" would be funny. If teh kid beats mom home when we send him back to her in calfiornia. Thank goodness we can now put a stop to this nonsense. No more drop offs and no more problems I say. Now we can go back to prosecuting these parents when they ABANDON their children. The way is should ahve always been. "

" It's obvious that children over the age of 30 days are not important to the higher ups of Nebraska. What happens when a parent(s) seriously hurts or kills a child that could have been spared the pain if ONLY the people making the laws in Nebraska REALLY CARED about these children. Obiously we have a serious problem if so many teens have been dropped off, but I guess instead of trying to help these families/teens the EASY WAY OUT WAS TO CHANGE THE LAW and be done with it! I don't see how you people sleep at night, may it all come back to haunt you someday SOON, maybe it will be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew someday and you will have nowwhere to turn. Gods Blessings to all of the parents and children out there that are struggling to get help and keep their families together, better move to a different state if you want to get any help for your children. God Bless!!!!! "

" are these people nuts? they are better off without these parents. "

" When will Nebraska learn, in this world today, you hand anything out for
free and they'll come like termites. This woman has the money to drive
clear from Calif but can't look after her child!! These people just don't
want to be bothered, because in other states where they have come from,
THERE IS HELP FOR THEM if they want to take the effort to LOOK!! But again
its the parents, not the kids. Maybe if they would start jailing the
parents they'd find out where the problem is!! "

" wow i feel so bad for these children. i couldn't imagine not being wanted or even not wanting my own children. god bless these little people. "

" I think it'd be hilarious if the mother from California was late by just one minute and told sorry take your kid back home. "

" What a great if accidental study in child care in America. I do not see the parents as the whole problem, I see the system as the problem. How sad that the only solution to their child care problems were to dump the child rather than being able to find a solution that would help solve the problems in their family. Safe Haven nationwide for all children up to 18 years old could stop run aways and throw aways ending up on the streets where they may have to sell their bodies to survive and risk horrors beyond most of our imaginations. Nebraska, you were accidentally on the right road! (I live in Kansas). "

" Hopefully the final chapter in a embarrassing blip of Nebraska history. "

" To California Mom,
If you put in as much time and effort into raising your son as you did in getting him to Nebraska to give him away you might be a lot happier. I guarantee your son would be. One value you have taught him well, give up when the going gets tough. "

" I guess I don't see how this is a solution to anything. "

" To Concerned Mother: Many stories have stated that the state realizes it's lack of support for teens in Nebraska. They've also said they will be looking at those supports and working to improve the systems and make that help more known for those who need it. As a teacher here in Lincoln, I see first hand how hard it is to get help for young children and agree that we need more support. However, dropping kids of at hospitals does not solve any problems, not long term at least. It's important that you read the whole story before you become a critic "

" ok seriously the law was origianlly meant for newborns born to mothers were weren't ready or didn't want the baby to prevent them from dumping the baby in garbage cans or places like that. This law is not for teens who are being teens. There are organizations and such to get help with unruly teens. So many people say it is so hard to get help and what not, is it really ro are they just not trying hard enough? If you have dealt with them for 15 years or better can you not stick it out for 3 or 4 more when they are legally adults? Maybe discipline is the problme, lack of it. Imagine the trauma and psychological problems these teens will have later in life because there parents dropped them off becuae they didn't want them anymore. If they have problems now they really are gonna have problems later. If you can drive from other states to drop your kid off you should not have had them in the first place. I personally am glad this law was changed to 30 days. Various other states have this law and it is meant for newborns and it actually works. Before today it seemed like a cop out to me for those that dropped off their kids. What would these parents have done if the law had the age limit it does now when it first was introduced or it was never introduced at all? Can these people live with themselves after they have dropped them off. Sorry if I sound rude, but this was really getting ridiculous. "

