Sunday, December 13, 2009

WA State Closing Down CPS...It Has Already Started

There is legislation that is ready to pass but the rumor is that the state has not waited for the governor's signature. (Or, the governor has not waited for the legislation.)

It is a very bad idea to transfer CPS services over to a nonprofit agency because there will be no openness or accountability.

Right now a legislator can have a waiver signed by the complaining parties and then that legislator can make inquiries into the system. The citizen waives the right to privacy for the legislator. In making inquiries one learns how the process works. It allows the problems to surface and in that way new laws are proposed! It has been my experience that the current department takes no suggestions. Not one that I can see...yet. Nothing has changed. This move makes it worse.

If you don't know what is happening you do not know how to fix the problems.

I have been asking for transparency in government for years. And, CPS is the very agency that could benefit the most from openness. I said months ago that we need the public involved in solving the problems.

In a step that will bury, absolutely bury, the "how we handle" children in this state, CPS will be dissolved under the new regime and turned over to a nonprofit (Catholic Community Services, perhaps...was there an open bid process for this contract?)

This is definitely an area that should not be privatized. Will the way in which this transfer occurs guarantee openness? Will there be any legislative oversight? Will the press learn of the child deaths? Will the press learn of anything? Will legislators and the interested public know what is going on and will there be an ombudsman for an entity that is not a part of government?

Rumor has it that the governor has not waited for the legislation and is in the process of dismantling CPS in Yakima.

I will check it out in the morning. The legislation was being talked up last session. It is supported by the Senate Human Services and Corrections Chair and, I believe, the ranking member. Colleagues...DO NOT drive this agency underground and use the budget as the reason. It would only indicate to me that there will be more of the same and potentially worse. (Maybe I will get a call from CCS and get an explanation of how this will be better.)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it is CWS that is being privatized in two test sites, I think that the perfomance based contracts should be based on the success of keeping families together and terminating parental right should reflect a failure! After all if the services provided to families are really good they would be keeping children safe and families together! Kind of wonder about CCS they dont have a very good tract record!

Anonymous said...

Well, sure, it makes perfect sense. Lawsuits are imminent and the state doesn't want to be the target.

When it comes to selling children, CCS is the worst. You would think Catholics would be interested in family preservation but they too are interested in those Federal dollars and will throw out the bible in order to make a buck. They lost their contract with the state for poor family preservation practices.

Keep in mind they kept people ignorant for hundreds of years using Latin. Perhaps the operating manuals will be in Latin. GET OUT YOUR LATIN TRANSLATORS PEOPLE HERE THEY COME. I knew it was going to happen I just thought it was going to be gradual. Everything I have read about privitization has been horrible. Michigan is a total mess.

Anonymous said...

I honestly don't know which will be better as I don't know enough about CCS, but I do know in my particular case they were working hand in hand with CPS in the criminal and fraudulent misuse of the system, which concerns me greatly that things will remain the same and God forbid they get worse.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like they are doing something which is a good thing, since we cant expect change overnight..my concern is that private agencies are beholden to DRL which is a part of DSHS. I was licensed by a private agency that received a direct threat letter from DRL - stop supporting this person or we will drop your contract.

DSHS will still defend their workers right or wrong to avoid lawsuits so I'm wondering if these private agencies are suddenly going to become a human shield. Just another foil or scapegoat.

Oh and some families need to be broken up - broken people are broken and children arnt rehab tools for their parents. If they test success they need to base it on the success of the children involved. Good grade and school attendance, extracurricular social activities, parents following the plan with the ability to grow beyond just being parents. That sorta stuff.

Kansas CPS Post Audit said...

Kansas just had legislative hearings on "foster care" issues. This link below is of Kansas Senator Julia Lynn who talks about the contractors being another part of the government layer and causing more problems. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_6pREUCDu0&feature=channel

Anonymous said...

People need to understand change needs to come from the top of the organization. Management is not held accountable for their mistakes and children suffer for it. Region 1 is one of the worst regions for hidden agendas and lack of transparency.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't this the same group that ran around and setup Indian Schools all over the world and took children so they wouldn't grow up to be "natives" but good "christians".

Anonymous said...

Well, it all boils down to legislature and it's inability to hold state agencies accountable. I think anyone running for office should have to do like NASCAR drivers and wear the banner of their sponsers when in public. Like that toxic mold law. It's unenfocable and was so watered down by the time it passed it was useless. The waste that goes on is unbelievable! They now have aercheological evidence that the twin cities of Soddam and G (can't remember how to spell it) didn't burn because of sexual sins as we have been taught, but because the rich stopped caring about the poor and disabled. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself. But it is up to "We The People" to hold government accountable. And yes, the White House actually have an office of accountability. We need to save our children and teach them to question everything.