A Child's Right

MI: 2013-2014 Equal Parenting Bill HB 4120

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2013-HB-4120

Bill to require the family court to award equally shared physical custody unless there is clear and convincing evidence of unfitness, in-ability or unwillingness to equally parent. Contact the politicians and get them to work on this now.

Sponsor http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=042 State Rep Rogers

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=097 State Rep Johnson

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=080 State Rep Genetski

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=047 State Rep Denby

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=106 State Rep Pettalia

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=105 State Rep MacMaster

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=101 State Rep Franz

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=058 State Rep Kurtz

http://www.gophouse.com/welcome.asp?District=033 State Rep Goike

Michigan Parental Rights Resolution HCR 45 Action

Dear Friend of Parental Rights in Michigan,

Through your phone calls and the diligent efforts of our allies at
Citizens Alliance for Life and Liberty (CALL), a resolution calling
for the Parental Rights Amendment has made significant progress in the
Michigan legislature. Currently, the resolution - HCR 45  - has 60
cosponsors in the 110-member House, a clear majority.

However, HCR 45, championed by Rep. Dave Agema, must pass the House
Judiciary Committee to reach the floor for a vote, and that committee
is headed by Rep. Mark Meadows. As the chairman, Rep. Meadows has the
authority to decide whether the resolution will receive a hearing, and
whether or not it will be put to a committee vote.

We believe HCR 45 will pass if we can get it to a vote, so we need
your help to pursuade Rep. Meadows to give it that chance.

Next Thurs., April 29, at 11:30 Director Steven Dennison of CALL has a
30-minute appointment with Rep. Meadows to discuss this issue. April
29 is also Rep. Meadows' birthday.

Here, then, is what we need you to do:

Send a card as soon as possible wishing the Representative a happy
birthday;
Include in it a cordial request that he grant HCR 45 a vote in the
Judiciary Committee
Forward this email to as many friends and family members in Michigan
as you can and ask them to join you.
Please send your cards to:

The Honorable Representative Mark S. Meadows
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514.

Rep. Meadows may not be your local representative, but he represents
all of Michigan as the chair of the Judiciary Committee, especially in
deciding on matters like HCR 45. Your efforts are invaluable in
helping Michigan to pass this resolution in support of parental rights.

Sincerely,

Jason Heki
Regional Coordinator

Barry County Commission Resolution Supporting EP Bill

Here is a signed copy of the resolution that Barry County Commission in Michigan passed that supports HB 5114.
Download Res

HB 5114 is the bill that is currently stuck in the state house's Judiciary Committee waiting for a hearing. Here is a copy of the bill. Download 2009-HIB-5114

Please help get this bill through the house and the senate by contacting your state senator and representative.

Michigan Child Support System Needs Investigation

http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4442

Much of Michigan Child Support Debt is not for Child Support but a State Surcharge

December 11th, 2009 by Robert Franklin, Esq.
According to this article, a good (albeit unstated) portion of Michigan's child support
arrearages aren't child support arrearages at all, but interest due on
unpaid amounts (Detroit News, 12/7/09). In 1996, the Michigan
legislature passed a law requiring non-custodial parents to pay
interest on any arrearages in child support. It set the rate at 8%
which was to be compounded, presumably yearly. I don't know where they
came up with that figure, but it's significantly more than, for example
the return on highly-rated municipal bonds, U.S. Treasury bonds, etc.
And the fact that they allowed the amounts to be compounded added
insult to injury.

My comments:
-------

Thank you for bringing the issues in Michigan to light.

A few more points:

* For children or custodial parents on welfare, "child support " that
"goes to the child" actually goes to the state to repay those
expenses. If it's set too high the child is harmed because the
non-custodial parent can't help with the child's real day to day
expenses.

* There is substantial evidence of ongoing and systemic fraud in calculating child support in Michigan.

* There is evidence of systemic application of illegal automatic income
imputation, a known violation of Michigan law under Michigan supreme
court rulings for 10 years.

* There is evidence that child custody determinations are racist. Only
3/5ths as many African-American fathers get recommendations for sole or
joint custody, as compared to White Non-Hispanic fathers, based on
county to county data. Racial data is not available, and would likely
be substantially worse.

