00:00:00 | >> ALMOST EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO, I HELD OUR FIRST CHILD SAFETY |
00:00:07 | SUMMIT IN CINCINNATI. SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE hELD |
00:00:11 | EIGHT OF THESE SUMMITS. THEY WERE STARTED BECAUSE OF |
00:00:18 | TRAGEDIES THAT OCCURRED IN THE STATE OF OHIO WHERE WE HAD YOUNG |
00:00:24 | PEOPLE BEING KILLED WHO HAD BN IN FOSTER CARE. |
00:00:28 | SOMETIMES THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY AND PUT |
00:00:31 | BACK WITH A FAMILY AND KILLED. THAT PROMPTED ME TO RENEW MY |
00:00:37 | INTEREST IN THIS AREA. THIS IS AN AREA I HAVE BEEN |
00:00:42 | INTERESTED IN FOR MANY YEARS. IT DATES BACK TO WHEN I WAS AN |
00:00:48 | ASSISTANT COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AND WALK INTO MY FIRST |
00:00:51 | DAY OF WORK. SOMEONE GAVE ME A FILE. |
00:00:59 | I WENT DOWN TO THE COURT HOUSE ANDçó STARTED REPRESENTING |
00:01:05 | CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND CHILD ABUSE CASES. |
00:01:06 | WHAT I SAW AS AN ASSISTANT COUNTY PROSECUTOR AND COUNTY |
00:01:12 | PROSECUTOR HAS STAYED WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. |
00:01:13 | THAT IS THINGS THAT I SAW THAI COULD NOT |
00:01:21 | I THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT BELIEVE AS FAR AS THE ABUSE OF |
00:01:25 | CHILDREN. I HAVE CARRIED THAT INTEREST |
00:01:30 | WITH ME. WHEN I WAS IN THE UNITED STATES |
00:01:32 | SENATE, I HELPED TO WRITE A MAJOR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. |
00:01:41 | ONE OF MY FOCUSES WAS ON MAKING SURE IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT |
00:01:51 | WHILE FAMILY REUNIFICATION IS IMPORTANT, THE SAFETY OF THE |
00:01:55 | CHILD SHOULD ALWAYS BE PARAMOUNT AND THE MOST IMPORTANT |
00:01:58 | THING. YmTHAT WAS WRITTEN INTO THE LA. |
00:02:00 | IF YOU GO INTO MY OFFICE TODAY, YOU WILL SEE A COPY OF THAT |
00:02:06 | BILL. I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT. |
00:02:09 | IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN FOR MANY YEARS. |
00:02:11 | WE HELD OUR CINCINNATI. |
00:02:14 | WE HAVE HELD SEVEN MORE SINCE THEN. |
00:02:19 | WE HAVE NOT ONLY FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE OF CHILD SAFETY. |
00:02:24 | WE HAVE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE OF PERMANENCY |
00:02:30 | TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM OF |
00:02:35 | CHILDREN IN LEGAL LIMBO WHO ARE IN FOSTERrCARE AND STAY IN |
00:02:42 | FOSTER CARE FOR MANY YEARS. THEY DO NOT HAVE WHAT EVERY |
00:02:47 | CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY DESERVES. THAT IS A PERMANENT, LOVING |
00:02:50 | HOME. WE LOOK AT THIS. |
00:02:53 | OUR FORMULA WAS TO HAVE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE ON THE PANEL. |
00:03:03 | WE WOULD BRING IN EXPERTS. IT MIGHT BE THE JUVENILE JUDGE. |
00:03:08 | IT MIGHT BE A VOLUNTEER THE HEAD OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES. |
00:03:15 | SOMETIMES A FOSTER PARENT. THE MOST GRIPPING PART OF WHAT |
00:03:22 | WE HEARD CAME FROM THE PEOPLE WHO JUST SHOWED UP. |
00:03:24 | THE PUBLIC.OPEN MEETINGS, THE MOST TELLING COMMENTS CAME |
00:03:32 | FROM THE FOSTER PARENTS AND FROM PEOPLE3W WHO HAD BEEN FOSTER |
00:03:40 | CHILDREN BEFORE. WE HAVE TAKEN THESE COMMEND |
00:03:49 | RECOMMENDATIONS AND PUT THEM IN THIS DOCUMENT YOU HAVE IN FRONT |
00:03:52 | OF YOU TODAY. THE HEARINGS. |
00:03:59 | IT IS NOT A TRANSCRIPT CONTAINED HERE. |
00:04:04 | BUT COMPLAINT OR ARTICULATION OF THE |
00:04:11 | PROBLEMxD IN HERE WAS SOMETHINGE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN. |
00:04:18 | THERE'S GOT TO BE A PATTERN OF WHAT WE WERE HEARING. |
00:04:24 | TODAY WE GO TO THE NEXT STEP. I HAVE CONVENED A TASK FORCE. |
00:04:32 | SOME OF THE MEMBERSñr BEHIND ME WILLrSTART THEIR FIRST SESSION. |
00:04:40 | I HAVE ASKED THEM WITHIN 90 IF POSSIBLE TO COME BACK WITH |
00:04:48 | VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE STATE OF |
00:04:53 | OHIO. THESE MAYHt BE LEGISLATED. |
00:04:55 | THEY MAY NOT BE. THEY MAY BE OTHER TYPES OF |
00:04:58 | RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY ARE NOTçóKo CONFINED TO WE |
00:05:02 | FOUND IN THESE EIGHT HEARINGS OR LISTENING SESSIONS. |
00:05:08 | THEY CAN TAKE THESE AND DO WITH THEM WHATEVER THEY WANT. |
00:05:12 | THIS IS A PANEL I AM VERY PROUD OF. |
00:05:15 | WE WILL HAVE POSTED THE NAMES AND TITLES OF |
00:05:21 | EVERYONE ON THE PANEL. NOT ALL OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY. |
00:05:26 | THEY ARE PEOPLE WITH VERY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND MAYBE |
00:05:33 | DIFFERENT ATTITUDES. BUT THEY ALL SHARE ONE ATTITUDE. |
00:05:35 | THEY CARE ABOUT KIDS. THEY CARE ABOUT CHILDREN IN |
00:05:39 | FOSTER CARE. I AM PROUD OF THEM HAVE AGREED |
00:05:43 | TO DO THIS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND |
00:05:46 | SOME TIME. IT WILL NOT BE AN EASY TASK. |
00:05:48 | THIS IS NOT AN EASY AREA. LET ME GO THROUGH SOME OF THE |
00:05:58 | THINGS THAT CAME OUT FROMxD OUR CHILD SAFETY SUMMITS, SOME OF |
00:06:04 | THE ISSUES RAISED. WHAT WE HAVE INCLUDED ARE THINGS |
