Posted on 07/26/2010 8:24:58 PM PDT by H8LIBERALS
The damage inflicted by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill keeps on growing as it is now claiming young children among its innocent 'victims.' Faith-based organizations and bureaucrats are rushing to help limit the psychological damage that the disaster has wreaked on youngsters who are said to be exhibiting "behavioral changes" due to stress and anxiety, but it seems federal funds are being improperly used by Florida officials to pay for a portion of the mental 'relief' efforts.
Beginning this week, children in grades K-6 who have shown signs of emotional stress and anxiety due to the oil spill are being invited "Camp Beyond the Horizon" where they will be encouraged to "process their experiences and express emotions such as grief, fear and anger in a safe and supportive environment," according to a Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) press release.
"The oil spill has traumatized children and overwhelmed their capacity to cope and articulate their feelings," said Sam Sipes, president and CEO of Lutheran Services. "After a disaster, children may show distress through regressive behaviors – unwanted thoughts, fears, withdrawal, sleep disturbances or physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches. Unresolved emotions make it difficult for some to concentrate and succeed in school."
Driving the point home, the Tampa Bay Tribune spotlighted two young girls who are battling with emotions due to the what they perceive the disaster's long-lasting impact on their own families.
"One girl about 5 years old was devastated when she realized she could no longer attend an annual fishing rodeo with her father - a family tradition. She has a new baby brother and was upset that he might never be able to go fishing with his father," the Tribune reported. "Another girl, about 7 or 8, was worried because her mother had not worked as a waitress at her beachfront restaurant the past three weeks."
Instead of parents re-affirming to their own children that their lives will go own, the damage will be repaired, their families will survive the challenges ahead, and this is not the first oil spill and it certainly will not be the last, the State of Florida has enlisted child welfare advocates from the DCF to intervene and help clear the residual mess on the home front.
"It is frustrating. We know the need is there," Janice Thomas, circuit administrator for DCF in the Panhandle told the Tribune. "Any kind of research proves there is a mental health impact with something like this."
DCF reportedly requested $1.7 million from BP in June to fund the grief camps for kids and has yet to see a dime. A BP spokesperson indicated to the Tribune that the company is considering the request, but had not made any final determinations.
The camps are currently being funded through private donations and monies allocated by the State of Florida received from the federally-funded Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, notes the DCF press release. Interestingly, the TANF program is limited in its responsibilities to achieving four specific goals that have nothing to do with providing grief counseling for children in wake of natural or man-caused disasters.
According to a TANF fact sheet detailing the program's "Goals" that appears on the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services website:
GoalsAdditionally, TANF's "Mission" contains no mention of the program providing for the mental health of children in wake of disasters, focusing its efforts solely on assistance that "promotes work, responsibility and self-sufficiency."States receive a block grant to design and operate their programs to accomplish the purposes of TANF.
These are:
- assisting needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes
- reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage
- preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies
- encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
MissionWe're shaking the 'magic eight ball' here trying to determine if the State of Florida and its DCF are improperly using federal TANF money to fund the grief camps for kids and it keeps saying, "Signs point to yes." A 2006 report from the State of Florida detailing its own requirements for residents' eligibility in the TANF program does not contain any provisions pertaining to children and their mental health needs.TANF is designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency. To carry out its mission, the TANF Bureau: 1) develops legislative, regulatory, and budgetary proposals; 2) presents operational planning objectives and initiatives related to welfare reform to the Director; 3) oversees the progress of approved activities; 4) provides leadership and coordination for welfare reform within ACF; and 5) provides leadership and linkages with other agencies on welfare reform issues, including agencies within DHHS, relevant agencies across the Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, and non-governmental organizations at the Federal, State, and local levels.
Katrina scams Redux...
Good Grief!!! How did children survive the Great Depression without an army of Psychobabbling counselors?
Geez, I gotta get me one big-ass grant to treat all the trauma these buggers are putting me through.
