I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The Michigan Department of Human Services and the Michigan Supreme Court are hailing a study released Thursday showing that a special focus on addressing the barriers to successful adoption in 13 counties has resulted in a 14-percent increase in adoptions in those counties.
“Moreover, the lessons we’ve learned can and will be used statewide, not only to have more timely adoptions, but also to expedite all forms of permanency, including reunification with biological families and guardianships,” said Kate Hanley, director of permanency services for DHS.
The lessons are shared in the new report, titled Adoption Forum I Final Report, includes not only how the 13 counties were able to streamline the adoption process, but also defines several key barriers to adoption in Michigan.
The counties featured in the study were Berrien, Calhoun, Genesee, Ingham, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Macomb, Monroe, Muskegon, Oakland, Saginaw and Wayne. They were selected because they had the highest number of adoptions in the state. A new round of programming to streamline and hasten the adoption process is underway in 10 additional counties: Bay, Cass, Clinton, Ionia, Lenawee, Midland, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Van Buren and Washtenaw.
One of those barriers is a shortage of adoptive homes, the report concludes.
Penny Gardner, an advocate for the adoption organization Coalition for Adoption Rights Equality (CARE), said if the state of Michigan adopt HB 4131, it would immediately open the door to thousands of adoptive homes.
“If they could expand the pool prospective adoptive parents they would move more kids out,” Gardner said. “HB 4131 would expand the pool to same-sex couples.”
The bill is actually to expand Michigan law to include second parent adoptions. Those adoptions can include same-sex couples, but also include extended family networks such as an aunt and grandmother. The bill was approved by the House Judiciary Committee on April 22. It has not been taken up by the full House yet.
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