00:06:10 | WE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN. AFTER ABOUT A SECOND MEETING, |
00:06:16 | YOU COULD ALMOST WRITE THE SCRIPT ABOUT WHAT ISSUES WERE |
00:06:21 | GOING TO COME OUT. THEY WEREr CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT |
00:06:24 | THE STATE OF OHIO. WERE. |
00:06:29 | THE SAME ISSUES COMING UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN. |
00:06:32 | LET ME TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THEM RIGHT NOW. |
00:06:36 | THE FIRST IS FOSTER PARENT PARTICIPATION. |
00:06:43 | THERE IS A COMPLAINT FROM FOSR PARENTS THAT THEY ARE NOT ASKED |
00:06:50 | MANY TIMES SOLUTION. |
00:06:54 | THERE'S ADVICE IS NOT BEING THEY ARe |
00:07:00 | KIDS EVERY DAY. THEY LOVE THESEfá KIDS. |
00:07:03 | WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER THE CHILD |
00:07:11 | SHOULD GO BACK WITH THE NATIONAL. |
00:07:13 | -- NATURAL PARENTS, THESE PARENTS FEEL THEY ARE NOT |
00:07:19 | CONSULTED AND CANNOT PARTICIPATE. |
00:07:21 | THEY FEEL THEY ARE THE ONESc GOING |
00:07:27 | SECONDLY, FOSTER CHILDREN WHO HAVE |
00:07:41 | THAT THEY ARE MANY TIMES NOT CONSULTED THROUGHOUT THE |
00:07:45 | PROCESS. THEY ARE THE ONES WHOSE LIFE |
00:07:50 | AT ISSUE. MANY TIMES, THEY ARE NOT |
00:07:53 | CONSULTED. THE THIRD ISSUE IS THE ISSUE OF |
00:07:59 | GUARDIAN APPOINTED AS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHILD IN |
00:08:06 | THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO AE SUPPOSED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE |
00:08:10 | CHILD AND HAVE THE3W BEST INTET OF THE CHILD. |
00:08:12 | THEY ARE TO DO THE WORK TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND PRESENT THAT |
00:08:18 | TO THE COURT. A COMMON COMPLAINT THROUGHOUT |
00:08:22 | THE STATE THAT WHILE SOME ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, MANY ARE NOT. |
00:08:26 | THEY ARE NOT PUTTING THE TIME IN. |
00:08:30 | THEY ARE NOT PREPARED. THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS |
00:08:33 | GOING ON WITH THAT CHILD. THE FOURTH ISSUE THAT CAME UP |
00:08:36 | WAS THE LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN THE STATE OF OHIO WITH CASA |
00:08:48 | VOLUNTEERS. THESE ARE ADVOCATES FOR THE |
00:08:49 | CHILDREN. THEY'RE GENERALLY NOT LAWYERS. |
00:08:55 | THE CONSENSUS FROM OUR MEETINGS WAS THATrtQIS IS A VERY |
00:09:00 | EFFECTIVE WAY TO REPRESENT THE CHILD. |
00:09:02 | THE VOLUNTEERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF S7THE DECISIONMAKING |
00:09:11 | PROCESS WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE OF THE CHILD. |
00:09:13 | THE PROBLEM EXPRESSED IS THAT MANY COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF |
00:09:17 | OHIO DO NOT HAVE THIS PROGRAM. THAT WAS AN ISSUE. |
00:09:20 | NUMBER FIVE, FOSTER CHILDREN UNIFORMLY EXPRESSEDc CONCERN, |
00:09:31 | AS DID FOSTER PARENTS DURING VOCALLY, THAT |
00:09:38 | MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE THE CHILD TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE. |
00:09:40 | THAT COMES FROM THE FACT IN CASES THEY CANNOT SLEEP OVER AT |
00:09:49 | THEY CANNOT GO TO A MOVIE. THEY CANNOT DO ALL OF THE |
00:09:53 | THINGS THAT CHILDREN NORMALLY EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO DO. |
00:10:01 | REGULATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE FT THEY ARE FOSTER CHILD. |
00:10:04 | THEY ARE DIFFERENT. THAT IS A PROBLEM. |
00:10:07 | IT WAS UNIFORMLY3W EXPRESS, THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A MENTOR |
00:10:15 | FOR EACH FOSTER CHILDS A MR BEYOND ALL THE OTHER CATEGORIES |
00:10:22 | WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. SOMEONE THE CHILD CAN RELY ON,ñr |
00:10:27 | SOMEONE WHO WILL SERVE AS A PARENT FOR THE CHILD, IN THE |
00:10:31 | SENSE OF BEING A MENTOR, A PERSON TO GUIDE THEM, A PERSON |
00:10:37 | TO BOUNCE THINGS OFF OF AS WE ALL DO WITH OUR KIDS. |
00:10:42 | THE NEXT ISSUE WAS THE ISSUEF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN TO AGE OF |
00:10:47 | A FOSTER CARE. I DO NOT LIKE THAT TERM BUT DO |
00:10:54 | NOT KNOW IF I KNOW A BETTER ONE. THESE ARE CHILDREN THAT WHEN |
00:10:58 | BUSH IN FOSTER CARE FOR YEARS. LOVING HOME.T HAVE A PERMANENT, |
00:11:02 | THEY CANNOT BE ADOPTED FOR WHATEVER REASON. |
00:11:05 | MANY TIMES THE REASON THEY CANNOT BE ADOPTED IS BECAUSE THE |
00:11:10 | COURT HAS NOT SEVERED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL |
00:11:13 | WHO DID NATURAL PARENTS COURT HAS NOT SEVERED THE |
00:11:18 | RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL PARENTS. |
00:11:21 | THEY TURN 18 AND STILL IN FOSTER CARE. |
00:11:23 | THE CHALLENGES THESE CHILDREN FACE IS IMMENSE. |
00:11:29 | SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT HAVE A HOME. |
00:11:32 | SOMETIMES THEY ARE HOMELESS. IN MOST CASES, THEY DO NOT HAVE |
00:11:38 | ANYBODY CLOSE TO THEM TO BE MENTORED. |
00:11:40 | THEY DO NOT HAVE WHAT ALMOST EVERY OTHER CHILD HAS, MAYBE |
00:11:48 | NOT SOMEONE TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THEM, BUT AT LEASTÑi6z |
00:11:53 | SOMEONE TO THEM. |
