Georgia State Subsidy Profile
Pay particular attention to the fact that a special needs child is also considered is a child is a sibling of three or more being offered for sale
Updated November 2009
State Subsidy Contact Person
Mr. Adrian J. Owens
DHS/Social Services Administration Unit
2 Peachtree St. NW, Ste. 8-400
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-657-3558 / 888-460-2467
Fax: 404-463-3735
E-mail: ajowens@dhr.state.ga.us
NACAC Subsidy Representatives (parent/volunteer)
Jymme Reed
6319 Hillview Lane
Douglasville, GA 30134
Phone: 770-947-1265
E-mail: jymme_reed@comcast.net
Kathryn Karp
My Turn Now, Inc.
PO Box 7727
Atlanta, GA 30357
Phone: 404-657-3479
kkarp@dhr.state.ga.us
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Adoption subsidies are available for children with special needs. Federal subsidies were created by Congress (through Public Law 96-272—the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980) to encourage the adoption of special needs children and remove the financial disincentives to adoption for the families. Children may receive a federally funded subsidy under Title IV-E or a state-funded subsidy as per state guidelines. Below we have outlined information related to definitions of special needs, benefits available, and procedures in your state. Answers to select questions were made available by the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) through the Child Welfare Information Gateway (www.childwelfare.gov). Profiles for each state’s subsidy program are available on our web site at http://www.nacac.org. If you have additional questions, please call the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) at 651-644-3036 or our subsidy help line at 800-470-6665, or e-mail us at adoption.assistance@nacac.org. If you have state-specific questions, please call your State Subsidy Contact Person or the NACAC Subsidy Representative (listed above) for more information.
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Adoption Resources on the Web:
http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb 09
bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=036a2b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM
100000bf01010aRCRD and
Georgia’s state-specific medical assistance:
http://dch.georgia.gov/02/dch/home/0,2467,31446711,00.html;jsessionid=
91207BA034CBE3AC800A852AA6E73DE7
1. What specific factors or conditions does your State consider to determine that a child cannot be placed with adoptive parents without providing financial assistance? (“What is your State definition of special needs?”)
A child with special needs is defined as a child that has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to placement or adoption without financial assistance:
Eight years of age or older
African American heritage and one year of age or older
Member of a sibling group of three or more children placed together at the same time
Member of a sibling group of two children to be placed together where one child is eight years of age or older or has another special need as defined herein
A documented physical, emotional, or mental problems or limitations, or a predisposition there from
Note: Children must be legally free for adoption to be eligible for adoption assistance. To be eligible for Title IV-E adoption assistance, the state must also determine that the child cannot or should not return home to the birth parent(s) and that reasonable efforts to place the child with out adoption assistance have been made (except when contrary to the best interest of the child).
2. What are the eligibility criteria for the State-funded adoption assistance program?
In order to be eligible for state-funded adoption assistance a child must not be eligible for Title IV-E, special needs child as defined above, legally free for adoption, and have been in the permanent custody of the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
3. The maximum basic monthly adoption assistance maintenance payment in Georgia is:
These rates are effective July 1, 2009 for new subsidy agreements only.
Basic rates: Age Rate
Age Rate
0-5 $441.04
6-12 $463.85
13-18 $486.67
4. Specialized rates are based on the extraordinary needs of the child, and/or the additional parenting skill needed to raise the child. If Georgia offers these rates, the criteria used to define them are as follows:
If a child receives a specialized family foster care rate, a foster care worker can submit an application to the Adoption Unit for a determination for a higher per diem based on the exceptional special needs of the foster child. The foster care rate is determined by the Provider Relations Unit.
Adoption assistance payments can be up to 100 percent of the applicable DHS/DFCS family foster care per diem that the child was receiving immediately prior to the adoptive placement. The rates are dependent on the current level of functioning of the child.
Note: DHR/DFCS specialized family foster care rates may be lower than a private therapeutic foster care agency’s rates. For negotiating specialized adoption assistance, the rate can only be negotiated up to the DHS/DFACS family foster care rates.
5. Parents can receive payment or reimbursement for certain nonrecurring adoption expenses directly related to the finalization of an adoption. Below are the allowed expenses and the limit per child.
Nonrecurring expenses include: reasonable and necessary legal fees/ court costs, travel/lodging/meals (as part of pre-placement visits) and physicals for adoptive parent(s) as part of the adoption home assessment directly related to the legal adoption of a child with special needs.
Children adopted internationally are not eligible unless they meet the federal definition of special needs. To meet the federal definition of special needs the state must determine that the child cannot or should not return home, the child must meet the state definition of special needs (see question 1), and the state must be able to document that there have been reasonable efforts to place the child without adoption assistance.
Reimbursement for nonrecurring expenses will be made only after the adoption is finalized. Documentation of expenses must be provided prior to payment. The reimbursement limit is $1,500 per child.
6. What Medicaid services are available in Georgia?
The state contact for eligibility questions is Teresa Johnson, 404-657-7263, and the contact for questions on services is Yvonne Dove, 404-463-2135.
7. Children who have federally funded (Title IV-E) subsidy are automatically eligible for Medicaid benefits. However, it is the state’s decision whether state-funded (non-Title IV-E) children are eligible for Medicaid benefits in Georgia. Below is information on the Medicaid benefits available for state-funded children.
A child receiving State-funded adoption maintenance assistance is eligible for State-funded Medicaid. In practice, staff indicate that children have a “future need for counseling” so all children may receive Medicaid.
