The Ohio foster care system has recently been under a great deal of scrutiny, and has been receiving national attention. Experts from various states are eager to propose strategies for improvement.
With all the challenges currently faced by the California foster care system, it’s interesting that California-based advocacy groups are finding the time to advise Ohio.
San Diego County detective Victoria Reden conducted a week-long review of three-year-old Marcus’ death. Reden was paid $3,178 plus travel expenses for her study and recommendations.
One of Reden’s recommendations for Ohio was the establishment of a 20-bed receiving center to house abused children temporarily, until they can be matched with foster parents. She referred to the Polinsky Children’s Center, as a California example.
Commissioner Mike Fox and chairman of the Butler County task force Dan Hare say that they are willing to explore that possibility.
But Carole Shauffer, executive director of the San Francisco-based Youth Law Center, recently warned them that while receiving shelters might sound good on the surface, in practice, “They wind up being a warehouse for kids that are difficult to place for some reason.”
Too often, temporary shelters facilities designed to house a small number of children for 30 days or less wind up becoming overcrowded, long-term way-stations.
Child Haven in Clark County is one tragic example. This Nevada facility was designed to hold 84 children and 20 infants. Yet, in June of this year, Child Haven held 205 children; 105 of whom were age 4 and under. Due to overcrowding, many young people were forced to sleep on the gym floor.
Length of stay can also become an issue. The Department of Family Service's policy was that children shouldn't stay at Child Haven longer than two weeks. However, upon investigation, it was revealed that children were remaining in Child Haven much longer. The average stay there was 45 days. One child had been at Child Haven for over two years.
Similar problems have occurred in California. My Nov. 14th blog entry details how LA County’s MacLauren Children’s Center became a dumping ground for emotionally disturbed children and how, since the closing of that center, foster children from toddlers to teens are often been housed overnight in caseworkers waiting rooms.
Sources:
Brooks, Candice. Plans to create temporary housing for abused children draws fire; Critics say ‘receiving shelters’ turn into orphanages that are mentally and socially detrimental to kids. Dayton Daily News, Nov. 22, 2006, p A10.
Kihara, David. Infant dies at Child Haven: Death latest in series of woes for system. Las Vegas Review Journal, August 16, 2006.
Kihara, David. Overcrowding: Child welfare groups warn of lawsuits Youth Law Center demands reforms. Las Vegas Review Journal, August 19, 2006.
McLaughlin, Sheila. Foster care reforms advised; Butler Co. gets list of how it can improve services. Cincinnati, Enquirer, Nov. 23, 2006, Metro pg. C1.
Showing posts with label child haven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label child haven. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
Where will the children go?
What is happening in Clark County is an atrocity, and deserves to be national news. Too often, high profile cases get attention - but not thorough attention.
The situation needs more than a superficial “quick fix.” It needs thoughtful and thorough examination, with an eye toward long-term reform.
This situation was not created overnight, but pressure is coming in from all directions to fix it "as soon as possible."
The focus on deadlines appears to be greater than the focus on effectiveness. What about fixing it as thoroughly as possible?
There seems to be a lack of overall vision. Reforms suggested are either like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound or like removing a faulty safety net without first putting another safety net in place.
Here are the questions that I have:
1.) Closing Child Haven: Okay. Where will the children go?
2.) Returning children quickly to their families: Didn't slowness to remove children from abusive situations (and eagerness to return them home as soon as possible) contribute to the high rate of child deaths in the first place?
Why didn't anyone listen three years ago?
In May 2003, a former foster parent named Glenn Campbell suggested that since Nevada's foster parent shortage had persisted for years, it might be time to accept this condition as permanent.
I think his comments ring true (even prophetic) to the situation today:
"The apparent "foster care crisis" is not what it seems. It isn’t a simple case of not having enough foster families. Organizational inefficiency may be overburdening the system. The various institutional options for placement have been neglected, while the recruiting of foster parents has been indiscriminate.
"Poorly screened and undersupervised foster families may ultimately cost more, both in monetary terms and in damage to the children, than no foster parents at all."
"If Clark County has had a shortage of foster families for years, then maybe it is time to face reality: This is how it is going to be.
"Maybe other states have an endless supply of high-quality foster care, but not us. The solutions that work for the rest of the country, like emphasizing foster care above all else, aren't necessarily our solutions.
"Although Nevada's laws and federal requirements are similar to those of other states, our culture is different. Las Vegas has a unique demographic profile of both child abuse offender and child victim.
"It has a certain community of potential volunteers — always smaller than the rest of the country’s — who are motivated by some appeals and not motivated by others. It also has a unique economy with a certain kind of philanthropic donor. DFS has been treating Las Vegas as though it was "Anytown USA," and I think that this viewpoint, in part, is why it has a foster crisis year after year.
"We have more than just files and paperwork at stake. If the child welfare system is not working as efficiently as possible with the resources it has, then children will continue to be unnecessarily abused by the system that is supposed to protect them."
No one was or is listening
Now, in September 2006, Darryl Martin, assistant county manager reports, "Right now, our greatest need is for additional foster families," said Darryl Martin, assistant county manager. "We need at least 400 to 500 new foster families. Our goal is not to have to have children at Child Haven."
The Children's Attorney Project's immediate goal is to find homes for the 55 infants and toddlers who currently reside at Child Haven, a community shelter.
