Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty

Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty is a non-profit national membership organization which combats religious exemptions to laws requiring medical care for children and religious exemptions to laws punishing parents who fail to provide that care.^[1][2][3] It was founded by Rita and Doug Swan in 1983.^[3] Rita and Doug Swan lost their 18-month old son Matthew to meningitis in 1977 as they were Christian Scientists and thus did not believe in medical care.^[4] They filed a wrongful death suit against the Christian Science Church in 1980, but it was dismissed on First Amendment grounds, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their case on appeal.^[4] They then founded the organization as a legacy to their son.^[4] They also left the Christian Science Church and became Methodists.^[5]

According to the National Association of Counsel for Children, which has given an award to Rita Swan for her efforts, "Due in large part to CHILD's efforts, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Dakota, Hawaii and Oregon have all removed laws which provided exemptions from prosecution to parents who fail to provide medical care for their sick children based on religion." ^[3]

References

1. ^ http://lcafs.org/modules.php?mod=links
2. ^ http://childrenshealthcare.org/?page_id=28
3. ^ ^{a b c} http://atheistsforhumanrights.org/child.htm
4. ^ ^{a b c} Parents turn grief into a mission: Change the laws - The Oregonian/November 28 1998 By Mark Larabee
5. ^ http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20076133,00.html