8. What mental health services are provided by your State?
Public mental health services for children in Georgia are administered through the Department of Community Health (DCH), Division of Medical Assistance and include the following examples: psychological services, in-patient hospital services, mental health clinic services, targeted case management for the chronically mentally ill, therapeutic residential intervention, and pharmacy services.
DMA and Medicaid covered services:
http://dch.georgia.gov/02/dch/home/0,2467,31446711,00.html
Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker or medical assistance specialist for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.
9. Does your State provide additional finances or services for medical or therapeutic needs not covered under your State medical plan to children receiving adoption assistance?
Special Services funds are available only to children who had been in the permanent custody of DHS. Georgia provides limited funding under the Special Services Adoption Assistance Program, these funds are approved on an annual basis.. These funds are contingent on availability of State funds and need. Family income and availability of community resources is considered in these requests. Special Services funds are provided by a separate agreement. The county social services case manager is the source of contact for application.
Georgia DFCS, DHR county contact: http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=
eca92b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.
10. What types of post adoption services are available in your State and how do you find out more about them?
Post adoption contracted services in Georgia are administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) thorough the DFCS, Social Services Administration Unit and community resources. DHS post adoption services include the following:
Georgia Center for Adoption Resources and Support (Tutoring referrals, lending library, training and referrals adoptive parent support groups).
A-Team (teen support group)
Crisis Intervention Team (therapeutic intervention, family case management)
Adoption Reunion Registry
Local county departments may have a local listing that adoptive families may call. In addition, a toll free number for the Georgia Center for Adoption Resources and Support is available and will provide families with information relating to resources, support groups, local and statewide adoption related activities. The number for the resource center is 1-866-A-Parent (1-866-272-7368).
Special Services Adoption Assistance—provides a time-limited or one-time special service when no other family or community resource is available:
Child Care: Based on need and family income
Respite: Provided to afford the family some down time that cares for a special needs child that may have medical/emotional/physical/mental diagnosis by a licensed medical or psychological provider. Can be approved for up to 20 hours per month/per family.
Other Special Services: Services such as orthodontics, prosthetics, psychological counseling (not paid for by Medicaid).
Contact your local DFCS County Office for more information. Georgia DFCS, DHR county contact: http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=
eca92b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
Special Services funds are contingent upon the availability of State Funds. A family’s resources are taken into consideration when the application is made. Special Services are not provided each year for every child.
In addition, many private organizations offer a variety of respite options. See the ARCH National Respite Network Respite Locator Service, search by state to locate Georgia’s respite programs, link: http://chtop.org/ARCH/National-Respite-Locator.html
11. If the additional assistance (listed above in questions #8 -10) is to cover specific services (e.g., counseling/mental health services, respite care, etc.), must these services be explicitly identified in the adoption assistance agreement?
No. Special Services may be applied for anytime after the child is placed on adoptive status. Special Services are based on the availability of State Funds. These services are covered under a separate agreement and paid strictly through special services funds.
12. How are residential treatment costs covered (if at all) for adoptive families? What procedures must a family follow to receive these services?
Families requiring residential treatment should contact their county social service office or mental health center. Funding is dependent on meeting specific eligibility criteria and availability of funds. Families must be Georgia residents in order to be eligible for this service. Any child is eligible whether or not initially in Georgia DHS custody. If the child and family is receiving adoption assistance from Georgia the family will be asked to contribute a portion of the adoption assistance towards the cost of the placement as they are still legally and financially responsible for the child(ren).
13. A deferred adoption assistance agreement is one in which the initial monthly maintenance amount is $0. Does Georgia offer such agreements?
Yes, Georgia offers deferred agreements. If a child does not meet the definition of a child with special needs prior to adoption finalization, a deferred adoption assistance application is completed by the adopting parent(s) for a $0 dollar amount. If at a later time the child is diagnosed with a physical/mental/emotional, medical condition by a licensed provider, the family can request another special needs determination through the local DFCS office. All approvals/denials are completed by the Social Services Administration Unit. No adoption assistance payment will exceed the basic foster care rate the child received as a family foster care board rate prior to adoptive placement.
14. Does Georgia operate a subsidized guardianship program?
No.
Programmatic Procedures
15. Who makes the final determination of a child’s subsidy eligibility in Georgia? What roles, if any, do workers and administrators at the county, district, or regional level play in eligibility determination and/or assistance negotiation?
Adoption Assistance is applied for at the local level (county office). All determinations/approvals/denials are made by the Social Services Administration Unit at the State Office. The caseworker submitting the documentation will be notified of the approval or denial by SSAU.
16. Will Georgia consider my family income to determine my child’s eligibility for subsidy?
Written documentation of a family’s financial circumstances must be submitted with the initial application. This information is not used to establish eligibility for subsidy, but it does give the agency an idea of the family’s ability to meet the special needs of the child.
Eligibility for Special services adoption assistance funds will consider the adoptive family income and the availability of community resources.
17. When do subsidy payments begin?
For children involved with Georgia DFCS, Adoption Assistance payments and benefits may begin at the time of adoptive placement.
For children not involved with DFCS (Private/Independent adoption), Adoption Assistance payments and benefits begin once the adoption has finalized.
18. Do children adopted from private agencies in Georgia receive the same subsidies as those children adopted from public agencies?
Only Federal (IV-E) subsidies are available to children in the custody of private agencies at this time. Children placed through private agencies are ineligible for state-funded subsidy. Special Services Funds are not available to children in the custody of private agencies.
19. When my child turns 18, which benefits if any, are available to our family?
Listed below are the criteria for adoption assistance eligibility over age 18. All adoption assistance payments will end when the youth turns 21 years old or earlier.