What about 0bama trauma? I think that’s likely to be among the top 5 diseases these days. The question is, what condition are you in when you recover from it?
These poor kids are ALREADY getting mentally abused by Communist teachers scaring them about manmade global warming and how we’re all going to cook like a baked potato in 30 years unless we form one big happy world community, blah blah blah........
I’m giving away my age..... I remember practicing going under our desks in case we were hit by an atom bomb....LOL
Can a law firm and an 800 number be far behind?
When I was a child, and in school, they used to have us practice climbing under our desks. We were told that at any minute a NUCLEAR BOMB could be launched from Russia, and our world would end.
IT bothered me a lot. Still does.
Where’s my money?
So I’m not the only one.
Sounds like we need a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT with RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS.
How about when we were told to put up PLASTIC SHEETS and DUCT TAPE to protect us from SADDAM’S CHEMICAL WEAPONS?
I want money for that too. Duct tape is pretty darn expensive.
And I’m sure there will be some new overly prescribed medication to go with it too.
Oh Jesus H. Christ.
Heck, I was so traumatized by 'Duck and Cover' that I moved to North Dakota so I could have a ringside seat for WWIII.
In the meantime, though, there are a lot of people there to help themselves---to any hint of deep pockets.
Wait...
I can hear their battle cry!
"For the chillrennnn....!!" '
The poor little darlings were having emotional meltdowns over polar bear extinction caused by our evil SUVs baking the planet. Then they had to worry themselves sick about Mom & Dad putting the wrong items in the recycle bins and getting hauled in by the Green Police. And now this! My God, it is so hard being a child these days. Liberals should stop having kids immediately. Who would ever want to inflict such emotional trauma on their progeny?
A dumbed-down populace and electorate will swallow this sh*t...hook, line and stinker....yes, the one in the Whitehouse.
I've lived on the Coast my whole life. First Hurricane Memory...Camille. Survived. Oil field business went bust...Survived. Lost friends and relatives to age or illness...SURVIVED.
"Grown ups' need to grow a damn pair. If you keep telling a kid something is wrong with them, walk around wringing your hands...don't be surprised when the kids start acting up. Be a parent, not a BFF.
Amen! Getting real sick of this stuff.
***Heck, I was so traumatized by ‘Duck and Cover’ that I moved to North Dakota so I could have a ringside seat for WWIII. ***
In the mining camp schools it was the constant warnings about stray blasting caps! Scarred me for life! Then we were moved to Arkansas where it was the fear of RUSSIAN BOMBERS overhead! Every town had a lookout tower for bombers! Is it a RUSSIAN bomber disguised as a bird? Duck and Cover!
WHERE IS MY MONEY! I’m still scarred!
Oh did I mention about my first hog killing? More scarred! Made me love Bacon! Now I have scarred clogged arteries!
Uh, Mr government man, you couldn’t make that in cash would you?
“How did children survive the Great Depression without an army of Psychobabbling counselors?”
They didn’t. The weak ones died. Others cathartically expelled their anxiety by growing up to kill Krauts, Japs, Commie Koreans, and Chinks.
Having worked for many years in the traumatic stress business, and even contributing to the DSM III-R diagnosis in 1987, I was repulsed by the trauma groupies who gathered around putative catastrophes, like flies around a fresh pile of sh*t.
A low point came in 1995 in Oklahoma City, where the "critical incident debriefers" were so aggressive they did irreparable harm to many of the people after the bombing.
The best approach to these kids? Minimize the "catastrophic" gibberish, and normalize the fact that sometimes you don't get to go to the beach like you like. Mommy lost her job? Happens. Everywhere, sooner or later. It'll get better.
There is a special place in hell for untrained incompetent preachers who go about intentionally traumatizing kids so they can purse their lips and say "ain't it awful." I've seen it happen, and it was as close as I've come to doing grievous harm to an asshole who desperately needed it.
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