Need help researching GOP ties to Lifeway for Youth, a private, faithbased

[roseBudd]

agency that has a contract with Ohio, Indiana & Kentucky to provide foster families. foster child they placed has been killed by foster parents in Cincinnati. Dewine, Voinovich, Ken Blackwell or any other Ohio Republicans connections, even Petro. I have a feeling this is another pay-to-play Coingate type scandal. Faith-based my ass. It's out treasury being looted by republicans and their cronies.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060829/NEWS01/608290337/1056

State reports obtained by The Enquirer portray an organization that was caught mismanaging public money and has had continuing problems keeping tabs on its foster kids and parents.

An audit three years ago criticized Lifeway's spending habits. It said Lifeway founders improperly used Lifeway money to pay some of their daughter's college expenses, buy and lease personal property from the executive director and to supply staff with cigarettes, diet pills and flowers.

Lifeway was founded 12 years ago by Mike Berner, a Dayton-area preacher. The agency, based in New Carlisle, Ohio, says it oversees placements in more than 600 foster homes in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Virginia. According to tax records for fiscal year 2005, it collects about $11 million a year from its contracts with child-placement agencies and other sources.

Lifeway is responsible for the care of nearly 300 children locally and oversees 383 foster homes in Ohio. Berner draws an annual salary of about $140,000 as Lifeway's executive director.

Lifeway has violated state foster-care requirements 10 times since 2000, according to state records. Those violations include a case in which the agency was cited for failing to investigate the abuse of a foster child it had placed.



http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/AuditSearch/Reports/2002/lifeway_for_youth_inc_98-clark.pdf#search=%22Lifeway%20for%20Youth%2C%20a%20private%2C%20faith-based%20agency%22

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
H. Anthony Stephens President June 1993 - Present
Michael Berner Chairman of the Board June 1993 - Present
Brenda Berner Secretary/Treasurer June 1993 - Present
Elizabeth Hanrahan Board Member June 1993 - Present
Doug Radel Board Member February 1998 - January 1999
Don Parrett Board Member February 1998 - January 1999
ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
Michael Berner Executive Director January 1993 - Present
Brenda Berner Assistant Director January 1993 - Present
Agency Address
Lifeway for Youth, Inc.
85 Quick Road
New Carlisle, Ohio 45344

[gaspee]

1. While the state is not perfect

Child welfare should NEVER be privatized. There are a few industries that should never ever ever be privatized. Profit should not be made off of children who need care.

Some others I can name are The Prison Industry and Public Drinking water.

It's one of my biggest beefs with republican ideas. Some things need to be done by the state as a not for profit venture.

[FormerDem06]

23. The state of Florida lost 300+ children in the foster system a while back

I'm not saying it should be privatized, but we ALL need to pay better attention to the plight of children in the foster system.

[gaspee]

25. Agree 100%

I wish I had the temperament to be a foster parent. I don't, which is one reason I've never had kids. I feel so bad for kids in the foster care system abd about the only thing I can do is participate in the back to school drives, christmas present drives, etc. It's better than nothing.

But I seriously do not have the temperament to be a parent, let alone be a parent to a child who has probably been dicked over by adults their entire lives.

[roseBudd]

2. more dirt...

A report by the state auditor’s office in 2002 showed other problems with Lifeway.

That investigation concluded the agency was not conducting the required national criminal background checks on foster parents who had lived in Ohio for less than five years. It noted that foster parents working with Lifeway were not receiving required training and that Lifeway was lax in verifying information on family foster home applications, including income, the report noted.

Lifeway was among 25 private agencies audited by the state since 1999 in an effort to bring about stricter accountability in the foster care system. At the time, Lifeway contracted with 16 counties and was considered one of the larger private placement agencies.

More recent IRS records show that Lifeway takes in about $11 million in government fees and contracts, and spends about $6 million on foster parents, using the remainder to run the agency.

The auditor’s 2002 report on Lifeway – which looked at the organization’s 1998 spending – questioned $98,551 in improper and undocumented expenses.

[Joanne98]

3. Here's a wierd connection. The Wiley Bros

http://www.wiley.com/legacy/products/subject/psychology/therascribe/raffle.htm

It's just a half filed out free prize form. But I think the Wiley Bros are involved in Diebold.





Congratulations to our most recent winner of a free TheraScribe 4.0, Joel Vandenbergh, LPCA, of Lifeway for Youth, Inc.