00:11:55 | AT LEAST SOMEONE TO BE OF HELP TO THEM AND HELP TO GUIDE THEM |
00:12:02 | IN A DIFFICULT TIME FOR MOST OF US, AT THE AGE OF 18. |
00:12:05 | ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT THIS GROUP TO LOOK WHAT BETTER |
00:12:14 | SERVICES WE CAN PROVIDEÑi EITHER IN THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR. |
00:12:18 | cWE WANT TO PROVIDE THIS FOR THESE C0I |
00:12:25 | OUT OF FOSTER CARE. THE NEXT IS PERMANENT PLANT |
00:12:30 | LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. THE SHORTHAND IS IN MY OPINION |
00:12:37 | AND WHAT WAS EXPRESSED TIME AND TIME AGAIN WAS THIS WAS A PLAn |
00:12:42 | WHEREN CHILDREN HAVE A STATUS THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR |
00:12:49 | THEM TO BE ADOPTED. IT ALMOST ENSURES THEY'RE GOING |
00:12:53 | TO CONTINUE TO BE IN FOSTER CARE WITHOUT ANY OTHER |
00:12:58 | ALTERNATIVE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUEs |
00:13:04 | THAT HAVE COME UP. THIS GROUP IS NOT CONFINED TO |
00:13:10 | THESE ISSUES. THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT |
00:13:13 | TO WITH THESE ISSUES. GOING TO PROVIDE STAFFING |
00:13:19 | FOR THIS GROUP. LET ME INTRODUCEc |
00:13:26 | AN ATTORNEY IN MY OFFICE. WHAT IS YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE? |
00:13:32 | DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S INITIATIVES. |
00:13:35 | SHE DOES IT VERY WELL. SHE HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. |
00:13:42 | SHE WAS IN FOSTER CARE HERSELF. SHE HAS BROUGHT A PASSION AND |
00:13:51 | EXPERIENCE LEVEL AND EXPERTISE WHICH HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL AS |
00:13:56 | HAVE GONE ABOUT OUR BUSINESS FOR THE LAST YEAR. |
00:13:58 | SHE WILL BE STAFFING THIS GROUP. WE ARE AVAILABLE TO THIS GROUP |
00:14:04 | TO DO RESEARCH, WHATEVER THEY WANT US TO DO. |
00:14:06 | LET ME INTRODUCE DAUNTEA SLEDGE, A FORMER FOSTER YOUTH WHO IS NOW |
00:14:18 | AN ADVOCATE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN. HE IS CURRENTLY A STUDENT AT |
00:14:21 | COLUMBUS STATE. HE WILL SPEAK ABOUT HIS |
00:14:26 | AGE AND OUT OF THE SYSTEM WITHOUT A PERMANENT HOME. |
00:14:27 | >> HOW IS EVERYONE DOING? ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT |
00:14:37 | IS IN FOSTER CARE, THERE WERE TWO POINTS IN MY LIFE THAT WERE |
00:14:43 | THE HARDEST. THAT IS ONE NIGHT |
00:14:49 | WHEN I ENTERED ADN EXITED CARE. WHEN I ENTERED CARE, I REMEMBER |
00:15:03 | COMING INTO THE HOUSE AND MEETING EVERYBODY. |
00:15:05 | I SPOILED EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. |
00:15:08 | WHEN IT CAME TIME TO -- I SMILED EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT KNOW WHAT |
00:15:13 | TO EXPECT. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GO TO BED, |
00:15:15 | I HAD THIS OVERWHELMING FEAR. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT EACH DAY |
00:15:19 | WOULD BRING. IT WAS KIND OF THE SAME THING |
00:15:21 | WHEN I EMANCIPATED FROM FOSTER CARE. |
00:15:23 | I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. I DID NOT KNOW WHO WAS GOING TO |
00:15:29 | BE IN MY CORNER OR HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD GIVE ME |
00:15:34 | IT WAS THE END OF THEIR JOB. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THE BIGGEST |
00:15:38 | THING SINCE I HAVE BEEN OUT OF CARE IS HAVING A MENTOR. |
00:15:44 | PEOPLE HAVE COME INTO MY LIFE. LIKE HE SAID, IT DOES NOT HAVE |
00:15:48 | TO BE FINANCIAL. IT CAN BE ADVICE ON THINGS YOU |
00:15:51 | ARE GOING IT CAN BE ADVICE ON SCHOOL, |
00:16:01 | RELATIONSHIPS. SOMETIMES THE ONLY RELATIONSHIPS |
00:16:05 | THAT ARE THERE ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL. |
00:16:07 | WHAT YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO IS NOT HOW YOU HAVE TO RECIPROCATE |
00:16:10 | THOSE FEELINGS TO OTHER PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIPS. |
00:16:12 | DEFINITELY COME UPON -- DEFINITELY, WHAT I EMANCIPATED |
00:16:21 | CARE, I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THE MAN TO BEAT YOUTH. |
00:16:23 | WHEN I EXITED FOSTER CARE, I WAS ALMOST 100 TURNED -- |
00:16:29 | 110% SURE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE KEPT ME AFTER FOR FOSTER CARE. |
00:16:35 | WHEN SHE DID NOT, I DID NOT SAY WHY IS THAT? |
00:16:38 | YmIT WAS LIKE, WHAT EVER, ONCE AGAIN. |
00:16:42 | WHAT WERE MY NEXT STEPS? HOW WAS I GOING TO DO IT? |
00:16:48 | BECAUSE I WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO COLLEGE AND I WANTED TO GET |
00:16:51 | MY OWN PLACE AND WORK AND PROVIDE FOR MYSELF. |
00:16:54 | I ENDED UP MOVING BACK WITH MY MOTHER. |
00:17:00 | I DID NOT NECESSARILY WANT TOO THAT, BUT WHERE ELSE COULD I GO? |
00:17:04 | SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I GOT MY OWN PLACE. |
00:17:09 | THIS IS THE FUNNY THING BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT ONCE A |
00:17:14 | KID IS EMANCIPATED FROM HERE AND THEY HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE AND |
00:17:17 | THEY GET A JOB THAT EVERYTHING IS OK. |
00:17:20 | THE SYSTEM DID THEIR JOB. AND A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY |
00:17:22 | FALLS ON THE KIDS AT TIMES, BUT THE BIGGEST THING WAS ABOUT FOUR |
00:17:26 | OR FIVE YEARS AFTER I WAS EMANCIPATED. |
00:17:29 | I DID END UP HOMELESS. I WAS STILL WORKING, BUT I WAS |
00:17:34 | HOMELESS. WE ALL KNOW THE DIFFERENCE |
00:17:42 | STIGMAS THAT FOSTER KIDS HAVE TO FIGHT THROUGH. |
00:17:44 | THEY OFTEN THINK THAT THIS KID DID SOMETHING WRONG, OR IS STILL |
00:17:50 | DOING THINGS WRONG, OR THEY DON'T HAVE A JOB OR THEY ARE NOT |
00:17:52 | GOING TO SCHOOL OR THEY ARE NOT BEEN PRODUCTIVE. |
00:17:55 | THAT IS NOT THE CASE. MANY OF THE KIDS AREMY |
00:18:00 | AND STILL WORKING AND JUST DO NOT HAVE PLACES TO GO. |
00:18:01 | EVERYTHING THAT THE OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS |
00:18:06 | DOING WITH THE SYMPOSIUMS AND WITH THE BOARD, I AM NOT OFTEN |
00:18:12 | NERVOUS WHEN I SPEAK, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE BEHIND YOU THAT I |
00:18:15 | KNOW. [LAUGHTER] |
00:18:16 | I AM TRYING TO KEEP IT TOGETHER. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME GOOD |
00:18:21 | PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THAT WILL MAKE ALL THE RIGHT DECISIONS. |
00:18:24 | IT CAN'T GET NO BETTER THAN THIS. |
00:18:30 | OUR YOUTH ADVISORY, WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT |
00:18:35 | YOWLER DOING HERE. THERE IS NOT ANYTHING BAD -- |
00:18:38 | THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE. THERE'S NOT ANYTHING BAD SAID. |
00:18:42 | AS FAR AS FOSTER YOUTH AND ALUMNI WANTING TO BE ADOPTED |
00:18:48 | COMPONENT KEEP DOING -- TO BE ADOPTED, JUST KEEP DOING |
00:18:54 | WHAT YOU ARE DOING. KEEP AT IT. |
00:18:57 | [APPLAUSE] >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE |
00:19:06 | GOING TO DO -- DAUTEA SLEDGE, THANK YOU VERY |
00:19:12 | MUCH FOR YOUR COMPELLING COMMENT. |
00:19:15 | ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HAVE PEOPLE |
00:19:18 | TODAUNTEA -- PEOPLE LIKE DAUNTEA AVAILABLE |
00:19:28 | FOR COMMENTS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS. |
00:19:32 | LET ME OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. >> WHAT KICKED THIS OFT WAS |
00:19:39 | SAFETY. ONE OF THE GROUP -- |
00:19:46 | WHAT DID THE GROUP FIND THAT EMERGED ON THIS TOPIC? |
00:19:49 | >> ON ANY GIVEN DAY, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 12,000 KIDS IN |
00:19:58 | FOSTER CARE. SOMETIMES WE HAVE 24,000 KIDS IN |
00:20:02 | FOSTER CARE. IF THE SNAPSHOT IS 12,000, THEN |
00:20:06 | WHAT THAT MEANS IS MANY MORE THAN THAT WILL BE IN FOSTER CARE |
00:20:10 | DURING A 12 MONTH TIMEFRAME. BUT THE SNAPSHOT WILL BE 12,000. |
00:20:15 | REAL, TO ME, THE MOST FASCINATING AND FRIGHTENING |
00:20:24 | THING WAS THIS. AS WE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE |
00:20:31 | HAD USUALLY ON THE PANEL PEOPLE WHO WORK, WHAT I WOULD CALL THE |
00:20:37 | ESTABLISHMENT. PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING HARD. |
00:20:39 | THOSE WORKING WITH CHILDREN SERVICES OR AÑi JUVENILE CUP -- |
00:20:46 | JUVENILE COURT JUDGE. OUT IN THE |
00:20:49 | PEOPLE WHO JUST SHOWED UP. AND MANY TIMES THEY WERE FOSTER |
00:20:52 | PARENTS. SOME OF THE DIALOGUE WAS |
00:20:57 | FASCINATING. THERE IS -- |
00:20:58 | IT IS CLEAR THERE IS A GREAT CHASM BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE |
00:21:01 | WORKING IN THE SYSTEM, BETWEEN HOW THEY LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND |
00:21:07 | HOW IS WORKING, WHICH IS BASICALLY, HEY, IT IS TOUGH. |
00:21:11 | WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB BY AND LARGE. |
00:21:14 | WE KNOW THEIR PROBLEMS. THAT COMPARED TO THE FOSTER |
00:21:20 | PARENTS THAT SHOWED UP, AND SOME FORMER FOSTER CHILDREN WHO |
00:21:25 | SHOWED UP, WHO WOULD TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CASES WHERE WE HAD |
00:21:36 | ONE FOSTER MOTHER WHO STOOD UP AND SHE SAID, I HAVE CARED FOR |
00:21:40 | 15 FOSTER KIDS. I LOVED THEM ALL. |
00:21:42 | LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT SOME OF THEM. |
00:21:43 | SHE WOULD TALK ABOUT HAVING A CHILD FROM THE TIME IT WAS SIX |
00:21:48 | DAYS OLD AND SHE RAISED THE CHILD. |
00:21:50 | SHE WAS THE ONLY CHILD THE MARKET -- |
00:21:54 | THAT IT KNEW AS ITS MOTHER UNTIL THE CHILD WAS 4. |
00:21:59 | SUDDENLY, SOMEONE THOUGHT THE CRACK ADDICTED MOTHER WAS FIXED |
00:22:05 | AND TOOK THE CHILD. SHE HAD WANTED TO ADOPT THE |
00:22:08 | CHILD. AND SOME STORIES WHERE THE CHILD |
00:22:11 | WAS PUT BACK WITH THE FATHER OR THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD ENDS UP |
00:22:15 | BEING KILLED. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SAFETY, |
00:22:20 | THERE IS CLEARLY A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEWxD. |
00:22:28 | MANY PEOPLE ON THE PANEL, BUT NOT ALL, BUT THERE WAS A GENERAL |
00:22:33 | CONSENSUS THAT WAS SIMPLY THIS. I THINK WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE |
00:22:36 | KIDS. I THINK TOO OFTEN, WE ARE |
00:22:42 | TREATING KIDS LIKE PROPERTY. AND WE ARE NOT CONCERNED AS MUCH |
00:22:52 | AS WE SHOULD BE ABOUT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD. |