I fully support that. Child Haven is unlicensed and ill-equipped to handle the teens and children in their care. There are no mental health services being provided. Due to overcrowding conditions, some children are forced to sleep on the gymnasium floor.
I wonder what will happen to the other children and teenagers who are currently housed at Child Haven?
Too bad that no one took Glenn Campbell's advice and started planning and implementing more more helpful and behaviorally-based group homes and institutions three years ago.
By what miracle is Clark County going to find foster homes for all of them? My guess is that recent news might discourage, rather than encourage foster parenting.
Take a look at some of the children in southern Nevada who need adoptive homes:
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/category.asp?C=43104
But, take heart at the power of their courage and survival:
19-year-old Jessicca Hoffmann lived in Child Haven with her brother and sister. She frequently volunteered to care for infants and toddlers in the infant room. Now, she publicly shares her experiences in Child Haven, in an effort to speak out for the children residing there now.
Sources:
Blaize, Ashanti. Child Haven Faces More Legal Action. KLAS-TV News, Sep 7, 2006
Campbell, Glenn. Clark County Foster Care: Crisis and Solutions. May 31, 2005. PO Box 30303 Las Vegas, NV 89173. http://www.familycourtchronicles.com/report
Legal group to represent 58 children in Clark County care, Las Vegas Sun, September 07, 2006.
The situation needs more than a superficial “quick fix.” It needs thoughtful and thorough examination, with an eye toward long-term reform.
This situation was not created overnight, but pressure is coming in from all directions to fix it "as soon as possible."
The focus on deadlines appears to be greater than the focus on effectiveness. What about fixing it as thoroughly as possible?
There seems to be a lack of overall vision. Reforms suggested are either like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound or like removing a faulty safety net without first putting another safety net in place.
Here are the questions that I have:
1.) Closing Child Haven: Okay. Where will the children go?
2.) Returning children quickly to their families: Didn't slowness to remove children from abusive situations (and eagerness to return them home as soon as possible) contribute to the high rate of child deaths in the first place?
Why didn't anyone listen three years ago?
In May 2003, a former foster parent named Glenn Campbell suggested that since Nevada's foster parent shortage had persisted for years, it might be time to accept this condition as permanent.
I think his comments ring true (even prophetic) to the situation today:
"The apparent "foster care crisis" is not what it seems. It isn’t a simple case of not having enough foster families. Organizational inefficiency may be overburdening the system. The various institutional options for placement have been neglected, while the recruiting of foster parents has been indiscriminate.
"Poorly screened and undersupervised foster families may ultimately cost more, both in monetary terms and in damage to the children, than no foster parents at all."
"If Clark County has had a shortage of foster families for years, then maybe it is time to face reality: This is how it is going to be.
"Maybe other states have an endless supply of high-quality foster care, but not us. The solutions that work for the rest of the country, like emphasizing foster care above all else, aren't necessarily our solutions.
"Although Nevada's laws and federal requirements are similar to those of other states, our culture is different. Las Vegas has a unique demographic profile of both child abuse offender and child victim.
"It has a certain community of potential volunteers — always smaller than the rest of the country’s — who are motivated by some appeals and not motivated by others. It also has a unique economy with a certain kind of philanthropic donor. DFS has been treating Las Vegas as though it was "Anytown USA," and I think that this viewpoint, in part, is why it has a foster crisis year after year.
"We have more than just files and paperwork at stake. If the child welfare system is not working as efficiently as possible with the resources it has, then children will continue to be unnecessarily abused by the system that is supposed to protect them."
No one was or is listening
Now, in September 2006, Darryl Martin, assistant county manager reports, "Right now, our greatest need is for additional foster families," said Darryl Martin, assistant county manager. "We need at least 400 to 500 new foster families. Our goal is not to have to have children at Child Haven."
The Children's Attorney Project's immediate goal is to find homes for the 55 infants and toddlers who currently reside at Child Haven, a community shelter.
I fully support that. Child Haven is unlicensed and ill-equipped to handle the teens and children in their care. There are no mental health services being provided. Due to overcrowding conditions, some children are forced to sleep on the gymnasium floor.
I wonder what will happen to the other children and teenagers who are currently housed at Child Haven?
Too bad that no one took Glenn Campbell's advice and started planning and implementing more more helpful and behaviorally-based group homes and institutions three years ago.
By what miracle is Clark County going to find foster homes for all of them? My guess is that recent news might discourage, rather than encourage foster parenting.
Take a look at some of the children in southern Nevada who need adoptive homes:
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/category.asp?C=43104
But, take heart at the power of their courage and survival:
19-year-old Jessicca Hoffmann lived in Child Haven with her brother and sister. She frequently volunteered to care for infants and toddlers in the infant room. Now, she publicly shares her experiences in Child Haven, in an effort to speak out for the children residing there now.
Sources:
Blaize, Ashanti. Child Haven Faces More Legal Action. KLAS-TV News, Sep 7, 2006
Campbell, Glenn. Clark County Foster Care: Crisis and Solutions. May 31, 2005. PO Box 30303 Las Vegas, NV 89173. http://www.familycourtchronicles.com/report
Legal group to represent 58 children in Clark County care, Las Vegas Sun, September 07, 2006.
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