BOISE, Idaho -- Experts and children's advocates are in Boise this week to discuss a religious exemption that protects faith-healing groups from prosecution when a child dies without receiving medical treatment.

The years-long battle over the exemption again will be in front of Idaho lawmakers. According to the state's child fatality review, three to five children a year lose their lives to medical neglect.

One of Thursday's panelists will be Sheriff Kieran Donahue of Canyon County, where the faith-healing sect Followers of Christ has a strong presence. He said he respects their religious freedom, but thinks the law should be applied equally to everyone.

"This religious shield or this exemption allows a very minute, specific group of people to have protection," he said, "where no one else in society has that protection."

Idaho is one of a handful of states with exemptions for medical neglect.

The event is to start at 4:30 p.m. in the State Capitol's Lincoln Auditorium. The 10-member panel also includes Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson, former Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Jones, and Protect Idaho Kids founder Bruce Wingate.

Donahue said the bill in this year's session would make it parents' responsibility to seek medical care.

"If a parent or guardian knows or reasonably should have known that the life of the child or ward would be greatly endangered, or the child could sustain permanent disability without other intervention," he said, "the parent or guardian should have the duty to report the child's condition and seek medical attention."

The panel also will include Tara Kester, whose family was affiliated with Followers of Christ in Canyon County. Kester came to law enforcement as an adult to report her father's sexual abuse, and was able to save her younger sisters from more abuse. Donahue said Kester's mother knew but didn't come forward because it went against her faith. She recently was sentenced as well.

Donahue said he believes while this is an extreme example, it aligns with the Followers' views on medical treatment.

"It really does lead to the fact that they are indoctrinated and told, 'You will not or cannot contact law enforcement, and we know what's best for you.' " Donahue said, "and unfortunately, these atrocities continue to happen."

Information about the event is online at protectidahokids.org, and the Idaho child fatality review report is at idcartf.org.


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Tens of thousands of children in Pennsylvania are still missing out on essential health care coverage, according to a new report.

The "State of Children's Health" report revealed Pennsylvania has the fifth-highest number of uninsured children in the nation.

Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said factors like race, where you live and family income play big roles in whether children have health insurance. And while the number of uninsured kids has stayed relatively steady, a stable uninsured rate does not signal there has been progress.

"There's still a little over 5% of kids who don't have health insurance in the state of Pennsylvania," Ludwick pointed out. "What that translates into, in terms of the number of kids is, we are seeing that 147,000 Pennsylvania children do not have coverage."

In Pennsylvania, younger children are more likely to be uninsured than school-aged children. Ludwick added one possible solution is the Department of Human Services' recent federal approval of continuous Medicaid coverage for kids up to age 6.

Ludwick noted the Medicaid "unwinding" process, to re-qualify families for coverage after the pandemic public-health emergency officially ended, did not significantly increase the number of uninsured children in the state. But her organization initially worried about a greater disruption when renewals resumed.

"Fortunately, what the numbers yielded were that eight out of 10 kids that went through the Medicaid unwinding process were either able to keep their Medicaid coverage, or they were able to transfer coverage over to CHIP, or to plans through PENNIE," Ludwick outlined.

Ludwick added nearly half of Pennsylvania's children depend on Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program or plans from PENNIE, the state's insurance marketplace, for their health insurance, emphasizing the critical importance of these programs not only to children but to parents and policymakers.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is making a comeback and a Tennessee medical expert stressed the preventable, highly contagious bacterial infection requires urgent attention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, year-to-date, Tennessee has recorded more than 200 cases, while more than 25,000 cases have been reported nationwide.

Dr. Anthony Flores, professor of pediatrics and director of pediatric infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said rising cases are largely due to vaccine hesitancy, and taking action now is essential to combat the serious illness.

"I think of our severe cases that we're seeing here in Tennessee, and nationwide as well, almost all of those severe hospitalized cases are in unvaccinated children," Flores explained. "I think the lower vaccination rate, kind of the periodicity with which we see whooping cough come back and surges, are contributing to the current numbers we're seeing."

Flores noted typical symptoms include a runny nose and low-grade fever, although fever is less prominent. The cough can develop and persist for weeks, becoming particularly bothersome in older children and adults. The name "whooping cough" comes from the severe coughing fits, which cause difficulty breathing, followed by a "whoop" sound as the afflicted person gasps for air.

Flores pointed out in newborns, especially before they begin receiving their initial vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months, their protection relies solely on the antibodies passed to them by the mother during pregnancy.

"In pregnant women, it's actually recommended that if they haven't received a booster, that they receive a booster in their third trimester, and that's again to pass on those antibodies to the newborn baby," Flores emphasized. "But then what can protect them from severe disease?"

Flores recommended children receive the whooping cough vaccine as part of their routine immunizations. He added as they grow, they get booster shots, and adults receive a different formulation called Tdap every 10 years to maintain immunity. He added it is important to follow a schedule to prevent waning immunity over time.


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CLARIFICATION: We updated language to clarify the timing for when the study's authors began tracking certain outcome measures for children within the foster care system. (9:30 a.m. CST, Nov. 22, 2024)

This Saturday is National Adoption Day and the latest findings showed Minnesota has made progress in helping kids in the foster care system secure a better future.

Aaron Sojourner, labor economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, helped lead a study of reforms Minnesota approved in 2015. He said states often provide financial support to children in foster care but support ends when a child is adopted or placed in a kin guardianship.

Minnesota decided to continue payments to households who take a child in permanently. Sojourner pointed out three years after foster cases started, positive outcomes became clear.

"The kids were scoring much higher on standardized achievement tests," Sojourner reported. "They were experiencing less turnover in schools and school instability."

He noted the incentives also boosted the chances of kids age 6 and older exiting the foster care system and moving into permanent home settings by 29%. Sojourner added while the results are encouraging, it is just one aspect of the child welfare landscape. Other research has shown racial disparities in Minnesota's foster care system, especially when looking at reducing entry rates.

Sojourner stressed if state lawmakers revisit the extended monthly payments in budget talks, they will need to realize the long-term payoff from these investments.

"The state is paying more money now but they're going to reap the benefits down the road," Sojourner contended. "In terms of increased earnings and employment."

His team's study said prolonged exposure to foster care is tied to poor transitions into adulthood, including homelessness.


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