Win a FREE copy of TheraScribe® 4.0 for Windows

[Joanne98]

4. This is a bigger operation than just Ohio....

Alot of Wileys
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Wiley_Matthew_304926888.aspx
Matthew Wiley
View Title...

LifeWay Canada.

Is this you? Claim this summary to make updates.
Not already in ZoomInfo? Add yourself to the largest index of business people in the world.
Matthew Wiley's summary was automatically generated using 1 reference found on the Internet. How did ZoomInfo compile this information?



1. www.lifeway.com
www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,a%3d153145%26m%3d200046,0...
Last Visited: 10/5/2003

Matthew Wiley
...
Matthew Wiley
...
Printable version of Matthew Wiley

Matthew Wiley Matthew Wiley is the LifeWay Sales and Marketing Representative for LifeWay Canada which is distributed by R.G. Mitchell Family Books. His responsibilities include service and sales for all channels in the Canadian marketplace.

Matthew joined the LifeWay Canada team on December 12th, 2002.

Matthew earned a Bachelor of Religious Education degree in Youth Ministries from Heritage Baptist College in London, Ontario, Canada.

Matthew has served as a Youth Pastor/C.E. Minister for four years at Lakeside Baptist Church in Haliburton, Ontario and has recently come to LifeWay Canada from NuComm International Marketing in St. Catharines, Ontario. Matthew brings expertise in ministry, customer support and sales to his position with LifeWay Canada.

On the side, Matthew continues to preach in churches in his area when called upon and enjoys serving the Lord in any capacity he can.

[roseBudd]

6. I'm seeing lots of job ads for foster parents for Lifeway...

Take in 11 million and only spend 6 million on foster care. Pretty nice work if you can get it. The question is how did they get it.

New Carlisle, Ohio

Rep. David L. Hobson


Rep. Diana Fessler, R-New Carlisle

[Joanne98]

7. I've got a question....

Is Lifeway Youth Inc and Lifeway the same company because Lifeway is huge.

[Joanne98]

5. look at this....

CERTIFIED BY IS BLANK. Click on the link to see it better.
http://www.oacca.org/newmemberDetails.asp?aid=2070905904
Lifeway For Youth, Inc.

127 Quick Road
New Carlisle, OH 45344

Additional Office Locations



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phone:
937-845-3626 Fax:
937-845-3520 Toll Free:
NA
Web Site:
County:
Clark Region:
West Central
Chief Administrator:
Michael Berner, M.S., D. Min. Title:
Executive Director Email:
[e-mail]


LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION
LICENSED BY: CERTIFIED BY: ACCREDITED BY: MEMBERSHIPS:
ODJFS CWLA, FFTA, OFCA

REGIONAL & SERVICE AREA INTAKE CONTACTS
NAME SERVICE AREA REGION SERVED PHONE EMAIL
Bryan Bailey Foster Care Dayton Regional Office 937-845-3625 [e-mail]
Anthony Dill Foster Care Cincinnati Regional Office 513-794-9688 [e-mail]
Christine Chapman Foster Care Columbus Regional Office 614-921-3663 [e-mail]


PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
PROGRAM NAME AGE & GENDER LICENSED CAPACITY
Therapeutic Foster Care 0 - 21 Both 968


COUNTIES WHERE OUR FOSTER HOMES ARE LOCATED

Adams Butler Champaign Clark Clermont
Coshocton Cuyahoga Fairfield Franklin Gallia
Greene Guernsey Hamilton Highland Knox
Licking Marion Miami Montgomery Muskingum
Perry Preble Shelby Union Warren


RETURN TO LIST

[roseBudd]

8. Hmm, it sure is other agencies say...

CERTIFIED BY: ODMH Medicaid or ODMH Medicaid, ODADAS

[Joanne98]

9. They got 2000.00 from this trust....

http://www.jrmckenzie.org.nz/content/view/107/85/

[clark08]

32. Lets not try to gain

politcial points of the death of a 3 year old. "Marcus is much better of with God" --- Joe Devers, prosector for Hamiliton County

[roseBudd]

34. The republicans in SW OH sure are scrambling to distance themselves

[clark08]

35. Lets take the

high road.