For youth over age 18 who are still in high school:
For an adopted child to be eligible for continued assistance the child must have been in the permanent custody of DFCS (Both biological parents parental rights were terminated and DFCS had sole custody of the child when the adoption occurred. The only exception to this is when the child was placed from the temporary custody of DFCS (DFCS initiated TPR) with the relative/fictive kin for the purpose of adoption. If a child does not meet either of these requirements, then the adoption assistance will end in the month of the child’s 18th birthday.
If the child meets the eligibility requirements above, then they must document that they are in school full time (GED or Job Corp does not qualify as full time school) by providing verification on school letterhead quarterly.
NOTE: The adoption assistance ends when:
The child graduates from high school (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their graduation month)
The child drops out of high school (Can receive adoption assistance the month they drop out only),
The child turns 21 (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their birth month)
For youth over age 18 who are in college or technical school:
For an adopted child to be eligible for continued assistance they must have been adopted prior to July 1998 (any age) with an adoption assistance agreement. For children adopted after July 1998, they must have been adopted after their 13th birthday with an adoption assistance agreement.
The child must also have been in the permanent custody of DFCS (Both biological parents parental rights were terminated and DFCS had sole custody of the child when the adoption occurred, or was placed from the temporary custody of DFCS (DFCS initiated TPR) with the relative/fictive kin for the purpose of adoption.
If the child meets the eligibility requirements above, then they must document that they are in school full time by providing verification on school letterhead quarterly.
NOTE: The adoption assistance ends upon:
Failure to provide quarterly verification of full time enrollment
Child turns 21 (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their birth month)
Child drops out of school (Can receive adoption assistance through the month they drop out)
20. A child’s adoption assistance agreement may be periodically reviewed by the state. What is the typical process used in Georgia?
Georgia does not renew nor recertify a child for adoption assistance; however Medicaid is renewed annually by the REV Max Unit.
21. Can adoption assistance agreements be modified if requested by adoptive parents?
Georgia Policy does not allow for an increase in the adoption assistance benefit beyond the amount the child received in family foster care immediately prior to the adoptive placement. However, the family may have other requests such as post adoption services, referrals for community and/or agency resources, a change of address, etc. Any requests or notifications by the parents are made to the case manager. This is outlined in the adoption assistance agreement. If an adoptive family is unsuccessful in making contact with the case manager, they should contact the supervisor or county director.
Georgia DFCS, DHR county contact: http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=
eca92b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
22. What are the exact steps a family must go through to access the fair hearing/appeal process in Georgia?
Adoptive families can request a fair hearing any time there is a disagreement with a DFCS decision affecting their child’s adoption assistance agreement. Parents are directed to contact their local county Department of Family and Children Services to request a fair hearing. Georgia DFCS, DHR county contact: http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=
eca92b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
All requests must be made in writing and provided to the county DFCS case manager who will send a formal referral to the Legal Services Department of DHS for processing. DHS in turn forwards the request to the Office of State Administrative Hearings.
The Office of State Administrative Hearings will notify the family, in writing, of the date and location of the hearing. Hearings are usually held in the county of residence of the petitioner. Requests for an administrative hearing by telephone are possible. The request for a telephone hearing must be made in writing to the fair hearing officer identified in the hearing notice.
After the bureau of state hearings receives a request for a fair hearing, a notice giving the date, time, and place of the hearing is sent to adoptive parents. This notice will be sent at least ten days before the hearing. The notice also will tell parents what to do if they cannot come to the hearing as scheduled. Families may bring witnesses, friends, relatives, or a lawyer to help them present their case. The hearing officer will listen to both sides but will not make a decision at the hearing. Instead, parents will receive a written decision in the mail, issued by the hearing authority, a few weeks later. Parents should receive a hearing decision within ninety days of their hearing request. The hearing officer will record the hearing so that the facts are taken down correctly. After the hearing decision is issued, parents can get a free copy of the tape by contacting the hearings section. If parents disagree with the hearing decision, the written decision sent to them will explain how to ask for an administrative appeal of the decision.
See the Office of State Administrative Hearings regarding Procedural Rules and Legal Resources:
Click to access rules%20of%20procedure.pdf
23. Families may request a subsidy after the finalization of an adoption under certain circumstances. Below is the process by which families access a subsidy after finalization.
In order to start the process, families should contact the county where they live or contact Adrian J. Owens at 404-657-3558.
Georgia DFCS, DHR county contact: http://dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DFCS/menuitem.5d32235bb09bde9a50c8798dd03036a0/?vgnextoid=
eca92b48d9a4ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
System Operation and Program Funding
24. How is the subsidy program operated and funded in Georgia?
The system is state supervised in terms of policy writing, consultation, and some training. Counties administer the adoption program. All adoption studies and life histories are registered with the state adoption exchange. Initial applications for adoption assistance and requests for non-recurring adoption expenses are approved at the State level and administered at the County level. All requests for special services adoption assistance are approved at the state level.
The federal contribution to Title IV-E-eligible children is 67.29% in Georgia. This is known as the Federal Financial Participation (FFP) rate. The remaining cost of the program is funded entirely with state funds.
25. Below are other programs that may differentiate Georgia’s adoption assistance program from others around the country.
Georgia does not pay college tuition for adopted children. However, State funded adoption assistance may be provided in certain circumstances for children ages 18-21 who are in college or technical school-see question 19 for criteria that must be met.
