Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota Podcasts

Welcome to our podcast. This episode will take a closer look at this week’s child welfare blog post, focused on why public policy goals should be set through democratic processes, not by private foundations, such as in 2011 when Casey Family Programs unilaterally established a national goal to safely reduce the number of children in foster care by 50%. Since then they have spent $193.1 million to promote this and their related objectives, including $5.3 million in Minnesota. How do we know when foster care can be avoided safely, and is 50% the right number? Join us for this important discussion on foster care and public policy decision-making. Please call in or comment with your thoughts or questions. Safe Passage for Children’s mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. This week we held our annual fall fundraising event, this year a virtual gathering. View the presentation and find out more here: https://safepassageforchildren.org/events/fall-fundraiser-virtual-gathering-2021/ Visit our website: www.safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Join Rich Gehrman for this week's podcast featuring a special interview with Kisha Shanks, the new Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. Kisha Shanks is an accomplished maternal and child health consultant, speaker, and author. With over 14 years of experience in maternal and child health, she has been a dedicated advocate of child-centered programming and policy. For 13 years, she successfully owned and operated a home-visiting program for pregnant and birthing families in Milwaukee, focused on improving birth outcomes and increasing parental capacity by prioritizing maternal and infant mental health. Her successes led to her consulting numerous community-serving organizations and government agencies throughout Wisconsin and across the country, by way of public speaking, program evaluation and workshop facilitation. Kisha has worked tirelessly at the intersection of social work, public health, and mental health, to promote racial equity in all spaces affecting children, using both her lived experiences and academia to inform, inspire, and empower individuals into action that leads to change. ====== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and former Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Listen to our podcast for a conversation with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) expert Peter Hossler about the current state of recovery programs and the planned Minnesota state task force on prenatal substance use. ====== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

This Global Rights for Women study of the Minneapolis Police Department found that officers seldom pursued perpetrators of domestic violence once they left the scene, and the Department makes far fewer reports and arrests than is typical nationally. Our study of child fatalities similarly showed that failed responses to domestic violence contributed to 28% of children’s deaths. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

A new state task force on prenatal Substance Use Disorder (SUD) will likely consider whether to end mandated reporting of SUD to child protection, both prenatally and at birth. Medical associations’ policy positions uniformly state that mandated reporting of prenatal SUD inhibits women from seeking medical care.  While the research isn’t as clear-cut as they say, creative outreach efforts to engage high-risk women in prenatal care is probably the best current option for protecting children. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

We have been reviewing research on prenatal Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) because of this legislation proposing a task force on the issue. The American College of Gynecologists and similar organizations have issued statements  opposing mandated reporting of SUD, which they believe deters women from getting prenatal care.  This (open access) article on alcohol addiction supports that view. However the organizations’ statements don’t address some nuances of the issue, and none mention the potential health consequences of SUD for children, particularly from alcohol use.  Join Rich Gehrman and Jeff Montpetit for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Listen to our interview with Pulitzer Prize nominee Chris Serres, who talks about investigative journalism and his story of Derric Fulks. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

The Washington Court of Appeals just confirmed a $98.5 million wrongful death settlement against the state human services agency regarding the gruesome murder of five and seven-year-old brothers. In Minnesota, the 2021 Supreme Court Jepsen v. Pope County decision made it easier for surviving relatives to sue counties for negligence in children’s deaths. Yet there have been only two settlements in Minnesota– Kendrea Johnson ($1.5 million) and Arianna Hunziker ($1.3 million). These comparatively smaller amounts still exceeded a Minnesota $500,000 tort cap (liability limit) because they were coupled with strong federal cases. This isn’t usually possible, which explains why these cases don’t involve larger settlements. Also, relatives may not know legal action is possible, and ethical lawyers don’t solicit these cases. We hope to motivate counties to pay more attention to child safety by making this legal option better known. Jeff Montpetit is a partner at SiebenCarey law firm.  Their website is know your rights.com.  Jeff is one of the few lawyers in Minnesota who has successfully won cases against counties for negligence related to child fatalities. In this podcast Jeff explains the Minnesota and federal laws that govern such actions and the legal challenges that must be addressed to succeed. Join Rich Gehrman and Jeff Montpetit for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

New research indicates that, once poverty is controlled for, Black families enter child protection and foster care at lower rates than whites. This complements other studies showing that poverty, which disproportionately impacts BIPOC families, is the biggest driver of racial disparities in child welfare. Part of the message is that an all-star team of thirteen noted child welfare researchers published this paper jointly. They’re trying to make it hard to ignore. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

There is widespread agreement that the first 1,000 days of life are critical for brain development related to language skills, bonding with others, and regulating one’s own behavior.  Also well-known is that trauma causes infants’ and toddlers’ brains to go into “fight-or-flight” mode, during which time they stop acquiring these building blocks for later stages of development. No one wants to remove children from their families unnecessarily.  Yet, as 4 month-old Aaliyah Goodwin’s story illustrates, parents are currently getting many chances, sometimes for years, to address their neglectful behavior, whether it’s caused by drug abuse, mental health issues, or their own trauma. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at ⁠www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate⁠ Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at ⁠safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Los Angeles County and a team of scholars are collaborating on a “Risk Stratification Model” – an example of ‘predictive analytics’, which uses complex algorithms to prioritize risk in child maltreatment reports. Algorithms are often viewed skeptically by Progressives and leaders of BIPOC communities as potential contributors to “heightened surveillance”, meaning practices that disproportionately screen families of color into child protection. The LA County project addresses this concern. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

