Oklahoma Has Worst Record for Child Abuse within Foster or Group Homes

VIEW MY JOURNALISM ON THIS WEBSITE:
veterans for common sense.org
THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN FOSTER / ADOPTIVE HOMES / CHILDREN & YOUTH / DHS / MILITARY SOLDIERS & VETERANS & THEIR DISABILITIES SUCH AS PTSD & DISEASES THEY HAVE FROM TOXIC CHEMICALS, THEY CONTRACTED DURING ACTIVE DUTY!!

THERE IS MUCH CORRUPTION HAPPENING WITH DHS EMPLOYEES.
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA IS “BEHIND ALMOST 5 YEARS, IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL / RETARDATION” & THIS IS “UNCONSTITUTIONAL, TO NEGLECT & ABUSE THE VICTIMS OF BIRTH DEFECTS / DISEASES”.

In the Media, recently, by newspapers, it states that: “25% of the people of the State of Oklahoma are Mentally Ill”
and that number of victims, is On-the-Rise, each day.

IT IS A FACT THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ARE RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, TO “TEACH THE CHILDREN OF OUR MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS”…so how come many of Our Children & Youth, of Today, DON’T WANT TO WORK OR HOLD A JOB??

IT IS A FACT, THAT MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF OUR MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS, ARE DIVORCED, & THE CHILDREN ARE BEING RAISED BY THE FEMALE PARENT…& it is a Fact, that Many of the Male Children, in these families, ARE SCHOOL-DROP-OUTS BY THE 7th to 9th Grades !
It is a Fact, that Many of the Children of Our American Military Soldiers / Veterans, HAVE BEEN AMONG THOSE, WHICH THE DHS HAS “GIVEN TO FOSTER / ADOPT FAMILIES”.
IT IS A FACT THAT:”MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS, DO…CONTRACT TOXIC CHEMICALS, WHICH ARE …TRANSMITTED INTO THEIR SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS, & CAUSE…ADVERSE REACTIONS TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM…LEADING TO MENTAL ILLNESS / RETARDATION, ETC.