* There is evidence that courts are altering recordings and manipulating official records in violation of federal laws.

* The 2008 MCSFM (Michigan Child Support Formula Manual) was changed to
make parenting time offsets insignificant. A parent who directly cares
for a child 79 overnights + 26 weekdays only gets 2% of the family
income available under state law for that child for his/her support
efforts.

* There is evidence that courts are knowingly violating and evading federal laws on garnishment limits.

* FOC form 10a makes child support fraud easy, and there is evidence
that it's used in a coercive manner to force parents to give up various
rights (e.g. the ability to object ot move away decisions, later
modification of child support, etc).

* Google "Carol Rhodes Friend of the Court Video" and watch it. She worked there and saw it all.

* All of this is documented at scribd dot com slash DougDante.

 

But no Republican or Democrat politician is really willing to fundamentally change the way child support is calculated or enforced because they don’t want to look like they are soft on all those dead beat dads out there.

Heck they figure that you cheatin’ abusive dads out there deserve to have to pay bloated support orders after all if you’d just been a good husband or boyfriend she would have never kicked you to the curb or it is your own damn fault ‘cause you left her for some other chick. Finally these statist politicians either think that it is a man’s responsibility to care for his ex and their children or that women are the superior gender and deserve to be supported at what the state determines is best. Think about it, doesn’t most republocrats believe that it is “fair” to have a graduated income tax and property tax?

 

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

MICHIGAN PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP PROTECTION BALLOT INITIATIVE

Are you going to be able to help gather ballot signatures this year for the Michigan Child-Parent Relationship Protection Citizen Initiated Ballot Proposal? It reflects the wording of this sessions House Bill

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HB-5114 check this Facebook group Michigan Equal Parenting Ballot Initiative Group for the actual ballot to download and print out. HERE IS THE ACTUAL BALLOT LINK Could you please pass on the request for recruits and post this action on your personal and organization's blog? Have you joined your county NCP group in Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/? We are using this format for the name of the groups: NCP-MI-(county name)@yahoogroups.com to organize this action and am looking for leaders, are you one?

Please respond if you:

1. Believe that we should put together a ballot proposal signature drive in
Michigan or your state to change the state family law to protect the
parent-child relationship in the case of divorce or separation?

2. If so, are you willing to help by recruiting others to gather signatures?

3. Are you willing to gather signatures?

4. Are you willing to contribute funds towards the cost of this effort?

5. What state and county are you willing to be active in?

Ballot will be similar to this bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HB-5114

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

RADAR ALERT: "First they ignore you, ..."

RADAR ALERT:

"First they ignore you, ..."

Two weeks ago, Slate.com's short-lived
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote1sym> 1 publication
"Double X" published an article by Kathryn Joyce entitled "'Men's Rights'
Groups Have Become Frighteningly Effective."
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote2sym> 2

This was not Slate.com's finest hour. One thing this article could never be
accused of is objective reporting.

On Nov. 5th, the very same day the Double X article appeared, Salon.com's
Broadsheet published an article by Judy Berman entitled "'Men's rights'
groups go mainstream"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote3sym> 3 that adds no
new information, and simply seems to be an effort to repeat the Double X
article to Salon's readers.

Since the Double X article appeared there have been several analyses of its
flaws, the most recent being Cathy Young's article in Forbes: "Feminism
should be about equality-for males too"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote4sym> 4 which says:

"More than a quarter-century ago, British feminist philosopher Janet
Radcliffe Richards wrote, 'No feminist whose concern for women stems from a
concern for justice in general can ever legitimately allow her only interest
to be the advantage of women.' Joyce's article is a stark example of
feminism as exclusive concern with women and their perceived advantage,
rather than justice or truth."

In "Journalistic Misrepresentation at Slate's New Woman-Oriented Publication
'Double X'" <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote5sym> 5,
RADAR's Mark Rosenthal explained how the article had misrepresented his
comments and also took issue with the article's characterization of Murray
Straus as someone "who has written extensively on female violence," saying:

"The characterization of Straus as someone who has written extensively on
female violence is like characterizing Susan B. Anthony as someone who wrote
extensively on temperance - true but misleading because of what it leaves
out. Straus has devoted his professional career to the study of all forms of
family violence - parent-to-child, child-to-parent, sibling-to-sibling, as
well as partner violence in all its configurations - male-to-female,
female-to-male, and mutual. He has never focused exclusively on female
violence."