" If all of you who are criticizing the parents actually knew their situation that would be helpful. You obviously do not know how the Nebraska HHS operates and the political attitudes of the Governor and his minions in HHS. If they were actually pro-life and full of traditional family values, they would not continue the budget decisions, policies, etc that seriously diminish families capacity to function, to receive help. Do you have any idea how many children are relinquished to the state because their families are in the financial hell that is too much income for help, too little to afford it? There are too many other facts to go into here. The Legislature needs to get a spine and create a REAL oversight commission, with funding & staff that is independent of HHS & the Governor's office, to get to the real problems: the HHS culture, attitudes to toward those they are to serve, outdated/poor performing providers, more concern about building a surplus than doing what is actually helpful and healing to constituents, HHS state staff hired on merit rather than Republican/anti-abortion/anti-birth control/rubber stamp the Governor believers, actual reform steps & re-education of all in the behavioral health system to the mental illness recovery model & strategies, trauma informed practices throughout, regulations that result in supporting recovery, policies, practices, procedures that promote recovery & trauma-informed services and RESULTS. The list goes on.

For those of you who claim people on welfare are so bad, all they do is make babies, etc etc. Have you thought about the consequences of the anti-abortion/anti-birth control influence on public policy? No public money allowed. Other impediments, like no money to pay for it yourself, maybe don't have transportation. What are the alternatives for people on public assistance to take responsibility for their personal reproductive health? Abstinence. That you, as an outsider, have imposed on them! How intrusive and arrogant of all the anti-abortion/anti-family planning voters & elected officials. Connect the dots; see the consequences on OTHERS lives, and the budget, policy changes needed to be more American - free of outsider meddling in others lives. Restore the U.S. Constitution and the right to privacy in Nebraska.

The Legislature could do one fundamental thing in the next session that would help: take HHS out of code status, make it an independent agency from the Governor, with Governance through an elected Board of Health or a Legislative appointed board made up of real citizens informed and committed to public health & all the duties of HHS to hire competent leaders, hold them accountable for serving in ways that supports modern knowledge and practices about mental illness, addictions, veterans needs, etc. RATHER THAN Republican ideologues. This is part of the change President-elect Obama voters are expecting, also. Not just at the federal level. Local and state levels of government have to get smart about relationships between their decisions (many based on myths, fears, presumptions, and biases) and how many people are being harmed in the behavioral health system. The unintended consequence of the Safe Haven law was the exposure of how bad the system really is. Staff, providers are also frustrated and displeased with this old world system. Change we need, and need now, will not look much like what the Governor and HHS are willing or able to think about. According to longtime observers and participants,the Heineman administration is the absolute worst: what they value (not the people in their jurisdiction),what they are doing, requiring, justifying, marketing, spinning has extended this shameful Nebraska system.

So, you might say why isn't this out in the open? Because people have been fired for even appearing to disagree, or perceived to be in the wrong party, or doing a very good job (but not what the administration supports), and plus all the media disinterested or unable to do real journalism. Simply stating what is released without any analysis. Real documentation has been given to LJS on mental illness issues, immigration issues, for example, and the results are a nice human interest story or no response at all. So, Nebraska has complicit elected officials, whether by intention or accident,uninformed or unaware and no Fourth Estate - isn't that what journalism is called, and called to be? A free press?

The Governor signed a pig in a poke yesterday. Defining the age of children to be turned over is not the solution. I doubt his electorate - the Republican base - will notice. There's a surplus - YIPPEE! "

" I have lived the story most of these parents are going through. My kids were homocidal, suicidal, thiefs, skipping school, threatening to kill me & their siblings, taking any & all medications they could find. I couldn't stay awake for 24/7 to keep an eye on them! Unless you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes - DON'T JUDGE! I'm just thankful that places like Cedars & Boy's Town are available, but I also know that one mother who "abandoned" her son tried those places & they turned her down - THAT'S THE PROBLEM! What do we do with children who are totally out of control either in behavior and/or mental problems? There are those who 'fall through the cracks' & those are the ones that have been left at the hospitals! No one has a right to criticize anything or anyone unless you have personally experienced it. Some say, "I can't imagine abandoning MY child". Well, of course you can't! You haven't lived with these children or the way they treat you. I've been beat black & blue, I've been hospitalized because of my kids hurting me & have had a nervous breakdown (they don't call it that anymore...) due to them & their behaviors - THEN you can relate! "