Jim Black
savethechild2013
Yvonne Mason Sewell
How Child Protection Services Buys and Sells Our Children 
I am new to this site ,I have a hard time reading some of this. I have been a foster parent for over 25 years and not for the states I have read reports on this eveningng .I am a trainer for foster parents and I can honestly say we at our agencyI work for check our families out .I realize there has been mistakes in the system over the years but there are social workers that truely care.Im sure some are better than others.From what I have looked at on this site I,m glad that I have not experienced these behaviors .I believe there are people that shouldn’t be foster parents or social workers.I’v loved being a foster parent for years I loved and still love the kids /grown now that where in my care .It has always been the goal is to return home the sooner the better.I now train foster parents and again our goal is to return home.I have over the years helped birth families have there children return home.so please note there are good foster homes as well as bad ,there are many , many whom really care,I will say we check our families out ,criminal records ,and I saw something about Dui’s we require a copy of Dmv Records,references ,home visits ,the list goes on and on.I will say foster parent are paid to take care of your children but theres really not a lot of money involved when it comes to regular foster care.I would quess to some the amount is alot but if you brake this down to where its supposed to be spent you arn’t making anythingas a foster parent.I’m not taking anyone side,I was just supprised to hear some of these things.Yes from what I have seen and read there is a real need in reform ,there always is something that can or should be done better.i am sorry if the these things have happened to you personally .But as far as foster parents go there are good one out there to. I really dont believe foster parents are getting rich.And Im really sorry if your child had to suffer anything .I just know that when I leave work I have done all I can do for the better of a child.
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The Corruption of Child Protective Services (CPS)
By Harold Wilson
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/cpscorruption15aug13.shtml
August 15, 2013
The Corruption of Child Protective Services (CPS) (August 15 2013)
[Editor’s Note: “Harold Wilson” is a pen name. The horrendous corruption and abuse by Child “Protective” Services (CPS) of children and their parents in America must come to an end. The only way to stop this outrageous destruction and the unbelievable stress imposed on the lives of innocent American families (mostly those struggling just to make ends meet) is to remove the overly broad (and usually vague) statutory authorization that allow these petty bureaucatic tyrants to remove children from their biologial parents’ home with impunity~ based on an ANONYMOUS complaint and force the parent(s) to run a gaunlet of bureaucratic hoops in order to get them back (at least temporarily until the next time they are taken away by CPS, based on an anonymmous complaint). A court order must become a mandatory requirement before CPS or police can take away children from their rightful parent(s) where abusive allegations were proven in a court of law. In addition, the profit $$ motive for those involved in CPS and the foster “care” system must be eradicated entirely and permanently. ]
CPS accepts anonymous complaints and illegally violates parent’s and children’s civil and constitutional rights. They also assume the parent and child are lying during their illegally held interviews. They also claim that the material gathered from these interviews can be turned over to law enforcement to pursue criminal charges against the parent, but claim they do not have to read Miranda Rights to the parents.
I am concerned that CPS feels justified in trumpeting federal laws during investigations. Parents and children are told that if they refuse to conduct the interview that CPS can take custody (in order to coerce participation in the interview). CPS also assumes that the parents and children are lying, so they can take “emergency” custody without a court order or evidence to prove the accusations (usually anonymous) against them are true!
CPS and the courts do not consider the emotional trauma inflicted on the parents and children when taking children away from the parents. The children’s emotional well being, especially, is ignored! “Mandatory reporters” can hide behind the “mandatory standing” and can make falsified accusations and know they are protected from prosecution. Even if the complaints turn out to be untrue, CPS has no desire to investigate why the accusation was made.
CPS even uses previous unsubstantiated complaints as evidence of neglect, even if the investigators believe the complaints to have zero merit. CPS also allows an investigator to sit alone with a child even if the investigator is a middle aged male and the child is a teenage girl. This violates federal sexual harassment laws, but is allowed under state law. This also allows CPS to make claim of statements by the child, even if the child never made them, or allows CPS to withhold any statements the child does make from their report.
What can be done when CPS removes a child, but tells you and the court that they had no evidence for doing so? During a 13 day custody of my child, the CPS worker, the foster care worker & foster parent all lied to and threatened my child. They also made my child go 17 hours without insulin because they had to “follow protocol” and knew the child was in danger. Complaints to Lansing [Michigan Dept. of Human Services[ went unanswered except telling me several appalling comments:
“When CPS shows up the child & parent have no civil or constitutional rights.”
“We would rather destroy the emotional well being of one child to protect a few.”
“You should be happy we took your child because that shows how much we care about children.”
After 13 days, the judge ruled CPS had no probable cause & returned my child. Due to current laws, CPS can remove a child without evidence or probable cause. They are also allowed to provide false statements, twist the child’s and parent’s words, and make unprovable statements about the parent.
I was told that CPS did a “thorough” investigation into my complaint, but at no time interviewed my daughter or me. All they had to go on were their own files & records. They do not answer to anyone, except themselves in complaints. Even the Office of Children’s Ombudsman has never found CPS to be guilty of CPS protocol violations. Even perjury, threats, knowingly providing inaccurate statements and withholding life saving medications are not in violation of protocol.
December 7, 2007
(Sherri Harris- CPS, Laura Couch supervisor, Charles Foster- CPS state administrator)
My diabetic daughter contracted strep throat. This puts her into DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). She ended up in Hurley Hospital in Flint, Michigan. She had memory loss. During this period, she is interrogated by hospital staff and a psychologist. They determine a traumatic experience caused the memory loss. An endocrinologist determines that DKA caused memory loss.
December 10, 2007
CPS is called stating this is not my daughter & that she is a kidnap victim. The endocrinologist has her file disproving this, but is not consulted by the hospital staff or CPS. My daughter is untrusting of the CPS worker & tells her so. CPS determines there is no case, but calls my daughter a “psychotic bitch” in front of hospital staff. My complaints all the way up to Lansing are ignored. Maybe my daughter “made the CPS worker mad”; causing the comment is what was determined by Lansing.