And in a series of articles beginning with "Slate.com & Salon.com Criticize
the Fatherhood Movement (Part I)"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote6sym> 6, Glenn Sacks
critiques the quality of the reporting, saying:

"The articles discuss various aspects and actors in the [men's and fathers]
movement, and also quote and misquote me. ... I specifically, repeatedly,
and emphatically told Joyce that any linkage between the men's & fathers'
movements' grievances and Sodini is not my view, but I guess she was
determined to jam it in there anyway."

Mahatma Gandhi is reputed to have said: "First they ignore you, then they
ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." The joint Slate/Salon
attack pieces are a good indication that we're well past stage 1.
Congratulation to all RADAR supporters and allies for getting us this far.
Let's keep it up!

_____

1 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote1anc> "Double X
closes up shop",
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/11/16/double_x_folds/index.html

2 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote2anc> "'Men's
Rights' Groups Have Become Frighteningly Effective.", Slate.com,
http://www.doublex.com/section/news-politics/mens-rights-groups-have-become-
frighteningly-effective

3 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote3anc> 'Men's
rights' groups go mainstream, Salon.com,
http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/feature/2009/11/05/mens_rights/index.ht
ml

4 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote4anc> "Feminism
should be about equality-for males too",
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/19/mens-rights-feminism-equality-violence-opin
ions-contributors-cathy-young.html

5 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote5anc> "Journalistic
Misrepresentation at Slate's New Woman-Oriented Publication 'Double X'",
http://www.breakingthescience.org/DoubleXMisrepresentation.php

6 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote6anc> "Slate.com &
Salon.com Criticize the Fatherhood Movement (Part I)",
http://glennsacks.com/blog//?p=4359 <http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4359>

_____

Date of RADAR Release: November 23, 2009

R.A.D.A.R. - Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting - is a
non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve
the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence.
http://www.mediaradar.org

Action Alert: Michigan FOC Legislative Change Now

ACTION ALERT: Join Me in Sending Recommendations for the Michigan Fr

Posted by: "Doug Dante" [email protected]   dougdante1

Wed Sep 2, 2009 4:59 pm (PDT)

Hi,

Please join me in sending recommendations for the Michigan Friend of the Court to Michigan's Judiciary Committees. To make it easy, I've created a form message that you can use below. Use this message, or just share your own personal experiences.

Thank you in advance to the many people who will take action.

Sincerely,

Doug Dante

TO:

markmeadows@house.mi.gov; EllenLipton@house.mi.gov; LisaBrown@house.mi.gov; BobConstan@house.mi.gov; marccorriveau@house.mi.gov; AndyCoulouris@house.mi.gov; AndrewKandrevas@house.mi.gov; bettiecookscott@house.mi.gov; rebekahwarren@house.mi.gov; tonyaschuitmaker@house.mi.gov; JustinAmash@house.mi.gov; JosephHaveman@house.mi.gov; rickjones@house.mi.gov; EileenKowall@house.mi.gov; toryrocca@house.mi.gov; senwkuipers@senate.michigan.gov; SenACropsey@senate.michigan.gov; SenASanborn@senate.michigan.gov; SenBPatterson@senate.michigan.gov; SenGWhitmer@senate.michigan.gov; SenHClarke@senate.michigan.gov; SenRBasham@senate.state.mi.us

Subject:

Recommendations for the Michigan Friend of the Court

Body:

Members of the Michigan House/Senate Judiciary Committees,

Here are my recommendations for
the family justice system in Michigan or the Michigan Friend of the
Court. As
you know, these programs effect millions of Michiganders, including
children, parents, and extended family members, and as members of the
Michigan House and Senate Judiciary Committees, you are the people's
elected representatives regarding these matters.