00:22:55 | AT SOME POINT, THESE KIDS HAVE THE RIGHT TO GROW UP WITH WHAT |
00:23:02 | EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE, SOME SOME LOVE IN THEIR LIFE WITH A |
00:23:11 | MOM OR DAD WHO IS GOING TO CARE FOR THEM. |
00:23:13 | AND THEY KNOW THAT GOING TO BE. |
00:23:19 | WHAT WE HAVE TOO OFTE TO LANGUAGE IN -- |
00:23:23 | WHO LANGUISH IN FOSTER AND THEIR NATURAL HOME |
00:23:32 | TIME NEED TO SAY TO THE CRACk |
00:23:45 | ADDICTED MOM OR TO THE FATHER WHO CANNOT CONTROL WHOANGER, |
00:23:46 | HEY, WE WILL -- CONTROL HIS A6G |
00:23:49 | FOR THE CRACK- |
00:23:53 | ADDICTEDTHIS LITTLE KID YOU TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. |
00:24:06 | WE CANNOT DESTROY THIS CHILD'S LIFE WAITING FOR YOU TO GET THE |
00:24:07 | TREATMENT YOU NEED, OR WAITING FOR YOU TO DEAL WITH YOUR A |
00:24:09 | AT SOME POINT, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY THAT. |
00:24:13 | w3YmAND THEN THESE KIDS ARE THE VICTIMS. |
00:24:18 | AND THEN THEY END UP WHILE WE WAIT FOR THESE SO-CALLED |
00:24:26 | PARENTS -- THEIR PARENTS BIOLOGICALLY, BUT |
00:24:30 | WE WAIT FOR THEM TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER. |
00:24:33 | AND THEN WE HAVE A CHILD WHO IS 18 WHO HAS NEVER HAD KID CANNOT |
00:24:39 | PERMANENT HOME WHO HAS AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND BEEN DENIED |
00:24:41 | THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ADOPTED. THESE KIDS NEED TO BE ADOPTED. |
00:24:45 | THAT WAS THE CONSENSUS WITH A LOT OF THEM. |
00:24:49 | IT IS NOT EVERYBODY, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY WHAT I BELIEVE AND |
00:24:55 | WHAT MANY WERE THEREi] DID BELIEVE. |
00:24:58 | >> [INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU SAYING THAT CHILD CARE |
00:25:06 | AGENCIES, OR WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE, AREñr NOT OBEYING THE |
00:25:12 | TRUST OF THE FEDERAL LAW THAT SAYS THE KID COMES FIRST, NOT |
00:25:15 | UNIFICATION OF THE FAMILY? >> WELL, WHAT THE LAW SAYS -- |
00:25:20 | AND THE LAW THAT I WROTE, ANDO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE |
00:25:30 | BILL AND I REMEMBER THIS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT, I |
00:25:33 | INTRODUCED THIS BILL BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE |
00:25:36 | IN SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. I KEPT COMPLAINING. |
00:25:42 | THE THIS WAS WHEN I WAS IN THE U.S. SENATE. |
00:25:44 | I WAS SAYING, WHY ARE THESE KIDS BEING PUT BACK INTO ABUSIVE |
00:25:48 | HOMES? AND THE ANSWER I GOT WAS, WELL, |
00:25:51 | THAT IS THE FEDERAL LAW. I SAID, THAT CANNOT BE. |
00:25:54 | I LOOKED IT UP AND WE STARTED TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. |
00:25:57 | BEFORE EVER WENT TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY BE |
00:26:04 | BACK BEFORE 1980, CONGRESS PASSED A LAW FOR FAMILY |
00:26:09 | UNIFICATION. IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, IT'S THAT, |
00:26:12 | WHEN SOCIETY TAKES A CHILD AWAY FROM ITS PARENT, THEN YOU HAVE |
00:26:16 | TO MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO REUNITE THAT CHILD WITH HIS OR |
00:26:20 | HER FAMILY. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. |
00:26:23 | BUT I FELT AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS BEING MISUNDERSTOOD AND |
00:26:28 | REASONABLE EFFORTS WERE BECOMING UNREASONABLE. |
00:26:30 | AND WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT ARE CRAZY AND MADE NO SENSE. |
00:26:34 | AND WE WERE PUTTING KIDS BACK INTO DANGEROUS HOMES. |
00:26:39 | I WROTE THE LAW. I HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN |
00:26:41 | WASHINGTON IN MY OFFICE AND SAID WE WOULD CHANGE THAT. |
00:26:44 | THE SAFETY OF THE CHILD MUST BE PARAMOUNT. |
00:26:47 | AND THE NEXT DAY IN PAPERS ACROSS THE STATE, I WAS |
00:26:52 | VILIFIED BY PEOPLE IN SOCIAL REUNIFICATION. |
00:26:59 | I WAS NOT. I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO BRING |
00:27:03 | SANITY TO IT. WE PASSED OUR LAW, SIGNED INTO |
00:27:06 | LAW BY PRESIDENT CLINTON. IT SAID THAT SAFETY OF THE CHILD |
00:27:10 | -- FAMILY REUNIFICATION, WE STILL |
00:27:12 | KEPT THAT, BUT THE SAFETY OF THE CHILD WOULD HAVE TO BE |
00:27:17 | PARAMOUNT. THAT IS IN A LOT TODAY. |
00:27:19 | THE ANSWER IS, YES, BILL, IMPORTANT THING, AND THAT IS,OST |
00:27:24 | THE CHILD. -- |
00:27:29 | AND THAT IS THE CHILD. BUT IT IS NOT JUST THE QUESTION |
00:27:32 | OF THE SAFETY OF THE CHILD PHYSICALLY. |
00:27:35 | SOMETIMES IT IS EMOTIONAL. SOMETIMES IT IS OTHER THINGS AS |
00:27:38 | WELL. i]WE HAVE TO FOCUS MORE ON THE |
00:27:41 | CHILDREN, OR TOGETHER THE WHEN YOU HAVE PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN |
00:27:44 | ABUSIVE -- PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE |
00:27:49 | PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSIVE AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU |
00:27:51 | WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE KIDS. |
00:27:54 | -- THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO |
00:27:56 | TAKE CARE OF THESE KIDS. I THINK WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS, |
00:27:59 | BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. >> [INAUDIBLE] |
00:28:01 | >> I WILL LEAVE THAT UP TO THEM. I THINK PART OF THIS IS |
00:28:07 | CULTURAL. >> [INAUDIBLE] |
00:28:10 | >> LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE |
00:28:38 | OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE |
00:28:41 | MEMBERS. WE STILL HAVE LIMITATIONS OUT TO |
00:28:45 | SOME PEOPLE AND WE ARE NOT DONE. THIS IS NOT |
00:28:50 | I DON'T KNOW IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BILL. |
00:28:55 | I'M SORRY. YOU JUST SAY, HEY, |
00:29:01 | FOLKS, BE A FeDERAL MANDATE? >> I DON'T THINK IT IS THAT |
00:29:05 | SIMPLE. BECAUSE I BELIEVE |
00:29:15 | SYSTEM ARE GOOD PEOPLE. THEY ARE TRYING. |
00:29:17 | THEY FACE A VERY3W DIFFICULT CHOICES. |
00:29:21 | AND WE SHOULD NOT MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION TO A CHILD WHEN THAT |
00:29:28 | CHILD IS TAKEN AWAY FROM HIS NATURAL PARENTS. |
00:29:30 | AND EVEN CHILDREN WHO ARE IN TOUGH SITUATIONSMY, GENERALLY M |
00:29:37 | TOLD, DO NOT WANT TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS. |
00:29:41 | WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE DO IT AND WE DO NOT WANT TO |
00:29:45 | OVERGENERALIZE. WHAT I DO BELIEVErISU IT IS A |
00:29:52 | CULTURAL PROBLEM -- AND I SAY CULTURAL, NOT |
00:30:00 | IT IS A CULTURAL PROBLEM WE WE ARE NOT FOCUSED ENOUGH ON |
00:30:07 | THESE KIDS. POINT WAS THE EVIDENCE IS IN, -- |
00:30:16 | ONCE THE EVIDENCE IS IN, TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND SEVER THE |
00:30:17 | RELATIONSHIP. IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF |
00:30:20 | TAKING THE CHILD OUT OF THE HOME. |
00:30:22 | SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO TRYING TO DO THAt. |
00:30:25 | THE REAL TO TAKE TO DEMONSTRATED TIME |
00:30:36 | THEY CANNOT TAKE CARE Of THIS THEY WILL BE ABUSIVE TO THIS |
00:30:39 | WE DO NOT HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. |
00:30:44 | WE DO NOT HAVE THE GUMPTION TO SAY, WE ARE SEVERINGxDt( THAT |
00:30:51 | RELATIONSHIP PERMANENTLY. EVERYONE CHOKES ON THAT, AND I |
00:30:53 | UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DO, BUT AT SOME POINT |
00:31:06 | ABOUT THE KID. THAT IS ALL. |
00:31:07 | >> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> I WILL TRY TO REFLECT WHAT WE |
00:31:10 | HAVE LEARNED OVER THE EIGHT DIFFERENT SESSIONS. |
00:31:13 | UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DOT SOME,WE CERTAINLY HAVE GARDEN- |
00:31:52 | GUARDIANS WHO ARE APPOINTED BY THE COURT WHO DO A GOOD JOB. |
00:31:54 | BUT THE FEELING WAS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM OUT THERE. |
00:31:55 | -- OUT THERE WHO DO NOT DO A GOOD |
00:31:56 | JOB. MARY, WHAT WAS EXPRESSED WAS AS |
00:31:57 | A REASON -- AND WE DID NOT PUT THIS IN THE |
00:31:58 | REPORT. BUT WHAT WAS EXPRESSED AS A |
00:32:00 | REASON IS THEY ARE HIRED BY THE COURT, THEY CAN ONLY MAKE SO |
00:32:01 | MUCH MONEY, AND THEY'RE ONLY SO MANY HOURS THAT THEY CAN JUSTIFY |
00:32:03 | FROM A BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW THAT THEY CAN PUT INTO THE CASE. |
00:32:04 | UPON SPECULATION, THAT MAY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. |
00:32:05 | WE HAVE CARDAMOM -- GUARDIAN ITEMS. |
00:32:11 | WE HAVE CONSTANT VOLUNTEERS. AND WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF THE |
00:32:14 | TWO, RIGHT? WE CERTAINLYG |
00:32:19 | >> [INAUDIBLE] >> WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE |
00:32:25 | DESCRIBE THIS. MANY ARE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS, BUT |
00:32:32 | THERE WAS A CONSISTENT PLAINTSS -- |
00:32:36 | A CONSISTENT COMPLAINT ABOUT GUARDIANS NOT PUTTING IN A TIME. |
00:32:38 | THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE. IF YOU'RE A LAWYER, THAT IS WHAT |
00:32:44 | YOU'RE SELLING, YOUR TIME. YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT MUCH TIME |
00:32:48 | TO SPEND ON IT. THE OTHER THING THAT GOES WITH |
00:32:51 | THAT IS THE LACK OF COST OF PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. |
00:32:54 | HOW MANY COUNTIES DO NOT MANY CASes? |
00:32:59 | WE HAVE -- DO NOT HAVE CASA? |
00:33:04 | 36 DO NOT HAVE CASA. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO |
00:33:16 | LOOK AT. AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE |
00:33:18 | OF FUNDING AND WHERE WE ARE. IT PARTIC |
00:33:25 | TALK ABOUT COUNTY THAT DO NOT HAVE A CHILDREN'S SERVICES LEVY |
00:33:30 | BECAUSE THEN THEY ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON STATE MONEY. |
00:33:34 | THOSE THAT DO ALLOW A TIP -- ALLOW LEVY, KIDS AT ONE LEVEL TO |
00:33:37 | GET THAT LEVEL, BUT THEN ANOTHER COUNTY DOES NOT. |
00:33:43 | >> [INAUDIBLE] ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SLEEP OVER AT |
00:33:50 | SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE? >> WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE |
00:33:54 | ON? STAND RIGHT UP HERE, SO MR. |
00:33:58 | COHEN CAN GET YOU ON TAPE. >> THE PROCESS IS -- |
