.ohio.gov/

Training

Engaging the Non-Resident Father training is to provide participants with knowledge to support a practice shift toward engaging non-resident fathers in child welfare cases.  More>>

 

Engage the Community

The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood is committed to participating in fatherhood-related programs, conferences, symposiums and other forums to increase public awareness of the central role fathers play in their children’s lives. More>>

 

 

In 2009, Commissioners realized the statue needs to be updated to reflect the Commission’s actual functions today. Therefore, two Commissioners introduced House Bill 349 which contains these needed amendments to our statute. More>>

[[THIS Is the link to the text copied below…]]

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Let’s see what other “goodies” we can come up with this season.  It’s SO O O o o o exciting !!!

http://fatherhood.ohio.gov/FundedPrograms/CountyInitiative.aspx

Print PDF Version

While the crisis of father absence is national, solutions must be found and implemented at the local level, one community at a time.  Moreover, in this time of budget shortfalls and rising needs, local leaders must build collaborations and coordinate services.  With this in mind, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood is launching the first ever Ohio County Fatherhood Initiative available to counties throughout the state.

What will counties receive?

• Training on how to conduct a Needs and Assets Assessment in their communities
• Planning for a Leadership Summit on Fatherhood
• Assistance on how to implement a Community Action Plan on Fatherhood
• Guidance in how to identify and apply for sustaining funding for your County Fatherhood Initiative.

Who will provide the training?

The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood will provide technical assistance and contracted with the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) to provide free training to all counties.

 

When will the training occur?

The County Fatherhood Initiative will begin in January 2011 and continue the training over the next six months with webinars, workshops and technical assistance.

How much does the training cost?

The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood is paying for the training so there is no cost to the county.  In fact, counties who successfully complete the training will receive a one-time $10,000 seed grant to begin fatherhood programs in their county.

 

Who can participate in the training?

Each county must identify their County Leadership Team who agrees to take part in the training and must consist of:

• 1. County Commissioner or State Representative
  2. Family or Domestic Relations Judge
  3. Director of Child Support
  4. Director of Child Welfare

  5. Leader of a local faith-based entity or business

Elected officials, judges and directors can assign a designee to represent them in the training but are asked to review and provide input into the planning process.

How does a county apply?

Submit the simple one page on-line form.  Monica Mahoney from our office will contact you to confirm that your county has been selected to participate in the County Fatherhood Initiative. Please contact Monica at 614-752-1624 if you have additional questions.

Click Here to Apply

Our long-term goal is for leaders from all 88 Ohio counties to participate in this training and launch successful County Fatherhood Initiatives in every county in the state.  By working together, counties can promote responsible fatherhood and create long term solutions to the father absence crisis, one family at a time.

Beneficiaries by County (there’s a US map)

Click on the name of any county to see what projects have been funded by the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood in that area

(To see all the strikeouts, go to the URL).

It’s not enough to HAVE a Fatherhood Commission (and initiative, and such).

Once the foot is in the door, then it needs to be expanded and updated — regularly, if possible:

(link, above).

READERs NOTE:  This section has a lot of strikeouts, which are NOT shown on my post here.  See the site for the overall impact…..

As Reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
H. B. No. 349

Representatives Weddington, Maag
Cosponsors: Representatives Letson, Harris, Derickson, Gerberry, Stewart, Belcher, Williams, B., Blessing, Bolon, Brown, Domenick, Dyer, Foley, Goyal, Harwood, Heard, Hite, Koziura, Luckie, Lundy, Mallory, McGregor, Newcomb, Phillips, Pillich, Sayre, Skindell, Sykes, Szollosi, Ujvagi, Williams, S., Winburn, Yuko
Senators Morano, Miller, R., Smith

A BILL
To amend sections 5101.34, 5101.341, and 5101.342 of the Revised Code to revise the membership, staffing, and duties of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 5101.34, 5101.341, and 5101.342 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 5101.34. (A) There is hereby created in the department of job and family services the Ohio commission on fatherhood.