December 11, 2007
Went to Mott Clinic for the follow-up visit after the hospital. An off duty police officer calls dispatch stating that her sister, Pam, who works at Hurley, called to say a father was at the Children’s Clinic with his daughter, but the child was not his daughter. When dispatch asked for my name, the officer didn’t know my name because I was using an alias, but didn’t know the alias, either. However, without knowing my name, she “knew” there was an out of state warrant for me for kidnapping & molestation.
CPS was also told that my name on my ID was misspelled. Not sure how a hospital employee can tell if the state misspelled your name on your ID and you failed to notice it!
I was held in a room at the clinic for 4 hours until the police were assured that there were no current, or any warrants ever issued for me. The Flint Internal Affairs cleared all officers of wrongdoing, but reorganized the department shortly thereafter for improprieties.
October 8, 2008
(Tashelle Morris- CPS, Julie Gonzales- supervisor, Bill Weston- County CPS supervisor, Randy Bartz- County DHS supervisor)
CPS showed up to my job claiming that I was living in my van, which was not true. They had searched a van behind the restaurant prior to entering the restaurant, without a warrant. It turned out that my van was parked 1/2 mile away in the employee parking lot. I was told to bring my daughter in the next day for an interview. I was forced to sign release of information forms. When I tried to refuse, exercising my rights, I was told that was OK, but my daughter would not be leaving with me. No investigation
May 23, 2009
(Rochelle Whatley-Thomas- CPS, Jennifer Polk- supervisor)
I was offered a job in Ohio working weekends until June. Instead of pulling my daughter out of school, I had her stay with a couple while I was out of town. My daughter told a couple of her friends that it would be more fun to stay with them rather than our friends. A school counselor was told by a student that my daughter told everyone that I abandoned her & left her homeless. The principal had all the info regarding contacts for me in Ohio & the friend’s name & number locally, but tells the counselor to call CPS.
CPS showed up to the school. My daughter was told to go straight to our house after school. She told CPS that she may not even have her key on her as she was not staying there while I was out of town. CPS & the police threatened her if she tried to go to the friend’s house they would have to take her. Luckily she had the key. CPS called me from my house & said they needed my permission to inspect the house. I told them to wait till I got back Monday night. They said that would be fine, but my daughter would not be there. I reluctantly allowed them to do this. After my daughter refused to talk to CPS until I was back in town, the CPS worker stood in my front yard & yelled at my daughter “You ain’t no ghetto girl! So don’t be actin’ like you a ghetto girl! Cause you ain’t no ghetto girl!” I was called back & told everything looked good & nobody would bother me & I was to go to their office Tuesday to interview & nobody would bother us over the weekend.
May 24, 2009 (Ivan Galindo – CPS)
While our friends were at work, my daughter & her friends went to our house to make lunch & watch movies. There was a knock at the door. My daughter looked through the peep hole & did not recognize the man, so did not answer the door. Next, she heard the man try to open the door. They grabbed knives out of the kitchen drawer. Next, they heard him trying to open the windows & other doors. The hid & saw him peeking in the kitchen window. He proceeded to walk around the entire house & even tried the windows & doors in the other apartment of the duplex.
May 27, 2009
I went to CPS office & did the interview. CPS said they saw no case here. No investigation.
September, 2012
(Kevin Zaborney- CPS, DeAndre Lawson- supervisor, Justin Harper Foster Care, Rebekah Irwin, Foster Care supervisor, Jennifer Dillard- County CPS supervisor, Reverend Rita Truss- County DHS supervisor, Darrel Fields Lansing Field Supervisor, Mrs Mahoney- Lansing Field supervisor, Bonnie- Office of Communication, Patty O’ Connor- DHS administration, Scott Parrott- CPS state coordinator, Maura Corrigan- State DHS director, Ryan Fewins- State CASA supervisor, Randi Roberts- Saginaw County CASA supervisor, Suzanne Greenberg- Saginaw County CAN supervisor, Drewe Robinson- Saginaw County CAN Board of Directors, Irene & Larry Salinas- Foster Home; Referee Dwight Lewis, Judge Faye Harrison)
The restaurant I was working at in Ohio closed earlier than expected for the season. We decided to return to Michigan for the winter rather than stay in Ohio. Maybe we’ll stay in Michigan permanently. I had several restaurant interviews lined up in Detroit, Redford, Canton, Ypsilanti & Ann Arbor [all in Michigan]. Since Canton was the central location, we stopped there as our base till I found a job. We located a motel that also had apartments. We ended up in a three bedroom apartment that rented by the week or month. Instead of sitting in the apartment or in the van while I interviewed, my daughter went to visit a friend near Saginaw. She again became ill and wound up in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis).
My teenage daughter was visiting her friend for a week or so. She started to complain of a sore throat. Also her insulin cartridge cracked, rendering the insulin useless. I called her doctor to have an emergency cartridge provided, but on the way to the pharmacy she became disoriented and was taken to the hospital in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). While in this state, she told the ER staff that she had not taken insulin in over a week; she didn’t know what day it was; and that her doctor had told her to stop taking her insulin. While in ketoacidosis, the statements can not be taken seriously. However, the ER staff ignored the last two statements and called CPS to make a complaint. An endocrinologist would confirm that statements in ketoacidosis can not be taken at face value and that a Type I diabetic can not live a week without insulin. The hospital staff refused to do a test for a cold or strep throat, which could very well be the reason the wound up in the hospital to begin with. CPS did not bother to confirm these facts. They also threatened to take immediate custody if my daughter and I chose to exercise 4th and 14th amendment rights and refuse to talk to them without a court order or an impartial witness on my daughter’s behalf. My daughter stated that the negligence did not exist, but CPS chose not to provide this statement to the court and also claimed that my daughter lied to protect me, even though CPS had no evidence to that fact. Two days later, CPS showed up without a court order and two local police officers in tow to take custody.