There is a previously available summary and recommendations here which may assist you:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12745431/Suggestions-to-Help-the-Michigan-Friend-of-the-Court-Strengthen-Families

However, recommendations to you committee include matters such as:

* Reform child custody procedures so that African American fathers are no longer only 3/5hs as
likely as White Non-Hispanic fathers to receive a custody
recommendation for joint custody or a for father sole custody.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/6169001/Analysis-of-Friend-of-the-Court-Custody-Recommendations

*
Reform court procedures to ensure that parents and children get due
process and that an impartial court has weighed all of the relevant
facts.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3123830/Michigan-Child-Custody-Survey-Report
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2561734/Some-Thoughts-on-Child-Custody-Hearings

* Reform the Friend of the Court Association to stop illegal lobbying using taxpayer dollars.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12744555/Is-the-Friend-of-the-Court-Stealing-Taxpayer-Dollars-From-Children-for-Illegal-Lobbying

* Reform the office of court recorder so that all litigants can get contemporaneous recordings, and we don't
have consistent accusations that court proceedings were altered after
the fact by insiders.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2257035/Contemporaneous-Recordings-for-Referee-Hearings-in-Michigan

* Create an independent fraud tip line and an independent internal investigative unit at the FOC to uncover underhanded activities. Provide a mechanism for
members of the public to submit reports of fraud and underhanded
tactics to such an organization. Provide specific guidelines for
investigations, including undercover investigations, and provide
specific guidelines for turning over information received to law
enforcement. Provide specific guidelines for annual public reports of
investigations and wrongdoings uncovered.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/948712/Detecting-Fraud-in-Court-Filings-Postal-Meters-Color-PrintersCopiers-and-Cartridges
http://www.scribd.com/doc/630611/A-Quick-Summary-of-Title-IVD-Funding-and-Incentives
http://www.scribd.com/doc/477791/A-Review-of-the-CSPER-Report

* Apply FOIA to the FOC and SCAO in matters not regarding a particular case,
including policy matters and those matters normally FOA-able in other
departments.

* Investigate evidence of fraud in child support calculations.
Change procedures so that fraud is more difficult, including requiring
that FOC must not coerce parents into signing away their rights, as
they do on the standard FOC child support form, and change procedures
so that parents can actually see how the 2008 MCSFM is applied in their
case. Children are harmed when child support amounts are either inadequate or excessive.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/458394/Michigan-Friend-of-the-Court-Child-Support-Modification-Request
(Search for "fraud")
http://courts.michigan.gov/SCAO/courtforms/domesticrelations/support/foc10a.pdf

*
Review
the 2008 MCSFM. At this time , I do not believe that it
provides an adequate amount of the child's resources to his/her care
when in the care of the parent paying child support. In particular,
since the 2004-2008 formula, the elimination in the new 2008 formula of
the 50% overnight refund for more than 6 days as well as the
application of the new "difference of cubes" of overnights rule for
child support allocation means that children receive substantially
fewer family resources while in the care of one parent versus the care
of another. For example, a typical single child with a total base
support of $703.71 can receive only a paltry $29.37 per month to care
for his/her needs when spending about a third of his or her waking
hours at the paying parent's home. This is wrong and simply serves to
hurt children, although
it reduces the workload at the FOC and increases federal program income
for the FOC.

http://www.courts.michigan.gov/scao/resources/publications/manuals/focb/2008MCSFmanual.pdf
http://www.courts.michigan.gov/scao/resources/publications/manuals/focb/2004MCSFmanual.pdf
http://www.scribd.com/doc/458394/Michigan-Friend-of-the-Court-Child-Support-Modification-Request
(Search for "Parenting Time Offsets Could Often Be Insignificant")

Dads and Moms of Michigan eNewsletter Nov 08

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6632 Telegraph Rd, Ste 110 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 248-559-DADS info@... Sign up for our newsletter and Forum! Click here

