Blogs by Deborah K. Frontiera
Fighting CPS
11/9/2016 5:05:22 AM
Nov. 9, 2016
The purpose of this blog has been to provide updates on some of the cases I reported in my book (Fighting CPS: Guilty Until Proven Innocent of Child Protective Services Charges ISBN 9-780-9800061-6-2) that had not been resolved when the book went to press, and to report other cases where CPS is not working up to par. I’d also like to hear about cases in which Child Protective Services did the right thing so those cases can serve as examples of what should be done. Occasionally, I will report helpful tips and web sites with advice on fighting CPS. To comment on this blog, or to tell your story, email Deborah Frontiera at frontiera.fightingcps.deborah.gmail.com
Houston Chronicle, A-3 and 12, Oct. 23, 2016, Lisa Falkenburg’s column was once again on the subject of Child Protective Services. That’s the second time in a week there has been something “major” in the Houston paper on this topic. The other one was on the critical shortage of CPS caseworkers, etc.—seems like a running topic—and I noted the fact that base pay for caseworkers is an alarmingly low $32,000 a year! I always thought teachers were the bottom rung, but apparently not. No wonder the agency can’t find and keep capable people!
Not much has changed in the last 10 years! In our case—2007-08—we had 13 caseworkers in 13 months—so I can personally attest to the high turn-over rate. NONE of those caseworkers ever really got to know us, so how could they possibly make good decisions regarding our grandson’s best interests? How can caseworkers today ever get to know the families and children they are supposed to serve?
Anyway, Ms. Falkenburg was railing against the system, and the Texas state politicians who hold the purse strings so tightly. (Maybe they are spending too much on border patrol which is NOT their job, and denying areas of the budget like education and caseworkers which are much more important.) But back to that column: Ms. Falkenburg had been supporting, and reporting on, two foster mothers that all involved were the only stable people in a couple of children’s lives, and who wanted to adopt these boys. They were being frustrated by CPS and the courts for months. I won’t go into the details, as I hope you, my readers, will go to the Chronicle’s web site an look up the article for yourselves.
Since that column, there have been several more articles on this issue. There is now a “committee” in Austin working to increase the state budget for CPS by 75.3 million (67.6 state money, the rest federal) to give caseworkers a raise of 12k a year and hire more caseworkers and support staff—supposedly 100 investigators and 20 support staff. So, IF this money goes through, there will be a lot of “green” caseworkers out there making snap decisions about families. While more money is a good thing, it won’t solve the problems in Texas!
Another recent article reported that CPS had “lost” some 500 kids across the state—kids who were “high risk”, had been reported to CPS for investigation, but had gone several months without being seen by caseworkers. A follow up a few days later stated that most of the kids had been “found”, but, well there it is—why were they “lost” in the first place? Because there are 125 more kids added to the list to be investigated per day, who are supposedly “high risk” and in “immediate danger”!
But there are too few investigative caseworkers to check out that many kids. Why not let POLICE do the investigating? They can quickly sort out what is an “emergency” and what isn’t. Then those “non-emergency” families who just need a bit of help but should keep their kids might help the system be less clogged up.
There seems to be an incredible LACK OF COMMON SENSE at all levels of government these days. Children and families are the victims AGAIN! I suspect the State of Texas is not the only state with problems like this.
Be angry with me and contact your state legislator, governor, etc. and yell bloody murder. Thanks for letting me rant today.
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