Among the recommendations were: significantly lower caseloads for social workers, multi-disciplinary teams, more mental health services, intensive community based services for families and no managed care in child welfare. It called for … [Read more...]
New Child Welfare Blog
My mentor,Michael Rich, who was my resource when I first began to do child welfare law, has started a new blog:http://www.michaelri...For those interested in this field, and the most vulnerable among us, I suggest that though new, it IS … [Read more...]
Open letter to Commissioner-designate Angelo McLain
REASONABLE EFFORTSBefore a child is taken out of their home, there is a requirement that reasonable efforts to prevent removal occur. PROBLEM: There is no definition of "reasonable efforts" required prior to removal of children … [Read more...]
Information on Angelo McLain, the new DSS Commissioner
Here goes:Angelo McLain, Commissioner of the Department of Social ServicesFor the past five years, Anthony "Angelo" McClain served as Executive Director of ValueOptions New Jersey, the Contract Systems Administrator that provides the … [Read more...]
Harry Spence to be replaced this week as DSS Commissioner
According to the WTG:BOSTON? The embattled head of the state's child welfare system will be replaced Wednesday as Gov. Deval Patrick looks to put his stamp on state government, a source told The Associated Press.According to the WTG, the … [Read more...]
DSS Budget
At a series of hearings, on DSS, held by the Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect almost every professional organization testified that DSS social workers had responsibility for too many children, too many families and too many cases. The … [Read more...]
Kentucky holds a summit on child welfare law – why don’t we?
The Chief Justice of the Kentucky Juvenile Court System goes on to say:The changes, which will take effect immediately, coincided with the announcement of an initiative by Lambert to improve Kentucky's courts and child welfare system.The … [Read more...]
First Star issues a report 4/24/07 on the representation provided children in child welfare cases
From the March 19, 2007 Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.Foster change in DSS systemBefore a child is taken out of a family home, there is a federal requirement that "reasonable efforts" to prevent removal of a child from the home must … [Read more...]
Will Governor Patrick keep Harry Spence as the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services?
The problem is, Commissioner Spence is a Harvard Law School graduate who appears to subscribe to the "social eugenics" implicit in ASFA. {The so-called Adoption and Safe Families Act] See: http://www.casanet.o...A major change … [Read more...]
DSS, the Teen Drop Out rate and news from Hampden County
Take a look:"From 2003 through the present date, many thousands of children in Hampden County are excessively truant from school without excuse and are clearly being subjected to educational neglect and abuse," Clauson stated. The … [Read more...]