A major takeaway from our recent report on child fatalities is that the single most effective way to reduce child maltreatment is to reduce the strains caused by poverty. Governor Walz’ budget has more proposals to do this than at any time in decades. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

A common trope alleges that child protection caseworkers confuse poverty with neglect.  This has been repeated so often that many accept it as fact, but there’s actually no evidence to support it. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Yesterday Safe Passage for Children released its year-long study of Minnesota child fatalities from maltreatment from 2014 to 2022. The report reveals a number of concerning patterns related to child welfare and the courts including: Repeated inappropriate assignment to Family Assessment. Inaction on chronic maltreatment. Neglect cases with numerous chances for parents to address problems. Returning children home too soon. Missed red flags by medical providers. Children killed in kinship foster placements. Child torture cases. Children returned home to seriously mentally ill parents. Sentencing differences between parents and non-parents. Issues raised by plea deals. Inconsistent mandates and protocols among the courts. Ineffectiveness of no-contact orders in domestic violence cases. With your help this report can spur positive improvements in Minnesota’s programs to protect children. ========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Visit us at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Our soon-to-be-released study of child fatalities documents numerous physical assaults on children that caseworkers, law enforcement, investigators and the courts knew about but ignored. Perhaps we have become desensitized to violence against children, or forgotten that it is illegal, or just feel powerless to stop it. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. Comments or questions? Please reach out to us at contactus@safepassageforchildren.org Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Podcast-narrative-for-should-we-love-all-children-or-just-our-own.pdf =========== Our work for vulnerable children is made possible through support from listeners like you. Thank you. Please help support our work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them.  Visit us at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Our study of Minnesota child fatalities documented seven children who were killed by a mother who had chronic mental health crises, including repeated psychiatric hospitalizations. Six-year old Eli Hart’s mother killed him with nine shotgun blasts shortly after he was returned home, and a few months after she was released from her second psychiatric inpatient stay. If the mental health facilities and child protection were in touch about the reunification it is not reflected in the court records. Additionally, role conflicts between Family and Juvenile Courts delayed hearings that would likely have given custody to Eli’s father. Join Rich Gehrman for a full discussion and analysis in this week's podcast. Comments or questions? Please reach out to us at contactus@safepassageforchildren.org Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mental-Health-Child-Protection-–-Courts-You-Need-to-Talk.pdf =========== Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota nonprofit organization Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s nonprofit mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Please help support Safe Passage's work for vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Visit us online at safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

This Star Tribune article reveals that Minnesota counties are diverting income belonging to approximately 700 foster children into local coffers without even informing them.  This includes social security benefits based on a parent’s death or disability, or related to fosters’ own physical or mental disability. Reporter Chris Serres shares the stories of young people who faced desperate financial struggles because of this practice, which clearly contributes to chronically poor foster care outcomes. It also shows that counties are valuing revenues over the success of children in their care. Join Rich for a full analysis and discussion in this week's podcast.  Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Podcast-for-blog-on-Social-Security-Benefits-being-taken-from-fosters.pdf =========== Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota nonprofit organization Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s nonprofit mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them.  Support Safe Passage's work for Minnesota's most vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

In 2021 Safe Passage helped pass legislation that lowered legal barriers to becoming a foster parent.  We successfully advocated to include statewide mandatory licensing standards in the bill.  The process of developing these standards is underway and they will be implemented next July. The new process will assess candidates based on their ability to provide nurturing parenting today rather than focusing on past mistakes, living arrangements, and other factors less relevant to the child’s needs.  Join Rich for a full analysis and discussion in this week's podcast. Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Podcast-on-foster-care-licensing-reform-bill.pdf =========== Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s nonprofit mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Support Safe Passage's work for Minnesota's most vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota nonprofit organization Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." www.safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

Chronic neglect refers to cases that are reported to child protection repeatedly.  Our recent webinar speaker Dee Wilson estimates that it accounts for 1/5 to 1/3 of child protection cases nationally. Chronic neglect includes a breakdown of parental norms, for example by leaving pre-school children alone for hours or days at a time.  Frequently it is accompanied by deep poverty and spirals into physical and sexual abuse. In this article Wilson states that once chronic neglect takes hold, therapy and other interventions are ineffective.  So the appropriate response is intervening early with financial supports and services to restore parental functioning. However today’s adult-focused policies encourage workers to treat each maltreatment report separately and ignore the overall pattern.  This, combined with political pressures to limit the role of child protection, presages a future where children are purposefully consigned to chronic neglect. Join Rich for a full discussion in this week's podcast. Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Podcast-on-Dee-Wilsons-theories-about-chronic-maltreatment.pdf =========== Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s nonprofit mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Support Safe Passage's work for Minnesota's most vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota nonprofit organization Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." www.safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message

For this week’s podcast we present Rich Gehrman's summary and detailed recap of Minnesota's Inaugural Conference on Family Violence, which Safe Passage for Children organized and hosted, and which happened on 10/14/22.  Read the transcript at https://safepassageforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Narrative-for-podcast-on-Family-Violence-conference.pdf =========== Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s nonprofit mission is to strengthen the Minnesota child welfare system so children are safe and can reach their full potential. If you know someone who cares about children, be sure to share this podcast with them. Support Safe Passage's work for Minnesota's most vulnerable children at www.safepassageforchildren.org/donate Rich Gehrman is the founder and Executive Director of Minnesota nonprofit organization Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota. He is the 2021 winner of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Minnesota’s 2021 "Mark Proctor Hero for Children Award." www.safepassageforchildren.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/safe-passage-for-children/message