[Joanne98]

10. Here's a letter the auditor wrote

http://www.auditor.state.oh.us/auditsearch/Reports/2003/thomas_j_hayes-letter.pdf

[Joanne98]

11. Got this from a blog

Arrests in Marcus Fiesel Investigation
August 28, 2006 02:58 PM
They did it, it seems. The foster parents are being charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, and gross abuse of a corpse (for the foster father, David Carroll). The Prosecutor says the Carrolls went to a family reunion in Kentucky on August 4, and left three year-old Marcus locked in a closet. For two days. While they were at a "family reunion."

Investigators believe Marcus was dead by the time they returned, and that his foster father took his body out into the country and burned it. The remains have not been found.

The foster mother then lied to the children's service person who came to their home later that week, and faked her own fainting spell the day Marcus "disappeared" from the park. The parents then got the entire region to join in the search for the supposedly kidnapped child. According to today's news conference:

Other family members knew about the death and helped cover it up, Deters said. Deters said more charges are likely.

"We believe everyone was aware, everyone covered up," Deter said, who added that the Carrolls did not confess. "They lied to the bitter end."

WCPO reports that more charges are expected. We sure as hell hope so. What about lying to investigators? Obstruction of justice? The prosecutor needs to pile as much as he can on these folks, if the major charge is only going to be involuntary manslaughter. That sounds unexcusably lenient.

How about criminal negligence charges for the folks who placed Marcus in a foster home run by such scum?

UPDATE: We forgot to mention this article, from yesterday's Enquirer, which discusses how David Carroll hasn't had a regular job in three years, was charged with domestic violence in June, and has fathered 3 children himself, by three separate women, two of whom are sisters.

[roseBudd]

13. Need to shine a light on how these so-called faith-based social service

agencies are GOP enabled get rich schemes for their cronies. I bet this is one of Blackwell's pastors.

I wonder what the name of his Dayton church is.

[truth2power]

24. Also..

There was a live-in girlfriend who apparently was the one who blew the whistle.

[Joanne98]

12. They pay as little as 30 dollars per day?

From their own website...
http://www.lfy.org/informed.html
. What compensation do they receive? Are they trained on how to respond to the issues of therapeutic foster care?

Lifeway recognizes that being a good foster parent is a 24-hour, 7-day per week job and Lifeway offers compensation generally beginning at $30 per day. Different cases might be slightly higher or lower but parents will know the rate when the case is presented. From this compensation, the parents provide the foster child’s needs and cover his fees and costs of his social activities. The state requires preservice training and ongoing training during the tenure of the foster parent. Lifeway offers this training on topics that the foster parent will find helpful in handling difficult situations. Again, Lifeway’s case management staff and crisis intervention specialist will help the parent know how to respond to specific issues.

[roseBudd]

14. They got $33 a day for Marcus, plus they had another foster, neither

worked and they lived off the foster care money.

[Joanne98]

15. They leased a building in Richmond VA

Lifeway for Youth, Inc. has leased 988 square feet in the Glen Ridge Office Building in Richmond

[Joanne98]

16. Get this Rosebud. The Chairman of the board Michael Berner owns

A real estate company that sold a property for..92,000.00

Clark County
Springfield City
;
Lifeway For Youth Inc: Berner Real Est Invest: 1109 Kenton St: $92,000: Restaurant Cafeteria Bar;
http://realestate.daytondailynews.com/rd/Content.jsp?page=content/commercialsold/commercialsold062506.html

[Joanne98]

17. another article

Numerous Complaints Filed Against Lifeway

Numerous complaints have been filed against Lifeway over the years with the Ohio Department of Child and Family Services.

For example, an anonymous complainant stated in 2004 that a biological child of a Lifeway for Youth foster mother was "on probation for taking pictures of naked children" and an adult child of the foster parent is "a convicted felon and stays in (the) home at times."

In May 2001, a hospital report indicated that a Lifeways foster child "sustained injuries as a result of an improper and inappropriate restraint initiated by foster care giver."

According to a police report, the child's injuries "consisted of abrasions, contusions, and a sore throat due to blunt trauma."

Target 5 has also discovered that Lifeway for Youth has a history of questionable business practices. In a 2001 audit by the State of Ohio, seven out of 10 foster-home files did not indicate they had resided in Ohio for a five-year period as required by law.

The auditor wrote that this "increases the risk that individuals with criminal histories, which would make them unsuitable as foster caregivers, could be certified and have children placed in their homes."

Lifeway is required to give foster care providers "not less than 12 hours of ongoing annual training," but in six out of 10 foster family homes, the ongoing training requirement was not met.