I have two “half-sisters”, who went to Foster Adopt Homes, in 1964/65, adopted out then, ages, 9 and 5, & both were “sexually abused” by the foster parent…
the youngest girl, now of adult age, is / has been an Army Nurse, who spent several months in Iraq War, & came out with Severe PTSD…very emotionally disturbed, by that & the Past Abuses of her life.
My mother, “our mother”, was going thru some Emotional Family Crisis, when the DHS stepped in & “Failed to Provide Proper Services to My Mother”, who had “shouldered a lot of Her Own Family Burdens, when she was a child”.
Much of the Abuse & Reasons for Children (of any State in America) HAS PYSICAL & MENTAL CONNECTIONS TO “MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS” WHO SERVED IN WARS, OVER THE YEARS & “CONTRACTED TOXIC CHEMICALS, INTO THEIR BODY”, WHICH IS A “TRANSMITTABLE SUBSTANCE”, CAUSING “ADVERSE REACTIONS OF THE …CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM”.
I am One Such Victim of This too.
I am from a Long-Direct-Lineage of
Military Soldiers / Veterans & FROM THE RESEARCH OF MY FAMILY ANCESTORY / HISTORY, THIS IS A “REALITY”.
I have become an Advocate on Behalf / to
Our Military Soldiers / Veterans & their Families, especially for the Families of the Soldiers / Veterans, who have “Disabled / Developmentally Impaired / Mentally Ill” Descendants / Dependents.
There is a Connection Between “Coal & Military Soldiers / Veterans too”.
There is a Content in Coal, that will
“serve like a Magnet, to Bring Other Toxic Chemicals, into the Body”, & cause Mental Illness Behaviors & PTSD &
Diseases.
I DISCOVERED THE “MOST RAREST MEDICAL
CASE, ASSOCIATED WITH MILITARY SERVICE, OF THE OLDEST LIVING VETERANS (WWII), AND THE INFORMATION OF THIS MEDICAL CASE, IS WITH “U.S. CONGRESSMAN, SENATOR
JAMES INHOFE, IN WASHINGTON, D.C.”, WITH PHOTOS OF THIS VICTIM & ME & A
U.S. MARSHALL, WHO ACCOMPANIED ME, ON A VISIT TO THIS PERSON…HIS NAME IS “MARK LIVINGSTON”. HE IS MAKING HISTORY FOR AMERICA & FOR THE (FOLSOM)CHOCTAW INDIAN TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA & ALSO OF THE HERITAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF BLACK HERITAGE. (HE HAS ANCESTORS OF WHITE / INDIAN / BLACK HERITAGE).
Mark Livingston, is a “good example” of abuse to Developmental Persons.
The State of Arkansas (Education Dept.)
“refused to provide education to him, during his 7th or 8th grade of school”.
THIS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE (MIS)TREATED LIKE SOCIETY HAS DONE TO HIM.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS IN AMERICA, WHO HAVE “DISEASES / ILLNESSES / BIRTH DEFECTS” ASSOCIATED WITH “THE LIFE OF AN AMERICAN MILITARY SOLDIER / VETERAN” & “NO FOCUS HAS BEEN TOWARD THIS YET”.
IN THE MEDIA, RECENTLY IN OKLAHOMA, IT STATES, “25% OF THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA, ARE…MENTALLY ILL”.
AND I JUST DISCOVERED LAST WEEK, THAT:
“THE DHS / DDS, OFFICES, ARE …MORE THAN 4 1/2 YEARS…BEHIND…IN SERVICES TO THE DEVELOPMENTALLY IMPAIRED / RETARDATION, VICTIMS OF GENETICALLY-CONNECTED BIRTH DEFECTS / DISEASES, ETC.”
This is a Very Real Thing, that is happening to Our Society. “War is killing off Our American Citizens, a
Whole Generation at a time.”
View My Journalism on this Website:
veterans for common sense.org
I WRITE ABOUT HOW THE WAR & THE LIVES OF OUR SOLDIERS / VETERANS, HAVE EFFECTED THE “SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS” FROM THE MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS.
Our U.S. Congress People, HAVE IGNORED THIS, & OUR STATES, ARE “BEHIND IN PROVIDING SERVICES / BASIC NEEDS TO THE
INDIVIDUALS…WITH…SPECIAL NEEDS”.
I am Appalled at this Much Neglect / Abuse, by Our Leaders of Our States & by the Employees of DHS.
I am age 63, & have a Birth Brain Defect called Empty Sella Syndrome.
Hormonal Imbalance / Autism / Mental Illness Behaviors / Slow-Aging / much more ARE GENETIC TRAITS IN OUR FAMILIES.
MY GRANDPA SERVED IN WWI, & CONTRACTED SOME TYPE OF SUBSTANCE, THAT “TRANSMITTED INTO ALL OF HIS CHILDREN”…SOME DIED IN INFANCY, & ONLY 7 OUT OF 10 OR 12 LIVED. TWO HAD “OUTLAWISH WAYS”…
PERSONS WHO ARE LIKE THIS, ARE “AT HIGH-RISK, FOR …PARENT / CHILD SEPARATIONS,
INFECTIONS, MARITAL PROBLEMS, MISCARRIAGES, INFANT DEATHS, CONTRACTING DISEASES, MENTAL ILLNESS BEHAVIORS / EMOTIONAL & MENTAL INSTABILITY…
I am the Only Individual in the State of Oklahoma, with This Type of Birth Brain Defect, & I am / have been Training / educating Doctors & Nurses, about the Symptoms & Side Effects of “having ESS”.
Having this causes me to have some % of Autism, Slow-Aging (about 20+ years behind in age), Slow Circulation, Slow Digestion, Slow Maturity, Low Blood Pressure, Intolerant of Consuming Solid Meats, Intolerant to any Mi-nute Amount of Toxic Chemicals in Foods / Drinks,
Intolerant to many hundreds of types of Additives & Preservatives in foods & drinks, miscarriages (had 3 of them), infant deaths (had 2 of them), PREEMIE BABIES (HAD 4 OF THEM….WHO LIVED & 3 OF THEM HAVE BIRTH-DEFECTS…some of the same symptoms, & One of them has Tendancy to Have Severe Seizure Activity). (Central Nervous System, Malfunction).