" Obviously it isn't just Nebraska that has a problem with lack of resources for these families. Otherwise there would not have been so many from out of state. I agree dropping kids off at a hospital probably did not help either parent or child very much. The thing this law did accomplish though was to point out the helplessness these parents experience. As the aunt of a very troubled child I have seen it myself and believe me I don't know the half of what his parents have gone through. I can't be thrilled with the results of this mess but am quite satisfied that things have come to light that I have a feeling our system knew about but have been constrained my budget and whatever else. This law has not been an embarrassment for this state. It's called enlightenment. "

" I think a lot of people believe Nebraska would be a better place for the child. Maybe Nebraska isn't as bad as people are making out as. It is the others states that have the problem. "

" I am amazed at how quickly we are to judge someone. Yes, America as a whole has alot of issues to straighten out but writing hurtful things on a blog for the Lincoln Journal Star is not going to make things right. Since everyone seems to have a solution why isn't everyone willing to become foster parents or go back to school to help learn more about ways to help these children allowing more people into the workforce that are educated to help? Yeah, that's right, let's all just complain b/c it makes us all feel better but yet as American's, parents, aunt's, uncles...we aren't willing to extend a helping hand. Change has to start from within. "

" If you can't spend the 20 years, don't spend the 20 minutes.
People think it is so exciting to have a baby. Women think the man will stay with her if she gets pregnant. Wake up people.If you elect to have a child, it is YOUR responsibility, YOUR problem to raise that child. You chose to do the deed. Now, you deal with your actions. It is not the responsibility of the rest of the citizens of this state to take care of YOUR mistake. If the child is uncontrolable, it is no doubt due to the parents it is exposed to. You reap what you sow. "

" Actually the law was never intended for newborns. Many senators insisted in making sure the wording was inclusive of all children. "

" To Informed: You have hit the nail on the head about HHS. Anyone that works in the Juvenile system will tell you that HHS does not care for the children, they are only looking out for their jobs.The task force needs to look at the laws for all facets of the juvenile justice systems and try to make this states a model that all of the other states would try to implement.

To all of the others who are just sure that either the parents are dropping off their children because they just don't want to be parents anymore, I really hope that you or your children never have to walk in their shoes. Mental health problems are not something that anyone has control of, it just happens. Yet you will be the same ones complaining that we have to many people in prison when these kids don' get the help that they need. "

" Teens are not cute little babies, so we don't really have any use for them. Just tell their parents to take care of them and do a better job. We really need to focus on making sure more babies are born. "

" It is not our responsibility to take care of everyones kid just because they decide that oh boy nebraska has a safe haven law, might as well drive and drop our kid off, too tough, cant handle the kid. My cousin went out of control a year ago, to the point we thought he was going to be another westroads mall shooter, and his parents got him help, they had the option of taking him and dropping him off, as luny as he was at the time it wouldnt have suprised me, but instead they found a solution, boys town, and got him the help he needed. Im glad they ended this whole no age limit crap. Parents take responsibility and find a solution not an easy way out! "

" To Jean: You are right “Informed” did hit the nail on the head, but please do not say DHHS doesn’t care about children. Governor Heineman, Christine Z Peterson (DHHS CEO) and the six Division “talking” Heads who were all appointed by the Governor are the ones that don’t care. There is a lot of dedicated DHHS staff that care about the jobs they do.

DHHS staff care but morale is at an all time low since the Governor started his “reorganization” that is tearing the agency from the inside out. Actually, DHHS staff are more worried about losing their jobs if they disagree or having them eliminated, so Dave can campaign on eliminating “big” government. As long as Child Protective Services stats improve, the Governor doesn’t care whether the best interests of the children are being taken into consideration.