In Montgomery County, an examination of the placement dates of Lifeway foster children revealed 56 out of 82 dates didn't match the county's records.

While Lifeway continues to place children in foster homes, Target 5 has learned that the Ohio Department of Child and Family Services has launched an investigation of all parties involved in the case of Marcus Fiesel -- including Lifeway for Youth.

Investigators are examining past case records and the state's current foster care laws.

[roseBudd]

18. Need to find out the name of Berner's Dayton church, then maybe

we'll find a connection to Blackwell...

wouldn't that be embarrassing. Dead foster child is all over the news in SW Ohio.

On edit I think it may be this one:

http://www.gracecovenant.info/

Grace Fellowship Church

[Joanne98]

19. Don't forget the real estate co. I'm going to bed. I'll help you again

tommorrow.

[Joanne98]

21. Jacob and Silke Berner Dayton real estate.....Good night

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=RNWE%2CRNWE%3A2006-10%2CRNWE%3Aen&q=silke.berner&btnG=Search

[roseBudd]

20. More on Berner's chuch

Grace Fellowship Church (the Church) was founded in 1984 by Michael and Brenda Berner. Initially Church
services were held in the Berner’s home but after a few months, services were moved to 1124 Harrison
Street in Springfield. In 1998 the Church entered into an agreement with Lifeway to rent space at 85 and
125 Quick Road, New Carlisle. During the Period, the Church had numerous financial transactions with
Lifeway which included both renting to and renting from the Church.
As Pastor of the Church it was common for Mr. Berner to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the
Grace Fellowship Church, this would include transactions with Lifeway. Mr. Berner would either sign
agreements as Pastor/Bd. Chairman of the Church or as Executive Director/Chairman for Lifeway.

Three members of the Board of Directors are closely related.

Michael Berner, Chairman of the Board/Executive Director, is married to Brenda Berner.

Elizabeth Hanrahan, Board Member, is married to Michael Berner’s brother.

Brenda Berner, Secretary/Treasurer and Assistant Director, is Michael Berner’s wife.
• The remaining board members are all members of Grace Fellowship Church where Michael Berner
is the pastor.
• Michael and Brenda Berner make the financial decisions for the agency without board approval.
• Michael signs all contracts entered into on behalf of the agency, with the exception of the ones
where he was the seller or representative of the related agency.
Lack of independence could lead to the domination of the board of directors by a small group, in this case
the executive director and his wife, and increase the risk of decisions being made which could benefit them
financially or materially.

[Joanne98]

22. delete

I sent you a PM

[roseBudd]

26. Need advice on FOIA requests on Lifeway For Youth a faith-based

agency that has been placing foster kids including the 3 year old that was just killed in Cincinnati.

[Joanne98]

27. kick

[Joanne98]

28. Nicole C Mullen

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=RNWE%2CRNWE%3A2006-10%2CRNWE%3Aen&q=Grace+Fellowship+Church%2BNicole+C+Mullen&btnG=Search

[Joanne98]

29. Grace Fellowship Church / google images

http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2006-10,RNWE:en&q=Grace%20Fellowship%20Church&sa=N&tab=wi

Nicole

http://images.google.com/images?q=Nicole+C+Mullen&ndsp=18&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2006-10,RNWE:en&start=0&sa=N

[Joanne98]

30. Cults

Diamond, Sara. Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right. Boston: South End Press, 1989. 292 pages.
There is only one scholar in the world who specializes in investigative research on the U.S. religious right, so it's fortunate that she keeps good files. Diamond has a keen sense of the interplay between religion and U.S. development policy, domestic issues, and big business. She also writes on the topic of quasi-government organizations for various publications.
Beginning in the 1970s, religious cultism evolved from remnants of a disillusioned counterculture. This impulse soon became co-opted into an evangelicalism that had mainstream appeal; even Jimmy Carter was reborn. By the 1980s the backlash was completed with the emergence of a reactionary religious right that intended to help Reagan target the evil empire. There had always been a religious right, but now they had large numbers and official sanction.