CPS also told me that a motel is not an acceptable place to get my daughter back. It was a three bedroom apartment in a motel complex that had 8 other apartments. CPS also houses homeless families in motels.
After 13 days, the judge ruled that there was no probable cause and returned my daughter home. I am concerned that if there was no probable cause, why she was taken in the first place?
I filed a complaint with CPS Central Intake at least once a month about the abuses by CPS, the foster care system & the foster home. All were ignored and the only complaint that was forwarded on was the foster home complaint.
January 6, 2013
(Kourtney Post- CPS)
While my daughter was recovering from an auto accident, CPS showed up & said a new complaint had been called in, but repeated word for word the same complaint from September 2012. However, the complaint had been changed to “molestation.” The CPS worker decided not to conduct an investigation.
January 7, 2013
I received a call from Wayne County. CPS that said we were living in a motel in Canton & her diabetes was out of control. No investigation. In fact, an ex-friend of my daughter is bragging that she called in this report and if my daughter is anywhere near Frankenmuth, she will call again ( but CPS is not at liberty to have her investigated for a falsified report because they have to protect this person & the integrity of the “anonymous” calling in of reports). CPS would rather protect a falsified complaint & destroy the life & reputation of a good family!
April 29, 2013
(Tracy Lyons- CPS Foster Care Investigator)
CPS called to say that they are investigating the foster home & needs my daughter’s statement. My daughter refuses any contact with CPS. I was told that she has to cooperate. Some people are saying if she refuses, CPS can put her in foster care until she agrees; others say they can’t remove her. Either way, we are both afraid of what CPS can & will do if my daughter doesn’t want to talk to them or even if she does talk to them.
CPS (Scott Parrott) also claims to have conducted a “thorough investigation,” but never interviewed my daughter or me. They only looked over their own files to “investigate” themselves! They found themselves not to have done anything wrong!
Procurement of an order to seize a child through distortion, misrepresentation, and/or omission in court is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. ( Malik v. Arapahoe Cty. Dept. of Social Services. (10th Cir. 1991)
State and Federal laws state “every effort must be made to keep the child in the home (RCW 74.14A.020., RCW 26.44.063,RCW 13.34.060,Finding — 1999 c 17:
“The legislature has found that any intervention into the life of a child is also an intervention in the life of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian, and that the bond between child and parent is a critical element of child development.
“The phenomenon of children dying in state care is one that deserves special scrutiny. We know that there are many more deaths than made the newspapers. The total number of children who die annually while under state care is unknown. While multiple agencies track their numbers, no central tracking agency exists and tracking methods differ between agencies. That’s one of the issues should be addressed.” Justice Maura Corrigan
This is the same Maura Corrigan that is now mismanaging the Michigan DHS (Dept. of Human Services)!)
From the Michigan DHS (Dept. of Human Services) website:
• In 2008, DHS and private agencies completed 2,638 adoptions and received $875,000 in federal funds for the accomplishment. In 2009, DHS and private agencies completed 3,030 adoptions – more than ever before – and were awarded a $3.5 million federal adoption incentive award for the accomplishment.
• In 2008, there were 6,315 foster children residing with unlicensed relatives. The agreement required Michigan to move the children to licensed settings or relative homes approved for a waiver. As of October 2010, the state is in 99 percent compliance.
(DHS receives $4,000- $6,000 per child placed in foster care from Social Security Title IV-E, but no money if they do not find abuse & neglect, or if they leave the child at home or place the child with a relative who is not licensed.)
Thank you
Harold Wilson
Reply from Harold:
Thank you for publishing my article.
Harold
***
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2013
From: Ken Adachi
Subject: Re: Corruption of CPS
You’re welcome .
Do you want to expand your info? Are you involved in networking with others on this issue? Have you done internet radio interviews?
Regards, Ken
***
Ken,
I have not done interviews, but I’m interested. I have been very critical of the governor & attorney general in their refusal to become involved. They even admitted , through staff members, that even if they are aware of criminal conduct by CPS, the Michigan Constitution does not allow them to get involved.
I even accused the state senator that wrote a bill in a kneejerk reaction to a CPS investigation that resulted in the case being closed. The boy later died, but this new bill makes it even easier for CPS to remove a child without cause.
Everyone ignores the HHS documented research that proves more children are abused, neglected, raped & murdered in “protection” than at home; or that children left at home & receiving services as a family fare better in the long run than children removed, even left in an abusive home.
CPS also wanted to place my daughter on medications without prescriptions & the doctor was ready to prescribe them — without a diagnosis! All for more federal funds. Nearly 70% of children in the system are on medications, even though most were not before custody!
I am writing a book about the corruption & looking for a publisher.
I have been in email contact with http://miparentalrights.ning.com/
If you notice Maura Corrigan’s quote about children dying in foster care; she seems more concerned that all the deaths are not being recorded, instead of the deaths occurring at all!
I have more snide comments from CPS, ACF & HHS employees that are absurd & heartless. I would be interested in appearing on interview shows to expose CPS & the government that endorses, allows & supports corruption!