THERE IS A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, BUT “NOTHING HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORTH, ABOUT THE HEALTH CONCERNS OF THE CHILDREN / SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS OF OUR MILITARY SOLDIERS / VETERANS, YET.”
I have a family, who I’m trying to Advocate for, where the Veteran tried to Poison his family & he committed suicide. This Family Needs a Legal Representative. There is two “living generations” of Individuals with Developmental Health Problems, and there is a “set of twin girls, 18 months old & one twin had physical health problems (her esophagus was detached from the body at the top & bottom)& a doctor finagled a way, to “give the baby to a Physician’s Assistant…or Used the PA, to get guardianship of the child & that PA “gave the baby away, to a couple, who 3 months later, got a divorce & that woman…then Gave the Baby Away…to another woman down the street”.
DHS was trying to take the baby away from the birth family, but never succeeded on their own…so a two physicians did it, for them.
I TELL YOU THIS, THERE IS A “HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER ESTABLISHED IN STIGLER, OKLAHOMA, that is “the biggest joke, happening in Oklahoma”.
I won’t go back there, ever! Yet they are the Best One Around Here, to “get the big Grant Monies”…such as More $750,000, at one time.
I know these people of Oklahoma, well enough to know, “they like to put dollars into their own pockets”, more than provide the help to better the lives of Our Oklahoma People of Poverty / Developmental, etc.
Someone needs to Highly Investigate this Health & Wellness Center of this area.
THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPT OF THE VA HOSPITAL IN DALLAS, TEXAS, WAS CLOSED, BECAUSE “OVER 1,000 VETERANS” COMMITTED SUICIDE FROM THERE, JUST IN ONE MONTH.
The Dept of Veterans Affairs is Being Investigated, from the Top Down.
I did Not Realize that Our Public Schools are Getting Much Dollars, to Educate the Children of Veterans, who send their children to Public Schools.
My daughter, age 33 is Developmental & DHS Refused to Provide Proper Services to her & her Daughter. DHS Illegally took my granddaughter & gave her to a male (an ex of my daughter), a male who IS NOT THE BIRTH FATHER, & who had Abandoned My Daughter, when she was Bedfast, with Active-Symptoms of Gonnorrhea. My granddaughter was born with Gonnorhea too…& DHS let her go out of state…to “put the other children in that home…At-Risk, to Contract the Disease. My granddaughter doesn’t know / realize the Impact This Disease is Going to Have on Her Life.
Even tho I have Court Papers of Full-Guardianship / Custody Visits, with My Granddaughter, DHS refused to allow me to have Possession of My Granddaughter..
at any time, since December 1995, to present time.
WHAT THEY DID IN THIS CASE IS ILLEGAL,
BIG TIME !! I just don’t know how to “fight it any longer”, to get the child back here, into the family.
THE DHS & A HOME HEALTH AGENCY, WANT ME TO “PUT MY GROWN DAUGHTER, OUT ON THE STREET…OR THEY WON’T PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ME, IN THE WAY OF A ..PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT…& I AM APPROVED BY THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, FOR LONG-TERM CARE OF HAVING A PCA, IN MY HOME…BUT THEY ARE REFUSING TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE & ALSO TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO MY DAUGHTER.
ONE THING THAT IS “REAL IN OKLAHOMA” IS THE FACT, THAT DHS WORKERS, ARE “CORRUPT”. IT IS A FACT, THAT IN CHOCTAW COUNTY, IN OKLAHOMA, DURING THE YEARS OF THE LATE 1980′S / EARLY TO MID 1990′S, A 35 YR OLD FEMALE DHS WORKER WAS A “DRUG DEALER” & MADE SURE THAT “IILEGAL DRUGS WERE AVAILABLE TO CLIENT (FAMILIES) OF DHS” & THE OTHER DEPT OF DHS WOULD / COULD THEN “STEP IN & TAKE THE CHILDREN. THAT WOMAN WAS NEVER CHARGED, WITH THIS CRIME, BUT SHE DID LOSE HER JOB.
THE VOLUNTEER DRIVERS (MEN) FOR DHS, WAS “SEXUALLY ABUSING / RAPING THE FEMALE CLIENTS OF DHS, AT A VULNERABLE TIME IN THEIR (THE FEMALES) LIVES. I WAS ONE OF THOSE VICTIMS. IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS TAKEN TO ER, BY A DHS DRIVER, & I WAS GIVEN AN INJECTION THAT “MADE ME SLEEPY” & ON THE WAY BACK HOME, THE GUY, PULLED INTO A SIDE ROAD & DID THAT TO ME. “NO ONE WANTED TO LISTEN TO ME, LATER”.
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THAT DHS OFFICE,
SAID “CRAP HAPPENS, DON’T IT !”
The People of that Office, knew what was happening to the Children & the Female Clients (most single women with children, too).
Our military veterans aren’t very successful in marriages, & when they split up by divorce, their children are “at High-Risk” of being put in Foster-Adopt Homes too.
I hope this helps with any type of Investigations into the Corruption Activities, happening in the State of Oklahoma.
We have an Excellent Lady in the Chamber of Commerce of Haskell County Now, & She’s Allowing Me to Provide Assistance, in Designing Programs for Children & Youth…that will hopefully help curb, some of the Parent / Child Separations, at least in this area of Oklahoma.
Please View My Journalism on that Website of the Veterans for Common Sense.org
I intend to submit more of articles like I’ve written there, about Our Families, & their Connection to the Military / Wars / American Veterans.
Sincerely,
Hazel Davis
Oklahoma

