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CYF sworn to secrecy in child welfare cases: Ever since Rachel Boothwas charged with killing her father, the public has questioned why no onedid anything to protect the 13-year-old girl..



 
 
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Old August 4th 07, 06:53 AM posted to alt.support.child-protective-services,alt.support.foster-parents,alt.dads-rights.unmoderated,alt.parenting.spanking
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Default CYF sworn to secrecy in child welfare cases: Ever since Rachel Boothwas charged with killing her father, the public has questioned why no onedid anything to protect the 13-year-old girl..

CYF sworn to secrecy in child welfare cases

Saturday, August 04, 2007
By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07216/806910-85.stm

Ever since Rachel Booth was charged with killing her father, the public
has questioned why no one did anything to protect the 13-year-old girl,
who said she endured years of physical and sexual abuse at his hands.

Many people following the story in the media have expressed outrage that
neighbors apparently heard screams from the house on Pitt Street in
Elizabeth Township but never called authorities.

Some have also wondered if the county's office of Children, Youth and
Families did its job properly in investigating allegations of abuse in
the Booth family.

During a tour of the filth-ridden Booth home yesterday, District
Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. joined them in leveling an accusation.

The county child protection agency had been involved with the family for
years, he told the media, and "CYF is going to have to answer some
questions" about why Rachel was left in the house for as long as she was.

Rachel's father, Matthew Booth, 34, had custody of Rachel and her
14-year-old brother. Her mother, Michelle Fazek, had custody of the
couple's 12-year-old.

Told of Mr. Zappala's remarks, Marc Cherna, head of Allegheny County's
Department of Human Services, said state law does not allow him to
reveal any information about CYF cases.

"I have not heard that statement, but if it's true that he did say that,
I'm disappointed that he would make a statement like that without
knowing all the facts," Mr. Cherna said. "I wish the law allowed me to
speak about the case. But unfortunately, my hands are tied."

Civil court documents filed over the years by Matthew Booth and the
children's mother, Michelle Fazek, indicate that CYF responded to
various claims of abuse or neglect.

But Pennsylvania, like most states, has very restrictive laws against
discussing those investigations, so it's difficult to know what action
CYF took.

"Confidentiality laws that protect families who benefit from the
services we offer through child welfare consequently legally prohibit us
from disclosing any information about a family's situation," Mr. Cherna
explained this week in a letter to the editor in the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette. "But be assured, every allegation of suspected abuse is
investigated and acted upon. Every one."

Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child
Protection Reform, Alexandria, Va., said only a handful of states would
allow an official in Mr. Cherna's position to discuss a case such as
Rachel's.

"In Pennsylvania, unfortunately, they're not allowed to talk when they
want to, and they are not required to talk when they should," he said.

In most states, child welfare records are sealed and usually court
hearings are, too.

But there are a few states where a child welfare agency is allowed to
comment, and Mr. Wexler said the trend is toward more openness.

He said that in Arizona, for example, Mr. Cherna's counterpart could
"confirm, clarify and correct" anything said about a case that has
become public. He said New York, Maine and Iowa also have statutes that
would allow an agency to say something about what it did or didn't do,
at least in some instances.

In New York City, he said, officials have been increasingly open about
investigations, realizing that saying nothing often creates the
impression of guilt.

"The city child welfare agency has been smart enough to figure out that
even when it is their fault, when they get the information out quickly,
at least they won't get accused of covering up," Mr. Wexler said.

He said Allegheny County's CYF is a model agency, although in the
interest of full disclosure, he also mentioned that in 1995 he served on
the search committee that recommended Mr. Cherna and another candidate
as finalists for the job.

"Every child welfare agency makes terrible mistakes. Allegheny County
makes them less often than others," he said. "It's not just a good
reputation, it's well-deserved."

But, he said, state lawmakers should allow the agency to talk,
especially when a case generates so much public interest. Although some
experts are of the opinion that disclosing information hurts children,
Mr. Wexler maintains that secrecy harms them more in the long run.

"The Legislature needs to give Marc Cherna and his counterparts the
right to defend themselves," he said. "This also helps force them to
take responsibility when they're wrong."



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

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS 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...

 




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