As the coronavirus continues its deadly spread across America and around the world, there are some who are less concerned, less mindful of social-distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders, less tied to accurate, evidence-based medical directives. Of course, faith healing isn’t new, but the ongoing crisis has rightfully increased our national
Are Idaho and Washington State Pro-Child-Death?
It’s been great to see bi-partisan, pro-child-protection bills filed in state legislatures this year. (A sign that Big Religion isn’t as powerful as it once was. States are expanding child sexual abuse statutes of limitations and California is looking to require that clergy report suspected cases of child abuse heard in confession.
Two bills in WA and CA would protect children from religious abuse and neglect
We are grateful for two bills that have just been filed in two state legislatures. Both relate to issues that the Child-Friendly Faith Project has long been involved with and could make a huge impact on the safety, health, and lives of children. We will continue to follow the progress
Idaho legislative candidates weigh in on faith-healing child deaths
Once a subject it seemed no one was talking about, candidates running for the Idaho House of Representatives in next week’s Republican primary are now saying just how they feel about so many children in their state dying from “faith-healing medical neglect.”
Due to the great work of child advocates,
Idaho legislators support letting children die of medical neglect
Telling constituents it’s acceptable to deny children needed medical care doesn’t seem like something that would get a politician re-elected. But that’s what’s happening in Idaho.
Child advocates have been imploring lawmakers there to change laws that prevent adults who deny children needed medical care from being prosecuted. The laws
What is Religious Child Maltreatment?
When I began writing my book, Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, the term religious child maltreatment or RCM did not exist (and numerous searches proved that Google had never heard of it.)
This dearth of information indicated that there hadn’t been much study on the negative impacts of
A Pioneer in Children’s Advocacy Retires
Anyone who follows the issue of religious child maltreatment—particularly cases in which children die from “faith healing”-related medical neglect—has heard of Dr. Rita Swan. I have had the honor of working with Rita and consider her a friend. Now this pioneer in child advocacy has announced she will retire at the end of this
With the close of the Idaho legislature, more children will die
We’re sorry to report that yet another year has gone by in which the Idaho legislature has refused to help children who are getting extremely ill, suffering disability, and dying—all due to lawmakers fiercely clinging to a twisted belief in “religious freedom.”
Idaho lawmakers publicly shamed for allowing children to die
The Child-Friendly Faith Project and child advocates in Idaho and around the country have worked hard to raise awareness of an unfolding tragedy: For decades, Idaho has been allowing parents to deny their children needed medical care, as long as they justify such neglect with religion.
Now people around the world are paying
Idaho committee chairman receives ‘F’ grade in child advocacy
One year ago, the Child-Friendly Faith Project and local advocates began meeting with Sen. Lee Heider about a critical issue—Idaho’s failure to protect children from egregious ‘faith healing’ medical neglect. In evaluating his ability to be an advocate for children, the board of the CFFP agrees that the Senator deserves an ‘F.’
Lee Heider