Harold
Related
Dave Hodges: Health and Human Services (HHS) and Children Protective Services (CPS) Want to Take Control of Your Kids, Ceausescu-Style (August 17, 2013)
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/hhsCeausescustyle17aug13.shtml
Toddler Dies In State Custody After Being Taken From Parents by Child Protective Service (August 6, 2013)
http://benswann.com/toddler-dies-in-state-custody-after-being-taken-from-parents/
Corrigan Demands Council Cede Control of City DHS (March 6, 2012)
http://voiceofdetroit.net/2012/03/06/corrigan-demands-council-hand-over-control-of-city-dhs/#sthash.MGGiXYzf.dpuf
Michigan (Maura Corrigan’s) DHS Neglected Detroit DHS, Rights To Be Terminated
http://beverlytran.blogspot.com/2012/03/michigan-dhs-neglected-detroit-dhs.html#axzz2c9GBsYbJ
“I just adore Madame Corrigan (spoken in a high British accent), the arrogance of indifference, the indolence of immunity, the dismissive concerns that it was her Department of Human Services and her legislating from the bench that allowed the malfeasance and misfeasance in Detroit’s Department of Human Services in the first place.”
Fight brewing over Detroit’s troubled Human Services Department
http://www.michiganradio.org/post/fight-brewing-over-detroits-troubled-human-services-department
A fight is brewing between the Detroit City Council, Mayor Dave Bing, and the state. State department of Human Services director Maura Corrigan told the Council last week that the city’s human services department needs to be “de-designated.”
Foster care in Michigan: Maura Corrigan flunks her first big test ( May 9, 2011)
http://www.nccprblog.org/2011/05/foster-care-in-michigan-maura-corrigan.html
A Need for Reform and Transparancy at the Michigan Supreme Court by Ret, Justice Elizabeth Weaver ( June 11,2012)
Click to access GRTALK61112.pdf
New book by Justice Elizabeth Weaaver: Judicial Deceit: Tyranny and Unnecessary Secrecy at the Michigan Supreme Court
Reader Comments
On 8/21/2013 ,Boris wrote:
I have read this story and would like to present the following, if I may.
We have been looking into this matter for some time now and have reached the most obvious conclusion … the fact the CPS involves the actual real boy/girl in the matter means CPS and ALL of the actors participating have just testified and accused the State, that by way of operation of law registers and records the actual boy/girl and then sells off interests in such to social security and thus they are engaging in child trafficking and since they are “forcing intercourse”, child sex trade … When IN FACT we are told they are just registering the “birth event” and the certificate AND social security number does not serve to identify anyone.
If it were true the “birth event” [and it counterpart Social Security number] is the only thing being registered and recorded, then how do these people get custody of the actual boy/girl UNLESS their goal is to entice the mother/father into argument and defending thus justifying the action on paper by turning the matter into a “falsified bounty contract” under the 14th Amendment?
The fact the actual boy/girl is involved means someone is trying to engage in child trafficking and if the people started looking at matters this way, they would do much better than trying to prove CPS is criminal … refuse to participate because it is illegal and immoral to participate in the sin of trafficking the flesh of a child.
Treat the initial matter [live birth event] as a contractual nexus of which the United States has already received benefit [via existence of Federal Reserve Notes] … Social Security “purchases” interest in the “live birth” once it is registered via the Social Security Act of 1936. This means whatever interest was acquired via that “purchase” was done under “necessity” via Article 1 section 8 clause 17 of the US Constitution [or it is in violation thereof], making the “live birth” and “acquisition” of the United States which would render any claim against NAME [live birth] acquired a “public debt obligation of the United States” of which can not be questioned … so, when one approaches things in this manner, the claim is NOT against the mother/father/boy/girl, it is a claim against the United States making the “claimants” provocateurs, unless they can show where the treasury bonded them to meddle with that “interest” [estate] OR they get you to argue and transform the matter into an “act of insurrection or rebellion” and thus justify the act and action via a “falsified bounty contract” and since you would be the “tort-feasor” against the “interest”, you get saddled with the burden.
let them fight this approach … they will lose … this is the “light baby” … once an agent of darkness touches it, they will have an uncontrollable urge to seek out the light for further instructions or go mad attempting to fight it.