 

In 2002, in the court system, a Center for Families & Children in the Courts was created.  It has two co-chairs, one who works in that department (as I recall).  She was (probably still is) married to the Director of the Children & Families First entity mentioned below, but I supposed that’s no conflict of interest.  After all, it’s in everyone’s best interest (male female, believer/atheist, law-abiding citizen/felons, including repeat felons, and — well, gol dang it, just EVERYbody — that the FAMILY is the thing.  And the Bill of Rights is hereby (and was a long time ago, I see) suspended, and irrelevant.  Heck, Constitution, too.  We’ll just collaborate and coalesce and no more oddballs like — say — well, like that Jesus of long ago, and his mother, and like those wise men that traveled to anoint another king within a certain country. . . .     Nope.  No sirree!!

 

The commission shall consist of the following members:
(1)(a) Four members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party. Two of the members must be from legislative districts that include a county or part of a county that is among the one-third of counties in this state with the highest number per capita of households headed by females.
(b) Two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, each from a different political party. One of the members must be from a legislative district that includes a county or part of a county that is among the one-third of counties in this state with the highest number per capita of households headed by females.

It’s a bit hard to tell by the usage, but female HUMAN BEINGS are meant here.  As minor children don’t usually head households, the word would be WOMEN.  In the case that these FEMALES also were biologically related to the minor children of the household, they might — of course not in this day and time, but they MIGHT — be called “MOTHERS.”

But that might dignify them with qualities relating to personhood (or civil rights of some sort).  So, in the legislature, it was voted, in the bill, that these are NOT mothers, NOR women, they are “females.”  However, by virtue of the Y chromosome, and propagation (which takes, last I heard, at maximum few minutes of time and a compliant — or dominated — or receptive non-contraceptive-savvy, fertile female) any such of the opposite gender are hereby designated FATHERS.

Got that?  If they are XX in the chromosome area, and running a household (even if they’re running it WELL), they are “females.”  And that is not a family, it’s a “household.”  However, if they have a Y Chromosome, etc. and do not even reside in that household, and may not even be competent to support themselves, (let alone others, or offspring) they are FATHERS.

Don’t ever confuse the two.  Not even in this season celebrating a mother and a child (and “Family.”)