The reorganization of the different Departments was necessary, but the direct control the Governor wields of his appointed puppets is scary. This is a very political time inside DHHS. “Informed” is absolutely correct about staff being fired for even appearing to disagree, or perceived to be in the wrong party, or doing a very good job - but not what the administration supports. Veteran Medicaid administrators were let go, the national recognized Child Support Enforcement administrator was fired after he was out of town receiving more national recognition, the head of the Department’s Legal division is axed and replaced with a thirty-something attorney with extensive experience in Ag Law and other numerous DHHS Attorneys that have been fired or left the Department.

What do you expect from a guy who makes sure he is the last one to show up for meetings just to make sure that nobody that is taller than him is standing directly next to him.

The Governor wants DHHS to be transparent & accessible. Come on Dave, please come out and explain the mass turn over/ political blood bath in the DHHS Legal Division or tell us how many more Governor or Director/puppet appointed administrators/lap dogs are making 6 figures since YOUR “reorganization”. "

" I cannot believe how mean some of you pro-life Nebraskans are!! How do you discipline your way out of a child who is bi-polar, manic depressed, schizophrenic?? Just curious. How do you discipline your way out of a child who is determined to kill themselves or someone else? What do you do when your child has been arrested but still doesn't care? When you have a moment, get off of your high horse and let the rest of us know how you do it.

You are just plain mean. May God always bless you with a perfect life and perfect circumstances and perfect people around you. "

" My parents didn't throw me away, but if you knew me you wouldn't have blamed them. I can sit here and do the Monday morning quarterbacking on what they called "discipline" but the reality is that I am too busy feeling bad over putting these great people, who I am now the best of friends with, through such a horrible time.

I on the other hand have been extremely lucky with my own children. Talk about the unfairness of life.

I honestly used to think they were over-reacting, power hungry, nut cases who "enjoyed" torturing me. That was 35 years ago. I couldn't date till I was 16, no make-up till 12, though I was made fun of at school for lacking these privileges. I had it rough. These people had jobs, but otherwise were HOME ALL the time, just to thwart my good times no doubt. "Socializing" meant friends and family who visited each other's homes WITH THEIR KIDS. We didn't have to talk, but HAD to be home and eat dinner with the family (enter the torture of being bored to death). We were forced to go to the church of THEIR choice,the Dad person was particularly irritating, he would put a leaf or small stick on the tire of his car to see if any of us drove it without asking after he went to sleep at night! This, and I thought he was so stupid. All this, and more, and at the graduation from hs party they threw in my honor, I was begging them behind the scenes every 2 or 3 seconds "how soon do I get to leave!!!!?" I had skipped school, smoked pot, rolled a car in the name of fun, you name it...

How do I spell J-E-R-K?

Does anyone see "sacrifice" in any of this? Did they really want to stay home ALL the time with their stupid kids? Did they really want to eat in, so they would have money to take us to a dentist? Did they really want to forego the latest styles for us so we had warm clothes in the winter? I doubt it very much. As retired people they hit the casinos and go out to eat all the time. They are also very sappy grandparents. Somehow I don't think it was all that fun for them since it seems they do know what fun is.

I am not advocating a pat answer to kid delima's here but I do wonder why people expect every kid to be the parent. Why expect society to be the parent?

Are we just soft and expecting a life with no grief at all? I hate to quote my parents but "get over yourself, it isn't all about you, God gave you the job now do it." "

" One thing I miss about the majority of Nebraska folks, you understand personal responsibility. Unfortunately the government is the solution for many in other states. "

" Obviously everyone has their own opinion of the law. And to an extent i agree with the law about the infants, but apparently they need to create a new law regarding older children. It is obvious there is a problem. If people are willing to go to the extent of driving from California to drop their children off. They should not be sent to a place where most likely they wont be cared for. Nebraska should step up and find a solution to this problem. Instead of avoiding it. "

" The state of nebraska really wants to help children get into the system, i mean the jail system. So many places gives reduce prices when a male and a child attends some activity to be a mentor to a child. Family does not allow a Father to be any part in a childs life but look in from the outside of the bubble. Livein boy friends have more legal rights than a biological Fathers does. Govenor you have such a great technique on how you solve problems for children maybe give fathers more rights with their children. "