00:34:03 | LET'S SAY, FOR INSTANCE, IN FOSTER CARE. |
00:34:10 | SON, OR WHENEVER THE CASE MAY BE. |
00:34:15 | I MENTIONED TO MY FOSTER PARENTS, I WANT TO SPEND A NIGHT |
00:34:17 | AT TIMES. THEY WILL SAY, YOU KNOW THE |
00:34:18 | PROCESS. THEY HAVE TO GET A BACKGROUND |
00:34:19 | CHECK, FINGERPRINTS, -- >> AND A LIST OF ALTERNATIVE |
00:34:27 | CARE GIVERS. >> YOU MAY THINK, THAT IS TOO |
00:34:31 | MUCH. SOME OF ITS PARENT MAY SAY THAT |
00:34:36 | IS TOO MUCH. THEY WILL NOT EVEN GO THROUGH |
00:34:39 | THE PROCESS. >> [INAUDIBLE] |
00:34:40 | >> A COUPLE OF WEEKS, MAYBE. IF THEY'RE WILLING TO GO THROUGH |
00:34:46 | IT. >> SOME PEOPLE TAKE OFFENSE. |
00:34:48 | THEY THINK I CAN TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS. |
00:34:54 | I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. AND IF YOUR THAT FOSTER CHILD, |
00:34:58 | IT IS EMBARRASSING. NOW PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW YOUR |
00:35:01 | BUSINESS. MAYBE YOU DID NOT TELL TOM YOU |
00:35:03 | WERE IN FOSTER CARE OR WHAT. THOSE QUESTIONS MIGHT COME UP. |
00:35:07 | AND OTHER QUESTIONS AND YOU END UP HAVING TO SAY, MY MOTHER WAS |
00:35:15 | A DRUG ADDICT OR MY DAD WOULD BE ME AND THINGS LIKE THAT -- |
00:35:19 | WOULD BEAT ME AND THINGS LIKE THAT. |
00:35:24 | >> WHEN HE MENTIONS THAT MAYBE HE HAS NOT REVEALED THESE THINGS |
00:35:39 | TO HIS FRIEND, WHAT THIS PRACTICE DOES, AND IT VARIES |
00:35:41 | FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY AND THE AGENCY TO AGENCY, WHETHER HE CAN |
00:35:45 | EVEN RIDE WITH HIS FRIEND TO GO TO THE MALL FOR A COUPLE OF |
00:35:50 | HOURS. THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE |
00:35:53 | PERMITTED. THE CHILD HAS TO REVEAL MORE AND |
00:35:56 | MORE TO THIS PERSPECTIVE FRIEND'S FAMILY. |
00:35:59 | STIGMATIZES THE CHILD AS MAYBE BEING A DANGER OR FEARFUL. |
00:36:02 | THAT CAN BE TROUBLING FOR CHILDREN AS THE MESSAGE IS |
00:36:06 | SPREAD THROUGHOUT SCHOOL. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THEY ARE |
00:36:09 | DIFFERENT. THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT |
00:36:11 | THAT WE DO NOT ALWAYS ADDRESS. IT IS NOT ALWAYS JUST THE |
00:36:14 | WILLINGNESS OF THE FAMILY TO PARTICIPATE IN BACKGROUND |
00:36:17 | CHECKS. OR THE WILLINGNESS OF THE |
00:36:20 | AGENCIES TO ALLOW IT OR NOT. BUT WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE |
00:36:24 | CHILDREN WHEN WE SINGLE THEM OUT IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY? |
00:36:26 | >> [INAUDIBLE] [INDISCERNIBLE] |
00:36:35 | THE PARENT MAY SAY, WHAT DID THIS KID DO? |
00:36:53 | WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS? LIKE YOU SAID, THERE IS A |
00:36:58 | STIGMA. [INDISCERNIBLE] |
00:37:11 | >> WHO ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? |
00:37:17 | >> [INDISCERNIBLE] OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE? |
00:37:35 | >> KNOW, ULTIMATELY, THAT IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN. |
00:37:36 | THE COURTS LOOK AT WHAT CHILDREN'S SERVICES IS |
00:37:39 | RECOMMENDING. AND AND THEY MAKE THEIR |
00:37:40 | DECISION. IT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO IN ONE |
00:37:45 | COURT CASE LIKE THE EQUIVALENT TO THE DEATH PENALTY. |
00:37:51 | YOU ARE SEVERING TOTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PARENT. |
00:37:53 | YOU CANNOT ADOPT A CHILD UNTIL YOU HAVE TAKING CARE OF THAT |
00:37:59 | RELATIONSHIP. WHAT YOU HAVE IS CHILDREN WHO |
00:38:04 | ARE IN THIS NO-MAN'S LAND IN THE SENSE THAT THEY CANNOT GO BACK |
00:38:09 | TO THEIR PARENT, BUT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR |
00:38:13 | PARENT MAY BE, SOME TIME, BUT THEY CANNOT BE ADOPTED. |
00:38:15 | ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS DONE, WHICH I THINK IS VERY |
00:38:22 | POSITIVE -- MOST RECENTLY, THEY HAVE WORKED |
00:38:28 | WITH WENDY'S TO REALLY HAVE ADVOCATES TO TRY TO GET KIDS |
00:38:34 | ADOPTED AND TO PUT THEM INTO THESE DIFFERENT COUNTIES. |
00:38:37 | AND THAT WORKS, WHERE YOU HAVE ONE PERSON AT SITTING THERE |
00:38:43 | EVERY DAY THINKING ABOUT, I'VE GOT THESE KIDS AND THEY'RE ALL |
00:38:45 | ELIGIBLE FOR ADOPTION. BUT WHAT DOES NOT WORK IS WHEN |
00:38:49 | THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ADOPTION. |
00:38:50 | YOU CAN TRY TO GET THEM ADOPTED, BUT IF THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO |
00:38:55 | BE ADOPTED, THEY ARE NOT EVEN IN THAT POOL. |
00:38:58 | THAT IS THE PROBLEM. >> [INAUDIBLE] |
00:39:02 | A FEDERAL CHANGE TO AT LEAST TRY TO CHANGE THE THRUST OF THE |
00:39:08 | PRIORITIES? ARE THERE ANY STATISTICS THAT |
00:39:14 | SHOW THAT 20 YEARS AGO THERE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN KIDS IN |
00:39:18 | FOSTER HOMES AND NOW THERE ARE SOME OTHER SET OF NUMBERS? |
00:39:24 | >> DOES ANYONE HAVE STATISTICS ON THAT? |
00:39:27 | MELINDA WILL SEE IF SHE CAN DIG THOSE UP. |
00:39:31 | >> THERE ARE DEFINITELY STATISTICS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF |
00:39:36 | KIDS THAT HAVE GONE INTO FOSTER CARE AND EXPERIENCED THE TRAUMA |
00:39:40 | OF FOSTER CARE. OHIO WAS A NEW -- |