I live in Oklahoma

1. Federal data also shows that Oklahoma children experience frequent moves, extended stays in shelters and lack getting much needed therapy.

That is the biggest understatement I’ve EVER heard, this is why so many children in Oklahoma are in and stay in foster care, foster-to-adopt parents are afraid of becoming too attached and the child being yank from them.

2. Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services is fighting the suit. Their defense? A good record for monthly checks, which are performed by social workers, on the foster families. Allegedly, they are so diligent with the monthly checks, more issues are found. Therefore, their record appears to be worse than other states where they are not as diligent in making their monthly rounds. Foster parents and children in Oklahoma are not buying this story as they report that the workers are not showing up for the checks, but falsifying documents stating that the visits occurred.

So true my now husband was in foster care, was sent back to his abusive father, ran away to live with his mother at 16, DHS investigated and they STILL have the other two children in the home (ages 17 and 11), also my husband was sexually abused by his gay uncle (who is still around the children and now has HIV/AIDS) yet DHS did nothing and has still done nothing to protect these children despite repeated inquires by the mother and grandparents!
Still don’t believe me? google Joshua Minton or Kelsey Briggs and tell me DHS is doing their job.

What do you think needs to be done to improve the foster care system?

It’s the foster care and legal system that need to work together. They need to get these children out of abusive homes and put their parents in jail! They need to secure stable homes for these children, terminate the parental rights, and make it easy for good families to adopt them.

I think that it is shameful that Oklahoma DHS has fallen down on foster care and adoption and they want to punish other agencies. My husband works for DHS as a carpenter and they are being threatened with layoffs because of this lawsuit in an effort to save DHS money, when in all reality, it will cost DHS more to privatize the work. Also, we have waited, as an approved couple, for almost 2 years for adoption through DHS and still have not had a child placed with us, but, if DHS lays my husband off, we cannot afford a child anymore and the state will lose a home they have already paid to do a homestudy, fingerprints, background checks, etc…on, who are the brains behind this??? Seems to me that they are doing more harm than good!

Foster-to-adopt families are afraid of having the children yanked from the homes because (as we learned in the OKPride course) the goal is reunification with the biological parents. If they were worth having the children in their home, they wouldn’t have been removed to begin with, just place the children in homes of people who want to love and take care of them and stop giving the biological parents chance after chance when they do not deserve it and the majority of them blow their chances anyway. Let the punishment fit the crime! I cannot get my husband to foster because of this very thing…we are already approved for foster and adoption but we know that no matter what a parent did to the child, they will be given a chance to redeem themselves, some things are not forgivable!!! Stop punishing the children!