DADS and MOMS of Michigan eNewsletter November 2008   DADS and MOMS of Michigan and Dads and Moms University are focused on delivering services to help families succeed.    We educate over 200 families each month and growing with more than 20,000 constituents.   Dads and Moms of Michigan has grown its focus on education to expand education programs around the state.  We have partnered with some new groups. For information and to help, call 248-559- DADS (3237).  Sign up for our eNewsletter at www.dadsofmichigan.org   Dads and Moms University Presents:    DADS AND MOMS OF MICHIGAN FAMILY FORUM MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008, 7PM   BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE 380 S BATES BIRMINGHAM , MI 48009   GUEST SPEAKERS: Family Court Referees PAUL JACOKES and DIANE ALFAFARA and caseworker/family counselor PATRICIA MOORE from  the Macomb County Friend of The Court   7pm-730: DADS/MOMS PRESENTATION 730-830: GUEST SPEAKERS 830-930: LEGAL ROUNDTABLE WITH ATTY BILL REISDORF and other invited counsel   FOR MORE INFO CALL 248-559-DADS   Drop Dad a Line – National Fatherhood Initiative Send a message to your Military Dad! https://www.fatherhood.org/dropdadline.asp   Kids: Get an adult to help you fill in this form to send a special message to your military dad. When you "Click Here to Submit" your dad will get an e-mail telling him that you have posted a message for him on our website! If you want everyone to see how proud you are of your dad, make sure the box at the bottom is checked and your message will go on a special page with all of the other messages that other kids sent to their dads! If you want only your dad to see your message, uncheck the box and only he will see your message.   National Fatherhood Initiative Research National Fatherhood Initiative conducts research on fatherhood-related topics and on marriage. In addition, National Fatherhood Initiative also conducts evaluations on the effectiveness of its products and programs. The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man: The Annual Public Costs of Father Absence (NEW) The federal government spends $99.8 billion dollars every year on programs - such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts - that support father-absent homes. Download Full Study (1.7 MB) Great Link For MOMS http://www.iparenting.com/bookshelf.php?cid= Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.  http://www.iparenting.com/mom/6116.php Shared Parenting Forum http://www.sharedparenting.com/ Shared Parenting Assistant A secure online service designed to assist in Shared Parenting, communication and share custody management; children’s activities, homework, friends and contacts, school info and photos. Family and Marriage   http://www.heritage.org/research/family/index.cfm?CFID=45668626&CFTOKEN=98223847 The family is the building block of society. When marriages and families are healthy, communities thrive; when marriages break down, communities break down. A Portrait of Family and Religion in America - Study illustrating the intact family that worships weekly is the greatest generator of human and social goods and least generator of social ills, and that the broken family that does not worship is the greatest generator of social ills and the least generator of social goods. Lighting Candles World Wide A Project of Three Sides to Every Story, Inc.   http://www.lightingcandlesworldwide.com/ Imagine for a moment Lighting Candles World Wide and all at the same time. Imagine your child knowing we are Lighting Candles World Wide just for them. We have given this a lot of thought and we have come to the conclusion that everyone can light a candle at their home or in their home town at a designated place. You can be apart of Lighting Candles World Wide to show a united front for the children and their need to have both parents and grandparents in their lives. We have chosen December 18, 2008 at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (more time zones below) for our first annual Lighting Candles World Wide which is exactly one week before Christmas. This is the hardest time of year for those missing their children, but especially for the children who are missing a parent or grandparents or in some cases siblings and of course their extended family.   Dr. Steven Baskerville on Child Support   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvizPUBVi2E   Michigan Supreme Court Administrators Office (SCAO) Child Support Review (SPER) Report from 12/18/2006 online http://courts.michigan.gov/scao/services/focb/CSPR12-06ReportAndRecommendations.pdf     The attached document, page 36 of the Model Policy for Law Enforcement of Personal Protection Orders in Michigan . NOTE ON CHILD CUSTODY WITHIN PROTECTION ORDERS: The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a Michigan PPO can restrict a parent’s contact with the parent’s minor child(ren) and/or award temporary custody or temporary possession of children. Brandt v. Brandt, 250  Mich  App 68 (2002). Although a child custody provision within a  Michigan PPO is not common, it is legal, and it is enforceable as any other provision in the PPO. Child custody provisions within protection orders are safety provisions. Forty-four states, including the  District of Columbia , specifically provide for award of temporary child custody in a protection order.   Fatherhood Issues on Myspace   http://www.myspace.com/familyrights   DADS Merchandise http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/merchandise.html Consider ordering some DADS merchandise for your favorite DAD this holiday season. Soon we will be adding MOMS merchandise. Sorry Moms, Stepparents and Grandparents, you are as important. Cut here Please consider making a monthly contribution via credit card. 6632 Telegraph Rd, Suite 110 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 (248) 559-DADS (3237) phone Fax 248-559-5427 http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/ info@... I authorize DADS and MOMS of Michigan and The Village Secretary to keep my signature on file and to charge my Visa, MasterCard or American Express account for recurring monthly charges for a period of (example 1 year) __________ beginning (date) ___________ in the amount of $________. I will give Dads and Moms of Michigan through The Village Secretary 30 days written notice to cancel the use of my credit card for this purpose. Customer Name: __________________________________________________ Cardholder Name: _________________________________________________ Cardholder Billing Address: __________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________ Credit Card Number Expiration Date: __________________________________ Cardholder Signature Date: __________________________________________ Cut here Fax to: 248-559-5427   Dads and Moms of Michigan (http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/) includes Dads of Michigan, Moms of Michigan, and Dads of Michigan PAC. These are volunteer responsible parenthood education organizations for fathers and mothers. They instruct on the importance of involved biological parents to the successful development of their children. Dads of Michigan PAC is an independent volunteer political advocacy group dedicated to legislation keeping both biological parents actively engaged in the lives of their children despite divorce and custody, in most instances. They believe men and women should be viewed equally under the law and their credo is: "fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents." Dads of Michigan, the Michigan affiliate of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, is also the developer of the Dads and Moms University of responsible education for teenage, divorced, and unmarried parents. This educational program employs several features to either directly or indirectly benefit nearly 2 million men, women, and grandparents and just under one-half million children each year in Michigan. For more information, please contact us at (248) 559-DADS (3237) or email info@.... DADS and MOMS of Michigan Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.   "Fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents"   UNSUBSCRIBE