00:39:47 | WAS AN EARLY LEADER IN REDUCING THE DROPOUT IN THAT SCENARIO -- |
00:39:53 | THE TRAUMA IN THAT SCENARIO. TREATMENT HAS STABILIZED. |
00:39:56 | I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A SAFE REDUCTION. |
00:40:02 | IT IS NOT PERFECT. WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE |
00:40:08 | HORRIBLE TRAGEDIES, BUT I THINK WE HAVE WORKED TO TRY TO |
00:40:10 | MINIMIZE THE TRAUMA THAT KIDS HAVE. |
00:40:13 | WE HAVE HAD TO MANAGE OUR BUDGETS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME -- |
00:40:19 | >> DO YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF? >> I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
00:40:27 | OF THE CHILDREN'S PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION. |
00:40:32 | AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE HAVE REDUCED CARE, WE'VE HAD TO |
00:40:36 | STABILIZE THE NUMBERS OF REINFORCEMENTS IN MALTREATMENT. |
00:40:44 | WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING. [INAUDIBLE] |
00:40:49 | UTHE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVES US okA REPORT CARD EVERY FEW YEARS. |
00:41:02 | WE HAVE PERFORMED VERY WELL ON THE RATE OFok MALTREATMENT IN |
00:41:09 | FOSTER CARE. STRUGGLE WITH REPEAT |
00:41:13 | MALTREATMENT JUST IN GENERAL. MY IMPRESSION IS NOT |
00:41:24 | STATISTICS. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT WE'RE |
00:41:26 | DOING BETTER AS WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS. |
00:41:29 | I DO NOT THINK WE ARE DOING BETTER IN REGARD TO MOVING THE |
00:41:37 | KIDS OUT OF LEGAL LIMBO AND MAKING THEM ELIGIBLE FOR |
00:41:43 | ADOPTION. I DO NOT THINK WE ARE |
00:41:45 | GOOD JOB IN THAT AREA, OR AS GOOD AS WE COULD BE. |
00:41:49 | LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. ANYBODY ELSE? |
00:41:51 | ñrANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENT THEY NEED TO MAKE UP HERE? |
00:42:05 | I'M WITH CHILDREN SERVICES. THE LEGISLATION THAT THE |
00:42:15 | ATTORNEY GENERAL IS REFERRING TO WHEN HE WAS SENATOR IS CALLED |
00:42:18 | THE ADOPTION OF STATE FAMILIES ACT. |
00:42:20 | -- AND SAIF FAMILIES ACT. |
00:42:25 | THIS PARTICULAR BIT OF LEGISLATION HAS HAD AN ENORMOUS |
00:42:33 | IMPACT IN CHILD WELFARE IN THE U.S. AND THERE IS NOTHING |
00:42:37 | COMPARABLE TO IT. IT STANDS ON ITS OWN. |
00:42:41 | IT HAS HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON US ON SEVERAL LEVELS. |
00:42:45 | FIRST, IT DID CREATE THREE NEW MANDATES -- |
00:42:52 | SAFETY, PERMANENCY, AND THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN. |
00:42:55 | IT ALSO CREATED SO MANY OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS THAT WE ARE |
00:43:06 | CONSTANTLY LEARNING NEW THINGS ABOUT ALL OF THESE OUTCOMES AND |
00:43:09 | INDICATORS THAT APPLY TO US. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CONCERNS |
00:43:18 | THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAVE DISSIPATED. |
00:43:21 | THEY HAVE REALLY CAPTURED WHAT IS GOOD CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE. |
00:43:25 | AND THEY HAVE EYES FOCUSED ON THE SAME TRACK. |
00:43:27 | THE FACT IS, 20 YEARS AGO, YOU COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERY |
00:43:37 | COUNTY IN OHIO AND EVERY STATE IN THE NATION AND THAT EVERYBODY |
00:43:41 | WAS DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. TODAY, WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME |
00:43:45 | TRACK. THAT IS AN ENORMOUS |
00:43:46 | ACCOMPLISHMENT. THE OTHER THING THIS LEGISLATION |
00:43:52 | DID WAS TO PUT A FOCUS ON BEST INTEREST. |
00:43:55 | AND IT ALSO PUT LIMITS ON PARENTS AND FAMILIES. |
00:43:57 | IT HELPED TO CAPTURE FOR US THE BALANCE, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN |
00:44:04 | BEST INTEREST OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS RIGHTS. |
00:44:06 | THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL DILEMMA THAT EXISTS WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. |
00:44:11 | IT IS WHY OUR SYSTEM IS SO CONFOUNDED WITH DILEMMAS. |
00:44:20 | WE HAVE MANY MORE THAN THOSE, BUT EVERYTHING ARISES FROM THAT. |
00:44:24 | IS THERE A PERFECT SOLUTION? NO, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE |
00:44:30 | DECISIONS GET MADE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. |
00:44:33 | AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR RULES THAT APPLY TO MAKING THOSE |
00:44:38 | DECISIONS. THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. |
00:44:41 | BUT ESPECIALLY, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF THE HIGHLY |
00:44:45 | VULNERABLE YOUNGSTER WHO IS TOO YOUNG TO DISCLOSE ON THEIR OWN. |
00:44:48 | THE INFANT AND THE VERY YOUNG. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SO |
00:44:59 | VULNERABLE IN OUR SYSTEM. THAT IS AN AREA I WOULD TAKE A |
00:45:04 | GOOD, STRONG LOOK AT. BUT AGAIN, THERE IS MUCH TO BE |
00:45:08 | SAID FOR LOOKING AT THIS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS BECAUSE EVERY |
00:45:11 | FAMILY, EVERY CHILD, LIKE SNOWFLAKES ARE DIFFERENT FROM |
00:45:15 | EVERY OTHER ONE. |
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions