Criminal background checks on many caregivers for children, the elderly and disabled are being delayed because Florida isn't taking full advantage of electronic fingerprinting, state officials said Thursday. ...more

October 24, 2009

The Florida Secretary for the Department of Children & Families, George Sheldon,paid a visit to the Children's Advocacy Center in Sebring last Tuesday. ...more

June 11, 2009

Children caught in the middle of nasty divorces soon may have legal advocates to look after their interests. ...more

June 3, 2009

A new report says domestic violence centers in Florida saw an almost 40-percent jump in demand last fall, an increase that experts say is related to the worsening economy. ...more

March 30, 2009

Jails are the wrong place to warehouse the mentally ill. Yet for years Florida has taken this approach toward those who are sick and turn to crime: Lock 'em up and don't worry about the treatment they need. ...more

March 29, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist drew chuckles Monday when he introduced Don Winstead as Florida's "stimulus czar" - the key official charged with riding herd over $13.4 billion in federal stimulus money expected by the state. ...more

March 24, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist drew chuckles Monday when he introduced Don Winstead as Florida's "stimulus czar." ...more

March 23, 2009

Too many of Florida's children are homeless or at risk of becoming so, state officials and national advocates said today – and the state's highest populations of homeless youth are in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. ...more

March 10, 2009

The growing hardship is reflected in calls to the state food stamp hot line, which numbered three million in December. ...more

January 9, 2009

Protecting Our Children As one who participated in the politics of getting permission from the state of Florida to establish local children's services councils such as the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, it was a pleasure to read Luanne Panacek's op-ed piece ("Hillsborough's Wise Investment In Children," Jan. 4). Congratulations to Dr. Panacek and her colleagues who do things so well in Hillsborough. ...more

January 8, 2009