Social service workers face firing, Problems found in children'scases

Social service workers face firing
Problems found in children's cases


http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...WS01/709080447

By Deborah Yetter

The Courier-Journal

Six social service workers in the Hardin County region have been told
they will be fired, and a seventh has retired over alleged misconduct in
child abuse and neglect cases.

The action by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services comes
about 20 months after outside advocates first reported allegations that
families had been treated unfairly by social workers, including having
children removed from homes arbitrarily.



This year, the cabinet's inspector general issued a report that found
widespread abuse and misconduct by some workers, including falsifying
records, lying in court and abusing their power over families.

The cabinet did not identify the workers because under the state merit
system each employee may contest the proposed firing through a
"pre-termination" proceeding before action becomes final. Names and
details of cases will become public at that point, officials said.

Advocates said yesterday that they are pleased to see the cabinet taking
steps to hold workers accountable.

"I'm encouraged," said Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky
Youth Advocates, one of two outside groups that cited significant
problems in the Hardin County social service region in January 2006.

"It does affirm that the cabinet is serious about the situation," he said.

But some families remain upset about what they consider abusive and
arbitrary actions by workers in child protective services, said Bonnie
Phillips, a Leitchfield grandmother whose family was involved in a child
neglect investigation from Hardin County.

"A social worker is supposed to be there to protect and serve and keep
kids from being hurt," said Phillips, who contends social service
workers mishandled a case involving her grandchildren. "I feel like
criminal charges should have been brought."

Phillips said she complained to the state and inspector general after
social services had two grandchildren briefly removed from her home over
what she said were false allegations of neglect. A judge ordered them
returned a few days later, she said.

Phillips said she doesn't know the results of her complaint or whether
yesterday's actions involved any workers in her case.

A Hardin County grand jury investigated the findings of the lengthy
inspector general's report but returned no charges. Jurors found any
violations would have been misdemeanors and the 12-month time limit for
bringing charges had expired by the time they got the case.

But the grand jury had hard harsh words for the workers and the cabinet
in a July 31 report.

"We found it both disturbing and shocking that these few employees were
able to act in such a manner toward the families involved, as well as
toward the court system, without any significant disciplinary measures
being taken," the report said.

Cabinet officials said they acted as quickly as they could under state
merit system law designed to protect employees' rights in personnel actions.

Mark Washington, commissioner of social services, said yesterday he
believes officials have addressed long-standing problems in the Salt
River Trail Region that serves Hardin and 16 other counties.

"A vast majority of our workers are extremely dedicated to doing what's
right for Kentucky's children and families," Washington said.

Advocate David Richart -- who, along with Brooks' agency, issued a
report in 2006 about the Hardin County problems -- agreed with
Washington. "Most of the workers down there are hard-working and trying
to do the best job they can," said Richart, director of the National
Institute on Children, Youth and Families in Louisville.

But Richart said abusive actions by a few workers have devastated
families in the Hardin County region. He said he is working with some
such families trying to appeal their cases through administrative
channels in the cabinet.

He said he thinks those families will appreciate the steps cabinet
officials are taking to fire the workers accused of misconduct.

"A lot of the families have been really abused by the system and any
kind of justice is good justice as far as they are concerned," Richart said.

Reporter Deborah Yetter can be reached at (502) 582-4228.






CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...