If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
A grand jury blasted the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Servicesfor not disciplining state CPS social workers for "serious acts of misconduct"against families whose children they removed.
Social work oversight criticized
No Hardin indictments, but Cabinet is blasted By Valarie Honeycutt Spears http://www.kentucky.com/454/story/138635.html A grand jury yesterday blasted the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services for not disciplining state social workers based in Hardin County for "serious acts of misconduct" against families whose children they removed. But after a two-month investigation, the grand jury said it found "no prosecutable crimes" in the case, and it did not issue any indictments. One reason, the report said, is that 12 months has already passed, barring prosecution of "any potential misdemeanor offenses." The social workers' alleged actions occurred between 2003 and March 2006. The grand jury investigation followed a report released in January by the Inspector General of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services that said workers falsified records, lied in court and mocked parents. In its report, the grand jury said it was concerned by "the lack of any significant response on the part of the Cabinet hierarchy in the form of any serious disciplinary action, revealing deeper problems on all levels of operation" of the cabinet. "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 measures being taken," the report said. "... The Cabinet seems unable or unwilling to sanction severely in situations when such action is clearly necessary." The report said that a new and separate state agency might need to be created to remove social workers whose actions are "undesirable." Cabinet officials said they would take action regarding the social workers in August. Mark A. Washington, commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, testified before the grand jury, the report said. Yesterday, Washington said the results of the Office of Inspector General's investigation, issued in January, did not include case numbers or the names of staff members involved. "Since receiving the individual case files from the OIG in April, the Department for Community Based Services and the Cabinet's Office of Human Resource Management have conducted an extensive review of the thousands of pages of case files, as required by merit system laws in order for disciplinary action to be taken," Washington said. One problem, the grand jury report said, is Kentucky doesn't have strong enough criminal laws for social workers who abuse their power. The report called on the General Assembly to make such misbehavior a felony. The inspector general's report dealt with alleged misconduct pertaining to child removal, termination of parental rights, and state adoption proceedings. The grand jury praised the two Louisville-based child advocacy groups that first revealed problems with inappropriate child removals and inappropriate state adoptions in January 2006: Kentucky Youth Advocates and the National Institute on Children, Youth and Families, Inc. "The message goes out loud and clear that you can abuse families and get a pass from grand juries because of the time limitations," said David Richart, executive director of the National Institute. KYA's executive director, Terry Brooks, said he was surprised and disappointed no indictments were returned since the grand jury said it found evidence of serious employee misconduct. With no indictments, Brooks said, "How do we ensure that a rogue social worker can't do harm to families and children?" Brooks said if the grand jury's admonishment of the cabinet drives reform by the General Assembly, then the report will have had some success. If not, and "if maverick social workers get off, then it's a tragedy," he said. Meanwhile, the report said proper supervision and timely discipline of offending employees could fix the problems the grand jury found. The grand jury report said there are good Cabinet social workers in Hardin County and across the state: "It is unfortunate that they have been tainted in the eyes of the public by these few bad apples." CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 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. 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... |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|