(2) The governor, or the governor’s designee;
(3) One representative of the judicial branch of government appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court;
(4) The directors of health, job and family services, rehabilitation and correction, alcohol and drug addiction services, and youth services and the superintendent of public instruction, or their designees;
(5) The assistant director of job and family services in charge of the office of child support created under section 3125.02 of the Revised Code, or the assistant director’s designee;
(6) One representative of the Ohio family and children first cabinet council created under section 121.37 of the Revised Code appointed by the chairperson of the council;
(6) Five (7) Seven representatives of the general public appointed by the governor. These members shall have extensive experience in issues related to fatherhood.
(B) The appointing authorities of the Ohio commission on fatherhood shall make initial appointments to the commission within thirty days after September 29, 1999. Of the initial appointments to the commission made pursuant to divisions (A)(3), (5), and (6) of this section, three of the members shall serve a term of one year and four shall serve a term of two years. Members so appointed subsequently pursuant to divisions (A)(3), (6), and (7) of this section shall serve two-year terms. A member appointed pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section shall serve on the commission until the end of the general assembly from which the member was appointed or until the member ceases to serve in the chamber of the general assembly in which the member serves at the time of appointment, whichever occurs first. The governor or the governor’s designee shall serve on the commission until the governor ceases to be governor. The directors and, superintendent, and assistant director or their designees shall serve on the commission until they cease, or the director or, superintendent, or assistant director a designee represents ceases, to be director or, superintendent, or assistant director. Each member shall serve on the commission from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Members may be reappointed.
Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall serve on the commission for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue to serve on the commission subsequent to the expiration date of the member’s term until the member’s successor is appointed or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses.
Sec. 5101.341. (A) The Ohio commission on fatherhood annually shall elect a chairperson from among its members. The
The commission shall employ an executive director and may employ other staff as necessary for the commission to perform its duties under section 5101.342 of the Revised Code. The executive director and commission staff shall be in the unclassified civil service and shall serve at the commission’s pleasure. The commission shall specify the duties and compensation of the executive director and commission staff. The department of job and family services shall provide other staff and other support services for the commission.
(B) The commission may accept gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds from any public agency or private source to carry out any or all of the commission’s duties. The funds shall be deposited into the Ohio commission on fatherhood fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. All gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds received by the commission pursuant to this division shall be used solely to support the operations of the commission.
Sec. 5101.342. The Ohio commission on fatherhood shall do both all of the following:
(A) Organize a state summit on fatherhood once every four years two-year period that begins on the first day of an odd-numbered calendar year and ends on the last day of the next succeeding even-numbered calendar year;
(B)(1) Prepare a report each year that identifies resources available to Identify and fund fatherhood-related programs and explores the creation of initiatives operated by government agencies and private, nonprofit entities, including initiatives that seek to do the following:
(a) Build the parenting skills of fathers;
(b) Provide employment-related services for low-income, noncustodial fathers;
(c) Prevent premature fatherhood;
(d) Provide services to fathers who are inmates in or have just been released from imprisonment in a state correctional institution, as defined in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code, or in any other detention facility, as defined in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code, so that they are able to maintain or reestablish their relationships with their families;
(e) Reconcile fathers with their families;
(f)(1) Increase public awareness of the critical role fathers play;
(2) Augment father-readiness by preventing premature fatherhood, building parenting skills, and providing employment-related services for low-income fathers;
(3) Promote and enhance father-child bonding, family reconciliation, and fathers’ involvement in schools by educating the public about such topics as childbirth, paternity establishment, child support, custody, visitation, incarceration, and re-entry into family life and society following incarceration;
(4) Develop fathers’ relationship skills to strengthen their capacity for success in parenting, employment, and marriage.
(2) The commission shall submit each (C) Prepare an annual report prepared pursuant to division (B)(1) of that evaluates the fatherhood-related initiatives funded under this section and submit a copy of each report to the president and minority leader of the senate, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, governor, and chief justice of the supreme court. The first report is due not later than one year after the last of the initial appointments to the commission is made under section 5101.341 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing sections 5101.34, 5101.341, and 5101.342 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5101.34 of the Revised Code establishing two-year terms for the members of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, the two additional representatives of the general public to be appointed by the Governor under that section, as amended by this act, shall be appointed to serve for initial terms as follows:
(A) One of the members shall serve for a term ending July 31, 2011.
(B) One of the members shall serve for a term ending July 31, 2012.
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I feel that perhaps the point wasn’t made right that it’s about FATHERS.  So, just in case it’s not clear, here’s another link, a task force on families ….This one dates to about 2001 or so.

All the usual characters are present as part of it, plus the Access Visitation stuff, plus advisors from Australia, Ireland and Canada (and AFCC), and of course the court program “Kids Turn,” plus a man known for promoting PAS in California and Arizona, Philip Stahl, Ph.D.

Ohio Task Force on Family Law and Children

Family Law Reform: Minimizing Conflict, Maximizing Families

 

Again, let’s take a look at the average composition of Congress, and figure out which end is up.

I wonder how the state legislatures are doing on that front….

(Could’ve done a different type of post:

as a survivor of some pretty awful Christmas seasons

(both with and without being assaulted right before, right after, or having to

flee the home right before, or right after, this major family holiday)

I think enough is likely enough.  I’ve had enough of it.  If I had to choose between staying together in this farce of a family where “family” is idolized (breaking the First Commandment — no other gods before me) or being a custodial mother where this holiday was specifically targeted for incidents,

or a (now) noncustodial mother and simply out of that loop..

I think I’d ditch them all..