two cents, for what it is worth
Boris
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‘I personnel was a foster child 3 times in my life,’My first home had what I thought was ‘good honest christian parents’, I was a physical and sexually abused child, which has to include emtional abuse in my opinion, “I was sexually molested in that foster home at the young age of 5 (I was take from my own parents for ‘inadequate’ care at the time no-one knew of sexual abuse cause little girls don’t tell in most cases) in a state aproved foster home, well I guess they don’t evaluateThe foster families own children do they??, In that home I was feed good, kept clean, had rules and chours, went to chruch, however I never not once was bought anything new, I recall Christmas at that home ‘Thier own children had a nice Christmas’ while my Brother and I had The salvation army toys that was given to us, Thier was six children in our Family, My older brother and I was placed in a home together, than My two younger sisters was placed with a different family, and the two youngest where boys and they was placed with a family, ‘I never once got to see my siblings, I saw my parents once right before we were returned to them, (had they had been given the monies that the foster homes were paid, we most like would not have had ‘inadequate care’ as no-one knew of sexual abuse) I was later take again and returned to the same home with my brother I think I was 10, my other siblings were place as before except with different foster families(Thank God however I’ll get into that later) This I was taken because My parents by now we seprated and My mom had a before who was sexually abusing me with my mother’ well I told a close Aunt who I often stayed with and she went to dcf and told them what was happening however she wished to have some of us and knew that other family members would step in and take soe of us as well’ they plain out lied and said that they had to take all the children and than that we could be placed with family members in order that we could still see our siblings as our families got together ‘lies lies lies’, again I was place in the home of where the son was sexually abusing me’, (I never told) not once did I see my siblings, and they claimed they could not find our father, ‘lies’, at this stay I saw a case worker only once at the stay before I never saw a case worker and the reason I saw a case work on this stay was to let My brother and I know that we was going to a knew family, no reason was given to us just we had to go to a knew family’ (we later learned as my Brother play on my foster parents baseball team that they were getting a divorce and they was not going to be able to keep us, so we arrive at our new foster home with in the week or so, “God Blesses us with the ‘Most Love I had ever felt as a child’, our new Foster Dad had the casework sit down at the dinning room table and insisted that My brother and thier own son stay at the table with them (after all its a family discussion, I Loved this Man) he let the case work know that he didn’t need no money, he wanted us to feel ‘wanted’ not take because of the money’ he also ask the casework if he could have our siblings too, and what he could do to make that happen’, ‘Well they never let him have the others I’m sure it was because they only had a three bedroom house’, however I’m also sure if they would have said he could have us all that he would have built another room or two if needed, ‘We were sat down after the caseworker left and told the rules, no chours were asigned everyone was expected to pitch in as a family and always pick up after yourself to make it less we each had to do’, we were told what our allowance would be (‘WOW’ our other foster parents children got allowance but not us) and once it was gone it was gone so use your money wisely or save it up for something you’ve been wanting, “He (they although she had really little to nothing to do with us but was never mean or rude to us she just let him run the house and we were all happy)Took us camping, out to eat (had never been out to eat in my life before) he allowed my brother to keep play ball on his old team even through it was a drive to get there, he took us to the beach, “We went all over” we camped alot as he had a rv and enjoyed camping trips (They had three boys the two oldest were in the military) and was so Happy to hve children to take on them again, ‘I never remember getting in trouble other than I said a not so nice word I had heard an old child say in our neighbor hood and She told me if I ever used that word again I was going to earn a punishment (it wasn’t a cuss word it was some saying back than) “We had good old family fun and real Love,’ Than one day he sat us down and said there had been a hearing and my father showed up at the hearing and want us,’ He said he was going to fight for us ‘ and our siblings too, he would do whatever they required of him that he would not allow them to take us and give us back to our parents (I felt so Loved and proud, I was worth fighting for) after the hearing he came home and said that the judge wanted us to visit our father (he lived in other state) however it had to be a local visit and nothing over night, ‘my Fathers family lived in a local little town she we went with him for a day and had a cookout, visited our cousins, and aunts and uncles and grandparents’ we had a great day, My Dad had a Girlfriend she was there as well’, she was so nice, and Dad told us life was going to be different with him and her, That the judge was considering letting My brother and I go on a trail bases and if things worked out than he could have us all back, “When we went home that night our foster Dad had a talk with My Brother and his own son, “and he told us if we wanted to go try it than that is what we should do, and if we didn’t want to go that he would stand up for us and fight as hard as he could, ‘I knew better than to go back however I could have never told my father that not at this time in my life anyways, “so the judge ordered as soon as school was over that we go to my Dad’s He did allow us to go on one more camping trip with our foster family and delayed picking us up for a week (That was nice), So off we go with my dad, The Girlfriend had put up a big fake front and we was always home with her and never with my dad, they were drinking and partying, and she would get mad if Dad took My Brother and I anywhere while she was at work, “I swear she hated my brother from day one, and soon she would hate me too, “Well it was time for the hearing” now mind you we never saw a caseworker the whole visit, and My brother and I was not required to be at the hearing, “I was so mad I wanted to really tell the judge the truth and ask if we can be returned to our foster parents”(whether I could have done so or not I’m not sure, I do know I kept praying for that hearing to come around, so at the hearing the judge ordered a stay with My brother and me through a school year and if all went well the other siblings would join us that summer, “never saw a caseworker”, not allow to go to hearing as judge said we didn’t need to appear, at that point I just wanted to see my siblings so “I most likely would not have told anything against My Dad and his Girlfriend” they got us all back, “By 14 I had ran away so many times, my Dads girlfriend had beat my sister with wire coat hanger, and would grab the little ones by the ears, hair, slap them, just evil lady, she would insist that my Dad spank us and he would have us cover our butts with pillows and cry out like we were getting beat,’My Dad had no backbone to stand up for us’ I know he Loves us however his flaws was from his own childhood,’ he never abused us not ever, not like that kind of abuse’, moving forward i finally ran away and movied in with my boyfriend I was 14 and he was 15 by 16 I was pregnant, I was not allow to have contact with my siblings “My older brother had moved out to and in with his Girlfriend” before 18 months was up, all my siblings were dropped off at dcf by my dads girlfriend a day before christmas and they lived through pure tourcher, from having to eat food they vomoited up, to sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse’, they was now ward’s of the state ‘unwanted children’, oh and in thier first two foster homes they were also abused, mentally, phsically, and sexually all four of them,’ and they never had any of that money these people were paid spent on ‘Them’ not ever’, “Foster homes yes thier our good ones, however the bad far outway the good’ Yes we need reform and closer watch by the caseworkers, ‘weekly checks’, away so the children can feel free to be honest’, and proof of atleast some of that money has been use on the child personally’, Do you know what it is like to be a child and watch ‘children be brought or given things while you stand back and watch??? REFORM A MUST, and screen thier children, or make sure thier children are grown and gone,,,”And by the way my foster brother who molested me, went in to our military, had children of his own, ‘I just pray they were not molested’
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