This book covers the cultic aspects of the religious right (shepherding, charismatic movement), the political aspects (their broadcasting empire, Republican party connections, organizing around pro-family issues), and the international connection (missions, contra support network, refugee relief). It is extremely name-intensive and well-researched.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Joanne98]

31. Blackwell

http://www.namebase.org/cgi-bin/nb06?Na=Blackwell+Ken

[Joanne98]

33. search adoptions

http://www.searchsystems.net/list.php?nid=358

[Joanne98]

36. Brenda Berner classmates.com

http://lists.classmates.com/directory/school/3924/?s=73499

Avon Ohio

[Joanne98]

37. Brenda Burns re-inbursement for Ohio state

http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/lpc/calendar/fileLINKNAME.asp?ID=FCASPL61E#search=%22Brenda%20Berner%22

[Joanne98]

38. Nicole C Mullen sings a Billy Graham concert

July 6, 2005 | 4:50 p.m. ET
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7910424/
Generation Next: The New Billy Graham
(Dionne Slaughter, Associate Producer)

I remember working at a Billy Graham Crusade as a volunteer counselor about 15 years ago. Aside from counseling a few people after they had just accepted Christ into their lives, and the mass amount of people, I don't remember much. I was glad to be there and glad to potentially help impact someone's life. But at the same time, let's be real. At 13, all I really wanted to do was talk on the phone with my girl friends, listen to music and watch TV.

As a young teen, it just wasn't my speed. The Crusade consisted of choirs, hymns, preaching, prayer and bibles. Your basic recipe for a church service. I've always loved going to church from the time I was little. I've always loved God for who He is, and for the miracles I've seen him work right before my eyes, including in my own family. I've always respected the church and it's purpose, but if I may speak for me and a lot of my peers -- hymns, and traditional sermons don't always cut it.

Reverend Graham made his way back to New York for what he called potentially his last crusade and I jumped at the chance to work again, but this time from a different perspective. With Graham possibly stepping down as the world's greatest and most influential evangelist, who would take over? Who's going to be the next Billy Graham?

Graham has an idea. It's not just one person it's many young people.

Several weeks ago "USA Today" featured an article in which they had a sit down interview with Reverend Graham at his log cabin home in Montreat, N.C. They talked about the future and what's to come. "Indeed, his life is lit by joy when he looks to the future. Graham sees that future carried by young people 'trying to make a better world and serve the Lord.'"

I found that interesting considering there are less than 3 percent of this current population under the age of 21 willing to go into any type of ministry or mission field compared to the 21 percent committed to Christ on that level in Billy Graham's generation (passageway.org).

I finally made it down to the crusade on the second night. They called it "Youth Night: A Concert of Hope". The recipe was a bit different from my last experience: Prayer, preaching, Bibles, colored hair, do-rags, acoustic guitars, rap, and dancers. I've been to many concerts like this. I have friends who are Christian rock and rap musicians, in fact my brother is a gospel rap artist (www.slaughtermusic.com), so the scene didn't shock me at all. It was the idea that an 86 year old evangelist was behind it that threw me for a loop. I've been a witness to many pastors, half grahams age, who refuse to allow hard bass lines and screaming guitars across their thresholds. They declare it's the devils music.

But Billy Graham sees it a bit differently. He began appealing to the youth in his crusades 10 years ago. He acknowledged in his 1997 autobiography, "Admittedly, it wasn't really my kind of music, nor was it what we have ordinarily featured in our meetings during most of our ministry. But times change. As long as the essential message of the Gospel is not obscured or compromised, we must use every legitimate method we can."

Amen to that, and consider it done.

South African rock group Tree63 sang:
"Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord"

That was the overall flavor of the lyrics that rang out that night. The concert was sick (sick = good). The roster included Nicole C. Mullen, Jars of Clay, Mercy Me, and Tree63 (who, by the way, have been compared to U2, Train, and Coldplay). The scene didn't look much different than what you'd see at any other rock, R&B or rap concert. There were lights, live music, dancers and 90,000 screaming fans (most under the age of 21). But clearly unlike a lot of secular music-- the lyrics are every bit focused on bringing peace, empowerment and hope to people, and Glory to Heaven's throne.

If graham's mission is to crack the code that will draw young people to hear the gospel, I think he's on to something and the collective church should take heed.

Bart Millard from rock group "Mercy Me" (www.mercyme.org) said it best at a press conference before they hit the stage at the New York Crusade. "The church has spent generations using the same methods, the same techniques, the same traditions to reach people...there are many churches breaking the mold...and other churches will try to knock them down saying it's unorthodox" but instead, churches should consider "meeting students where they are...and say look, you don't clean up before you get in the shower, we don't want to change you before you come to Christ. We just want you to meet Christ and the rest will fall in place where you are."


Questions/Comments: [e-mail]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7910424/