After reading the meany blogs posted, I feel compelled to share the story of a friend of mine from Oklahoma. Her home is a foster to adopt home. An infant girl was placed in her care three years ago. She and her husband fell in love with the child and knew they wanted to adopt this litle girl right away. The baby was taken away from the birth mother due to a drug and alcohol problems. After a year, the Judge awarded unsupervised visitation to the mother, even though there was no documentation of the birth mother recieveing treatment for her addictions.Instead of proceeding with the wishes of my friend who wanted to adopt the little girl, The Oklahoma Department of Human services went a step futher in helping the birth mother attepmt to regain custody of her daughter by using State funds to ship the birth father from Mexico back into the US. The birth mother became pregnant with a second child, a little boy which was also taken into custody after DHS found that both birth parents had severe drug problems. The social worker called my friend and demanded both children be placed in the same home together. The social worker decided to threaten my friend by means of placing the little girl they wanted to adopt into another foster home if my friend didnt accept the little boy as a foster child. Needless to say my friend fell in love with the second child as well so they are now in the process of adopting both children. Oklahoma DHS could have avoided using tax payer money to ship a drug dealing illegal alien into the US only to create another child to be placed within the system. The child support enforcement agency is just as bad. The State of Oklahoma funds CSE to provide custodial parents with a way to collect support from negligent parental partners. I myself have personally dealt with this agency only to be awarded $15.00 a month for two children. Thats right folks..15…no help with health care, dental or anything else children need to thrive! I guess after 8 years of asking the agency to help I can be greatful and give thanks to CSE for fighting on my behalf to furnish the cost of four Happy Meals to feed my children. I thank God for having an education to provide financially for my kiddos yet, I cant help but wonder how many people are drawing welfare waiting on CSE to pull through…Youd think CSE would get off their asses and start pulling some support out of these non paying negligent jackasses. Maybe then the Govt would have just enough money left to pay back a couple years of social security monies desperately needed to take care of the elders who paid into the system years ago.

This is a letter that i sent to Govenor Brad Henry about my case in trying to get my daughter back…….

May 13, 2006

Dear Mr. Brad Henry,

My name is Kelly Bode, on October 7, 2005 my daughter Angela confided in some people (Ricky and Lavona Seward) that she was working for taking care of their 17 year old daughter and cleaning their house, that she was being sexually molested and raped by her step father (Steward Bode). 3 days went by before I was notified of this matter. And when I was I was trying to handle this in a way that seemed fit for her and my boys. I didn’t want my youngest son William to see his father be arrested and I asked if the Sewards would let me handle this matter that I would do what was right and report it to the authorities. My daughter had asked me to let her stay a few days with the Sewards and I agreed to let her until I got this matter under control. I left their house and went and got my ex-husband and took him to the police department and turned him in to the police for molesting my daughter. Well my daughter was then at that time taken into custody by the sheriffs department. And I was told that I could not go get my daughter or nor could I have any type of contact with my daughter until the OK DHS was notified.

I wanted to send you a letter outlining the serious concerns I have in relation to my daughter’s welfare and her current living arrangements. I want to state most emphatically that this letter is being written out of sincere concern for my daughter’s well-being and not from a place of malicious retribution! My greatest desire is to see my daughter placed home where she will be safe and will receive the best care possible. Initially, when this entire tragedy came about (the day I was informed of my daughter’s abuse), I was at a complete loss as to what to do or how to proceed in the best way for everyone that was involved. Having never been faced with such an overwhelming and traumatic situation, I asked the Seward’s if they would give my daughter safe refuge while I dealt with Steward and the accusations that Angela had made against him. Though I was in shock, I thought leaving Angela with the Sewards was the best immediate solution, and I felt she should stay in the care of family or friends rather than be exposed to anymore harm. It was not my intention at that point, however, that she should stay with the Sewards permanently. At the time, I felt the Sewards were my friends, my daughter’s friends, and I felt they had her best interest at heart as well as the rest of our family. Angela asked if she could stay with the Sewards instead of with the family members that I had chosen for her to stay with, and I allowed her to chose her own environment because I felt she was safe with Rick and Lavona, and I wanted to do what made Angela feel the best.

