Single Story: under 200,000 circulation
2009 Casey Medals
Winner: " ‘Gravely Disabled’: Broken mental health care system wastes money, chances, lives," Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“Mental illness is an insidious form of identity theft, erasing one future and replacing it with another,” writes Smith in this powerful tale that brings home the nightmare of families who try to navigate one state’s broken mental health care system. The writing is original, compelling and clear. The story deftly moves from a wrenching narrative of a mother grieving for her tormented son, to a news peg of a recent shooting spree, to explanatory reporting on overtaxed state resources.
Runner-Up: "Tracking Down a Killer," The Capital Times
What at first seems like a harmless sore throat slowly takes a 16-year-old girl to the brink of death. Doherty’s poignant account of her daughter’s mysterious illness reads like a detective story, as doctors narrow down the possible suspects to one potential killer: Lemierre’s syndrome. The piece raises awareness of the rare and little known disease, which is a consequence of trying to limit the use of antibiotics.
Honorable Mention: "Raised with Autism," The Virginian-Pilot
This unflinching story takes us into the harrowing world of the mother of an autistic teenager, conveying both the maddening frustrations and the unconditional love. Autism is estimated to affect 1 in 150 children under the age of 21. As autistic children become autistic teens, this story spotlights the dilemma facing their families: What will become of adult children who cannot care for themselves?
2008 Casey Medals
Winner: "One Fatal Shot: A struggle to forgive one son, not forget the other," Seattle Post-Intelligencer
An intimate portrait of a family's efforts to forgive in order to stay intact. Rowe mined the paradoxes inherent in the tale: the struggle to forgive one son while mourning the son he accidentally killed, that a home meant to be a haven from danger became its opposite, and that a family so profoundly close was quickly falling apart.
Honorable Mention: "Fending for Herself," The News & Observer
A complex and poignant profile of a girl aging out of foster care.
2007 Casey Medals
Winner: "From Pain, Family," The Hartford Courant
This piece won the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story under 75,000 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
With ongoing debates over the definition of family, Brown and Hamilton offer timely and rare insights into same-sex relationships forged out of painful experiences instead of biological orientation. Thorough reporting addresses controversy head on, drawing out their sometimes wary sources and weaving in expert opinion. Their beautiful writing makes this a fully compelling read.
Winner: "Love, in Translation," Anchorage Daily News
This piece won the Single Story under 75,000 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
The reporter sensitively conveys a young woman's heavy burdens in interpreting U.S. culture and the English language for her Laotian parents. Through her attentive, even-handed reporting, O'Malley gained the confidence of the family and of the immigrant community; her story buttresses their appeal for more official interpreters. The piece exemplifies the paper’s commitment to covering quiet but important cultural changes.
Runner-Up: "A Poor Place To Be a Kid," Las Vegas Sun
This piece was the runner-up in the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story under 75,000 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
Eloquent, empathetic writing characterizes this fresh look at a family’s struggles with poverty amid plenty.
Runner-Up: "Tragedy on the Maternity Ward," The Oakland Tribune
This piece was the runner-up in the Single Story under 75,000 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
The piece raises disturbing questions about the deaths of three newborns and Highland Hospital's rush to expand its obstetrics program; it also sheds light on the harsh economic realities that drive health care decisions and how these affect communities.
Honorable Mention: "Growing Up in the Shadow of Violence," The Press-Enterprise
This piece was an honorable mention in the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story under 75,000 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
This smart, important piece explores the cycle of violence while paying attention to social policy choices, such as budget cutbacks and misplaced spending priorities.
Honorable Mention: "The Ethics of Altering Children," The Bulletin
This piece was an honorable mention in the Single Story under 75,000 category, which has since been merged with the Single Story 75,000-199,999 category to form the Single Story under 200,000 circulation category.
In this provocative story, reporter Hawryluk thoroughly explores the ethical quandaries that ensnare families struggling to cope with profoundly disabled children.
about this award
The Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism recognize exemplary reporting on children and families in the U.S. More than 4,500 journalists have competed for Casey Medals since 1994.