I started smoking crack in 1980 after I was hit by a drunk driver and became disabled. That was a real trauma for me.
After the accident, I was ashamed of my body. The damage to my hip caused me to walk with a severe limp. I just wanted to hide. Crack helped me do that.
Because of my addiction, my two middle children were placed in the child welfare system for three years. My youngest child … Read More
Rise Parent leader Jeanette Vega delivered an inspiring speech to directors of child welfare agencies at the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies’ (COFCCA) annual meeting. Jeanette focused on toxic stress and the role it plays in a parent’s—and child’s— life once involved in the system. Here’s the full transcript:
In the fall when I read Steve Cohen’s paper I was shocked and amazed to think that there was a name— toxic stress— for what I … Read More
Rise Parent leader Jeanette Vega spoke to child welfare leadership at the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies’ (COFCCA) annual meeting about toxic stress and frontline practice with parents. Here’s the full transcript:
In the fall when I read Steve Cohen’s paper I was shocked and amazed to think that there was a name— toxic stress— for what I was going through when my son went into foster care.
Life Before My Case
Before my son entered foster care, I … Read More
Rise parent leaders Nancy Fortunato and Jeanette Vega presented to 400 attorneys at the American Bar Association conference for parent attorneys on April 25. Here is the text of their speech:
Thank you for the opportunity to present about parents’ perspectives on family court.
The main thing we want you to hear today is that parents come into court feeling powerless. When our children are removed, we feel the ultimate in powerlessness.
To get our children back, we … Read More
This Saturday, the film Custody by director James Lapine will air on Lifetime at 8pm EST. Starring Viola Davis, Hayden Panettiere and Catalina Sandino Moreno, the film explores the professional conflicts and personal dramas of a mother, a lawyer, a caseworker and a judge as a case of suspected abuse makes its way through the family court system.
In the background is the recent death of another child known to the system. The aftershocks of that … Read More