Weeks past and I actively pursued the responsibilities that DHS required of me in order for Angela to come back home to me. I did EVERYTHING that DHS asked me to do without fail, and I continue to fulfill my obligations as required by DHS and the court!!! Bringing my daughter home is the most important task I’ll ever accomplish. My heart is broken for the horrid things that she’s suffered, and I desperately want to make it up to her and hold her and tell her how sorry I am. It was during the beginning of the court process to bring Angela home that I began receiving information with regard to my daughter’s welfare in the Seward’s care. I want to make it very, very clear that I had no influence in the allegations that were launched against Mr. Seward! The Sewards had been friends of my family for many years, and I had no reason to believe that Rick or Lavona would harm Angela in any way. There were allegations that were brought against Mr. Seward imparted to me by my daughter’s personal friends, Taurie Clemens (via her mother, Tawnie Solpietro) & Cierra Bullock (via her mother, Jane). When these accusations were related to me, I was told by the girl’s mothers that Cierra and Taurie had learned of these happenings directly from Angela. The girls felt they should tell an adult the secrets Angela had shared with them. Angela told her friends that she was being forced to watch pornography with Rick, and she was performing sexual acts with him. The girl’s mothers told me they had reported these accusations to DHS/Child Welfare, the Perry Police Dept. and the National Child Abuse Hotline. My daughter’s friends also shared these allegations with my attorney via their mothers. I was outraged! I immediately informed DHS of what I had been told. I also began to investigate as thoroughly as I could the legitimacy of the allegations made against Rick. When I asked those who I felt were responsible to investigate these allegations (DHS & the police) what was being done to safe guard my daughter, I was told that DHS had “asked” the Sewards if the allegations against them were true. The Sewards denied the allegations. As a result of the Seward’s denial, DHS dropped the matter and closed the investigation! If that’s all it takes to ensure the welfare of my child-to “ask” the accused perpetrator if he/she is guilty and upon the accused perpetrator’s denial simply drop the matter and consider it no longer of any consequence, I’m not sure why I personally have been required to attend court hearing after hearing after hearing to ensure that my daughter will receive proper care when she is returned to MY custody. I am struggling with what seems to be an enormous double standard. I want to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that my daughter is once and for all- SAFE! I feel like this purpose would best be served by placing my daughter back home. I do not feel as though the young ladies who came forward with Angela’s “secrets” had anything to gain by lying about such matters, therefore, after my own investigation, I sincerely believe these girls were telling me the truth. I have questions concerning the appropriateness of Angela’s current placement and have witnessed first-hand what seems to be inappropriate behavior between my daughter and her caretakers. I have presented my concerns to DHS and begged for changes and my requests have been met with what seems to be complete indifference, not only for my concerns but also for what is in my daughter’s best interest. I don’t understand this indifference and find it very frustrating.

I love all my children, and though my daughter has suffered the most, my boys and I have had our worlds turned upside down as well. We are all victims of my ex-husband’s secret and haneous acts. I want desperately for my family to be whole again. My sons miss their sister and my heart aches every day for my daughter to come home to us. I sincerely believe that professional counseling as a family would be most beneficial, and I’m eager for us to once again communicate in a positive manner! Angela’s brothers and I are willing to do whatever it takes to help her to deal with the injustice of her situation, the horrors she’s suffered through and to overcome the nightmares and heartaches. We will stick by her no matter what happens! Whenever I approach these issues, once again, I seem to be met with indifference from DHS. As of late, the few visitations I’ve been allowed with my daughter have become more and more violent and marred by overwhelming animosity from Angela who screams accusations at me that she’s been told by her caretakers and the professionals involved with her status (lawyer & DHS) that I’ve lied to her and purposely allowed harm to come to her. I would NEVER allow harm to come to my daughter knowingly! She states with anger that she’ll fight coming back to my home harder than she’s ever fought anything in her life! Though I know my daughter will feel anger and many other passionate feelings, I cannot get through to her how much she means to me and her brothers and how sorry we are or how much she is loved and missed by her family. She refuses to believe us. I feel the only way to achieve positive communication between us at this point is through independent professional counseling as it seems she is being influenced to believe otherwise. I would like the matter of family counseling to be brought up and satisfied by the court. I want very much for Angela to come home and to know that she’ll never be hurt again. I want her to be able to have new and favorable memories of her home-the home that I want to provide her with where she can be completely safe. Whatever that entails, I am willing (as well as her brothers) to do it for her sake and for ours as a family!

I have tried desperately to reach out to my daughter, and each time I do, I’m told that I am not allowed to speak to her, to call her, or to exercise my visitation with her, etc. I am at a loss at these decisions when it has been my impression that we are suppose to be working towards Angela coming home. How can we once again be a family, develop positive communication and feelings, share as mother and daughter or sister with brothers, and begin to heal together when my sons and I are being purposely demonized and kept from being in contact with her. It is no surprise to me that Angela feels as though she’s been abandoned by us when my every attempt to communicate with her is denied, and I am told that by communicating with my daughter, it will serve to harm her. I have repeatedly requested more visitation with my daughter, and these requests have been denied. I have even requested that Angela be allowed to attend church with her brothers and myself as a family, and this request was denied as well under the excuse that it would be harmful to my daughter’s well-being. Can you provide me with an explanation of these decisions and the wisdom behind them? They do not seem to make sense to me as a mother. I have also attempted to speak with Angela when we run in to each other randomly out in public, and she refuses to talk with me stating that her attorney has advised her that it is not in her best interest to have interaction with me or her brothers. Is her attorney not appointed by the state with the purpose of representing the desires of the Department of Human Services? Isn’t it the decision of the court and the purpose of DHS to re-integrate our family and place Angela back into my home? If this is the case, why then should my daughter’s attorney advise her to run in the opposite direction and hide from me and her siblings when she comes into contact with us in public? Once again, I am confused. I’m not only confused but deeply hurt by such matters. How can such advise be constructive?

I desperately want my daughter to know how much I miss her, how much I love her and how badly we all want her back home. I’m not sure how I can communicate this to her and accomplish this task as I’ve been struggling with every ounce of my being since this horrible situation began. At every turn, I experience either complete indifference or interference of a negative nature, obstructionism and what seems to be an all-out war to keep my family apart and to subject us all to more excruciating pain. I appreciate the role that DHS is suppose to fulfill in keeping my daughter safe. However, I feel frustrated and confused that they are failing and seemingly unwilling to take the necessary steps to provide my daughter with safe-keeping and our family unit with appropriate and positive efforts toward a successful, constructive and rewarding reunification. It seems that DHS’s role has been to aggravate an already unbelievably cruel situation. I do not understand why DHS and Angela’s caretakers insist on presenting me to my daughter as her enemy in whom she cannot trust. How will DHS or my daughter benefit by keeping this family torn apart? Hasn’t this entire family already been subjected to the most devastating horrors that can happen in a life? Why should more pain be inflicted and endured? I am completely at a loss and growing more frustrated by the day wondering how all these issues will be overcome if I am fighting an uphill battle alone without representation, support or positive enactment for my daughter and for my family. Since I got my daughter and GRANDAUGHTER home 2 years after she was taken from me I recently found out that the foster parent is the father of my grandbaby and she has been having sex with him since she was 14 years old…… WHAT A GREAT SYSTEM WE HAVE HERE…….

Sincerely,

Kelly Bode

Comment by Kelly — July 20, 2008

Another problem that we have is DHS stealing babies just so they can get the Federal bonus money. If they would concentrate on the children who really need their help instead of which child can I steal today to get the money. Their work load would decrease alot therefore they wouldn’t be overworked. Each year that goes by they have to up their quota to get the money. If they don’t have enough available children they will just go out and steal them and then make up lies to justify keeping them. I am a grandmother who is a law abiding citizen with a clean record. Yet DHS was allowed to come in to my house and steal my grandchild with no real valid reason. They have made up lie after lie and even doctored a drug test to prove they have a good reason to take my grandson. The worker has a crimminal history and a currant warrant for her arrest but yet her lies hold more credibility then my TRUTH. I wonder why that is it is because of the federal money. If you click on this link you will be able to see the doctored drug test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLIRFtZ1m64

I was in several group homes and foster homes when I was a kid growing up in Oklahoma. I can tell you that I was psychologically, physically, and sexually abused repeatedly in nearly all of these places – not just by staff but more often by other children/teens! There is very little attempt to ensure the safety of children in these places, not only from the people who run them but also from the other children that are there. When I tried reporting the things that happened to me, they were either blown off as being “not a big deal” or turned around to make it seem like my fault. This was obviously due to a CYA mentality prevalent among staff at group homes and foster parents.

As an OK foster parent (kinship), what I can tell you is that I believe the true problem is support for foster families. There are many forms of support but mainly I feel the foster parents are “used” as employees (so to speak) and their feelings, needs and stresses are overlooked and not accounted for at all. Foster parents have a heavy load to bear with the kids, appointments, court dates, visits, etc. and absolutely no consideration is given. Plus, as an “employees” of DHS, they are severely underpaid. The subsidies do not cover the cost of raising these children. In Kinship, payment does not come until all classes are finished so months can go by without much support from DHS and no $$$, yet, all the burden is upon the foster parents to provide for children in DHS custody. Strange, huh?

I believe good foster parents quit after dealing with DHS. I know I have fostered twice and find that DHS is one of the most uncaring systems when it comes to children. I know there are good people who want to help kids within the system, but the system doesn’t allow for the children’s needs to be first. We have a great worker who does come once a month and I think she would do what is right for the kids IF she could. But, her hands are tied as well. It’s like any government system – it’s full of bureaucracy which has nothing to do with helping make sure the best interest of children is met!!!

I worked in a group home for about a year. It is located on 16th St and #rrd Ave in NYC. The only sign of abuse was the manager’s hunger for material possesions and what he could sell them for. Within a year the home lost $13, 000 worth of food and supplies. Everyone knew it was the manager but when will decency settle in and allow us to report our bosses without reprisals. Too many people keep quiet which is certainly the problem.

I feel left out. You didn’t mention my blog.

Hello,

My name is Jacqueline Tramutolo. I am the Chair, Communications Human Resources Committee person for Oklahoma Family Rights Coalition. I would like for you to visit http://www.sq745.org to see the movement we are doing in Oklahoma. If you would like to be apart of this much needed change please go to the website and select the volunteer or circulator box and we will contact you ASAP.

Well i have a problem here in blaine co dhs in okla.I got into some trouble, an they took my kids! An i straightend my life up. They told me they didnt care! They were TERMINATING my rights! (i thought dhs was to help put families back together, an get the problem straightend out) THATS WHAT OUR STATE PAYS THEM FOR, WRONG!!! They terminated my rights, an now im appealing! An its costing me 7,500.00 an i work at a local diner an they have us paying child support of 800.00 a month! An they put me down as makin 40 hrs aweek at min wage here! No way? Im scared that im not goin to be able to handle all of this!!! Plus my bills but i have to fight for my kids!Cause my kids deseve to be with thier parents an we need a chance to show them we LOVE THEM more than life! When dhs can sit on the stand an lie an get poeple to lie it shows dhs has more power than the president!!! An its not right. If u look up how much money they get for takin a child u would be amazed!!! Ill tell you its in the thousands for each kids depending on the child normal or how old (so what kind of greed is this) (you come to your own conlusoins) You know its all about money! An to think that noone wants to go against them I DO!! Im not SCARED!!!!!!! When my kids were in foster care they were sick all the time. An had bruises on them. Noone would do anything about, it why because most poeple are scared im not i want them to do the right thing, do whats best for the CHILDREN!* They dont its all about MONEY$$$$ They dont make sure foster care is doing kids right!!!! There are kids everyday i see not takin care of . but mine had 3 meals a day a bath every night read books to them every nite played with them regardless of what i did i love my kids very much an i cant give up no matter if i have to go without electricity an water an gas phone i have to appeal this an i pray everyday this is going to work . I have turned this over to JESUS an have all the FAITH in him. I havent figured out why he would let my kids get terminated. But maybe he wants me to fight. He knows im not SCARED! The ony thing im scared for are my kids but i tell JESUS every day (tell my kids i love them make sure their safe an bless them) LOVIN MY KIDS TILL THE HEAVENS FALL FROM THE SKY AN ALL THE ANGELS COME DOWN WHEN CHRIST COMES FOR US!

Oklahoma foster care sucks i know this because my two younger step sisters(my sisters) were put in foster care with a married couple who adopted them and beat them for the last 6 years and i am now finding this out. All they did ti the man was to give him 5 years probation now both my sisters are living back with him and he still has his foster license this is ridiculous someone needs to defend these children who can not defend themselves. This is why i am majoring in law and going after the state system which is a piece of ****. Why doesn’t someone beat the people who work for the state maybe then they will change their ways.

I was a foster child from birth.I was born in Pittsburgh,PA. in 1965,weighed 2-1/2 pounds ,stayed in hospital until Aug.1968,then placed in Orphanage ,from there to many foster familys .I ended up in Oklahoma with a foster family ,but i can say i was beaten with tree limbs,firewood,hammers,dog straps,made to pee on an elactric fence,whatever was in REACH i was hit with!I guess this is how foster children were to be disciplined,surely not,growing up as a kid i was (TERRIFIED) of my father,bless his soul!I firmly believe DHS needs to be overhauled severly!