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| STATE FAILS KIDS - FORCING FOUNDATION
TO STEP IN |
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| On 3 October 2001, Keenan's Kids Foundation launched the
Keenan's Kids Law Center - the first ever children's rights law center
started by a private foundation. |
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| PURPOSE: |
The Keenan's Kids Law Center has as its core mission prosecuting
lawsuits on behalf of Georgia's abused, neglected and at risk children
- children who are neglected by the institutions and governmental
agencies that are supposed to protect them. Each and every case prosecuted
by the law center will be done pro-bono - at no cost to the clients
whatsoever. The lawsuits chosen by the center will have a central
goal - that is to bring about major systemic changes in the way children
are treated by government and institutions. |
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TIME Magazine listed Georgia as one of the three worst states in
dealing with children under protective custody, the cover story was
titled: “The Shame of Foster Care”. 60 Minutes II, in a story detailing
the death of a child in protective custody, titled its newscast: “Georgia,
A State of Neglect”. For nearly 25 years, the child protective system
has deteriorated into a state of almost meltdown. The State has consistently
shown a lack of leadership and all legislative reforms have failed.
When the State fails its children, they must be held accountable in
the Courts of Law. |
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| STAFFING: |
The Keenan's Kids Law Center is staffed by an experienced senior
lawyer and a paralegal/secretary together with a number of volunteers. |
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| FUNDING: |
The Keenan's Kids Law Center is funded with $10 more than the amount
of money the General Assembly funded the state office of child advocate.
The funds will be given by Keenan's Kids Foundation, a 5Ol(c)(3) non-profit
corporation that commenced seven years ago. |
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| LOCATION: |
For the first two years of operation, the Keenan's Kids Law Center
will operate out of the first floor of the Keenan Building on Nassau
Street. The Keenan's Kids Law Center will operate against the backdrop
of the original Norman Rockwell painting, "The Problem We All Live
With", featuring the likeness of Ruby Bridges being escorted into
her school building by federal marshals. While the Keenan's Kids Law
Center will operate out of he Keenan Building, it will operate as
an entirely separate entity from the law firm. |
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| INITIAL CASE CONSIDERATIONS: |
Georgia DFCS is in total meltdown. Staff turnover is at an all time
high. Horror stories are regular fodder for the media. Systematic
problems in the agency result in children being neglected, abused
and in the worst cases, tortured or killed. |
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Finally, hospital emergency rooms are often the first opportunity
for the recognition of child abuse. Unfortunately, many of the state's
emergency room facilities are not in compliance with national standards
for triage and management of abuse cases. The Keenan's Kids Law Center
is exploring litigation which could bring Georgia in compliance with
national standards. |
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| LIAISONS: |
From time to time, Keenan's Kids Law Center expects to work together
with national child litigation groups, such as Children Defense Fund
of Washington, D.C. |
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| DON KEENAN'S INVOLVEMENT: |
In 1989 he represented Kathy Jo Taylor in litigation that established
the Constitutional right of a child to be free from abuse while in
foster care. Most recently, Mr. Keenan has represented the estate
of Terrell Peterson, whose horrific abuse and tragic death focused
national attention on the failure of state agencies to adequately
protect children at risk. |