County Level Political Action

Here is a link to the Kalamazoo County Commission which is my commission as an example, you'll need to identify your own commission http://www.kalcounty.com/board/committeesdescription.htm I am providing the link hoping that some people will decide to get involved at the local level and begin to influence our government and add to your political resume. Here are some examples of boards that we could serve on to try and get something done towards parental rights, civil rights and smaller more efficient government. Also we need to consider becoming active in both political parties, become precinct delegates for the party that we most identify with and truly change what is going on. I am not asking that you vote for against any particular party but I am asking that you begin to become an active advocate for liberty and maybe that might require that you start within one of the major parties. Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board (CATAB) meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 12:00 p.m. in Room 207A of the County Administration Building. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board consists of three sectors mandated by the Federal government: private sector, consumer sector and public official sector. The Board of Commissioners appoints five public sector representatives and five private official sector representatives and approves five consumer sector representatives. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board shall advise the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners (the governing board) and advise the Health and Community Services Department on the implementation and coordination of a comprehensive Community Action program. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board will assist the Governing Board by and through the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department by serving as the advocate for the reduction of the causes, conditions and effects of poverty and shall assist in the provision of social and economic opportunities that foster self-sufficiency for low income persons. Click here to download an application. Community Corrections Advisory Board The Community Corrections Advisory Board (CCAB) normally meets on the third Friday at 7:00 a.m., with additional meetings possible, at the Office of Community Corrections. The Board reviews topics related to new or changing issues in corrections. The primary mission of the CCAB is to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate programs that provide alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders in order to reduce jail and prison overcrowding. These appointments are representative of prosecution, courts, law enforcement, media, human services, defense attorneys, and the business community. Appointments are made for two-year terms of office. Contact: Grace Kalafut 387-7136 Human Services Department Board Kalamazoo County Human Services Department Board meets the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Department of Social Services Offices. The Board deals with human services matters within the County. Appointments are made for three-year terms of office. Contact: Kalamazoo County Human Services Department Director Sherry Thomas-Cloud 337-5000 Click here to download an application. Veterans Affairs Committee For general information, or to obtain an application, please contact Tina Becker at 383-8849 in the County Administration Office. Click here to download an application.

2008 Equal Parenting Bike Trek Cyclists Recognized at the DC Festival 2008

Excellent video captured by Bill Gibbons of PA FACE. 2008 Equal Parenting Bike Trek cyclists recognized at the DC Festival 2008. For updates on the Equal Parenting Bike Trek please visit Cycling4Children.com. Congrats to all four cyclists!