Purple is the in color you know! And, I aim to please. Here I am standing on the steps leading to the legislative building. This is where rallies are usually held...but not for us. I have arranged for the rotunda inside the legislative building so that we don't get caught in bad weather. Here is the press release issued today. I have omitted spacing to save space:
Washington State SenateSen. Pam Roach
For immediate release , January 15, 2009
Senator Pam Roach to call for DSHS Accountability at February 5 Rally
10:00 AM PRESS CONFERENCE TO PRECEED RALLY, JAC ABC
Auburn…Sen. Pam Roach (R-rural Auburn) has announced her Families’ First rally at the Capitol Rotunda in Olympia on February 5, 2009 at 12:00 noon.
The subject will be the need for justice and accountability within DSHS Child Protective Services.
Roach believes CPS is out of control, and she is giving voice to the thousands of children and relatives hurt by the department.
Roach led the successful 11 month effort to return the granddaughter of Doug and AnneMarie Stuth to their Enumclaw home. (Please see: KING 5, “Up Front,” January 11, 2009. Investigative reporter, Susannah Frame, covers this story.)
“It is time the citizens of Washington stand up against the atrocities of this department,” said Roach. “We expect hundreds, if not thousands, of people will join their voices to publicly be heard by the Legislature and Governor.”
Washington Families United, Grandparent’s Rights of Washington, legislators, and citizens demanding accountability will be in attendance.
“Of the Stuths,” Roach said, “we have become family after our year-long struggle. These are good people who fought and won. So many others have had their children stolen.”
“Doug and AnneMarie Stuth, the Enumclaw couple recently awarded third party custody of their grandchild, will be in attendance,” Roach said.
“Their horrific story shows just how intent CPS has been to separate good families from their children,” said Roach. “On the other hand, they often leave children in harm’s way.”
“Just one month ago, between Christmas and New Year’s, two infants returned to their respective homes, died by shaken baby syndrome,” said Roach. “This is absolutely atrocious.”
“The rally is intended to give hope to the thousands of families injured by the negligence of CPS,” Roach added.
“As in other cases, the Stuths have been terribly hurt by the system,” said Roach. “They deserve vindication for all the untruths told in court and should be compensated for the $50,000 they spent trying to get their granddaughter back.”
“It is not a coincidence that both DSHS Secretary, Robin Arnold-Williams, and CPS Director, Cheryl Stephani, announced their departure from the department just three weeks ago, and two weeks prior to a scathing report on CPS practices they knew would be released by the State Ombudsman,” Roach added. “Out of the hot seat, but not out of the fire.”
“The leadership in the department has not addressed accountability within the system,” Roach said.
“I will be proposing legislation to break DSHS into smaller agencies to increase accountability and efficiency,” added Roach. “Another piece of legislation includes creating a Citizens Review Committee of CPS.
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6 comments:
Dear Senator Roach,
We are foster parents who have spent years watching our foster children's case workers act in their own best interest, ignoring the needs of the children, working against (never with) the families that provide safe homes for them... without any accountability. Please don't limit your rally to CPS injustice... it runs throughout DSHS.
Signed,
An Olympia foster parent
We are grandparents fighting for our grandson too.....the lies being told without accountabilty is wrong...we are sworn in...time to swear the caseworkers and attorney for dshs/cps in too....if they are held accountable then maybe we could have real truths being told...how do they sleep knowing the wickedness they do to families and innocent children....
I understand that Senator Stevens attempted a similar approach a couple years ago and was shut out by the governor and the Legislature. Do you believe times have changed enough to help you succeed where others have failed. I don't believe the governor will allow change. Why would she give up her cash cow.. I don't want to believe we have danced up the yellow brick road only to find a puff of steam dissipating into thin air. We parents, grandparents, and relatives have been beaten down at every turn. The disappointments for us and our children are just too hard to bare. They don't care our children are just merchandise to them and money in their pockets. I wish you all the best because I think you have worked very hard but, we need more that just one families triumph over evil. We need this to end for all of us. I know that is what you are working toward but, I won't hold my breath. We need another "Boston Tea Party." Instead of tea it needs to be the entire cps division from top to bottom dismantled and the social workers in the unemployment line or on welfare themselves. We have already seen that the top officials simply get promoted or have family replace them woohooo big change. I sure hope you succeed Senator Roach!
I just read on another site that the Ombusman report indicated that 150 of our children have died in the care of cps in the state of Washington during 2007 and 2008!!How can this be? Why is this allowed? What is wrong with everyone out there to allow this to go on? If someone kills someone else they go to death row or at least to prison for life yet these monster take our babies and they die...150 children and for what..So this state can receive MONEY this is just sick. Where is the outrage. Whats wrong with people who let this go on ? This report should be front page headlines, where is the medias report on this?
I am excited. I will be very happy to drive to Olympia from Everett. I need to do something and this is it. Pam I have been reading some of your blog and I must join this fight. 2 months ago I had to fight to get a much loved foster child buried in the city and county he lived and died in and I am very pleased I did that for his family. Thank you for all you are doing. Peace be with you and I will see you in Oly.
is it any way possible for folks that have wireless laptops have feeds from across the country or your state be at your rally?? So then you can put out an alert to those that can participate that way with you screening some of course , just and Idea .......eps in time of budget crisis and how much the states gobble up social security funds to keep this monster alive.
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