Testimony From Kansas Attorney On Foster Care Corruption

3/3/10

Twitter Posts from the KansasWatchdog on hearings today in Topeka, KS on Children's Issues, "Foster Care"

#ksleg Summers: refuses to stop a second time as she gives her summary about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: refuses to stop when asked by State Rep Neufeld. says she has another page and a half of testimony. Neufeld yields (so far) about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: Three witnesses were ignored by the court. Background checks delayed reunification. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: child had been abused and was threatend "not to tell" about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers: "travesty of justice" is the title of a book she is writing about harm done to children in this state. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers does not understand why case was not prosecuted when abuse was obvious in her opinion. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Summers testifying about Judge Burgess not allowing evidence to be heard in court room. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Frankie Summers, a fFormer educator, talking now about personal experiences about what child experienced while in custody. about 8 hours ago via web
#kslefg Judge Burgess: I cannot hold parents accountable if contractors are also not held accountable. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess wants to reply to Attorney's comments. Talking about relationship with contractors. Judge for closer communications about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Holmes: Where is problem? Attorney: multi-facted prolbem. Remove financial incentive. Some rules need to be changed. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Reality is once there's a problem you're in court for month and months. Need to take money incentives out of system. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Live tweeting from Kansas Fed and State Affairs Committee Hearing about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: privatization creates financial incentives for contractors that are not in the best interest of the child. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: children can be removed. SRS doesn't investigate. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Need fair judges. Judges being too close to workers, contractors can be a problem. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney: Case worker's report was in error and court acted on it. Judge said "it didn't matter". Need checks and balances. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Attorney: Case worker had child removed. Worker had too much power. Best interest of child not served. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg JoCo attorney (can't spell the name) talking about removal of child for spanking that could not be substantiated. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State rep talking about CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for children. There are not enough CASAs to meet the need. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Neufeld asking about GAL training. Hogan: Training is one way to help support attorneys about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl: GAL paid $60/hr in JoCo; Hogan: In SG County $35K/year for half-time work but usually more than half-time. about 8 hours ago via web
#ksleg Hogan: many parents don't have money for legal representation. Guardian ad litems (GAL) are paid less than many attorneys. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Attorney Kelly Hogan, child legal services. Talking about a how a guardian ad litem represents the child's best interest. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge says grandparents always allowed to comment. "Call me" to state reps if you ever have a problem with a case. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl asking judge why there seems to be more cases in Sedgwick county. Perhaps judges and contractors too close? about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: implementation of privatization was rough at first. "Perfectly fine with it now" about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: We have problems in Sedgwick County that western Kansas does not have. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: When "Kansas is rich" prevention would be a better approach. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Burgess: Transition to privatization was difficult. Now meet with contractors once a month. about 9 hours ago via web
ksleg Judge Burgess: Only 3% of children taken in are truants. Child has never been removed from home for truancy. Truancy is a huge issue about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Almost 60 people at Fed & State hearing to learn about child welfare issues. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Judge Burgess: Biggest problem is service delivery. Most families don’t ask for help until crisis hits. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg: Judge Burgess is next to testify. Introductions could be better to identify who is speaking. about 9 hours ago via web
#kslefg Judge asked about her concerns about privatization: Judge: Done quickly, more bureaucracy, service barriers. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Shepherd: "not a good thing" sometimes when transfers occur between contractors about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Rep Neufeld asking Judge Shepherd about privatization. She was not a supporter; hurt us initially. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge: We don't have cases where someone comes in and asks to give up their kids about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge: Child may be in police protective custody for up to 48 hours until judge signs order. Then in SRS custody. about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg State Rep Mike Kiegerl asking when contractors first see a child after a judge's order about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judge Shepherd (I think Jean F Shepherd from Lawrence) talking about legal steps for removing a child from the home about 9 hours ago via web
#ksleg Judges talking at Fed & State Committee hearing about child welfare. about 9 hours ago via web
JoCo Unofficial Final Election Results: Prairie Village Ward 4, Shawnee Ward 3, Gardner recalls http://tinyurl.com/yzf86wd about 24 hours ago via web
#ksleg Most of the ~50 in the audience at the Fed and State Affairs hearing cannot see speakers' slides -- need two screens. 1:01 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL: Two federal funding streams: title 4 b child welfare, and 4e foster care. 12:45 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL: State and local funds more than federal but federal rules drive the system. 12:43 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Sheri Steisel(?) from NCSL DC talking about complexity of child welfare system. Now talking about federal funding. 12:42 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Chair Neufeld: Remember history. ACLU law suit 15 years ago and other problems resulted in privitization. What are best practices? 12:36 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Kiegerl: Any data that privitization doing what was expected? How is performance measured? How do other states compare? 12:32 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Loganbill asking if any evidence whether privitization is better or worse. NCSL: Some data, but no conclusion. 12:31 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Kieger: Removal in other states for non mal-treatment. NCSL rep willl get that data. 12:09 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg State Rep Mike Kiegerl: 53% removed in Kansas for reaons other than neglect. Asking for reason, comparison with other states. 12:08 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg NCSL Rep: Kansas is somewhat unique in number of children removed from home for reasons other than neglect. 12:07 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Chair Melvin Neufeld asking about a particular statistic for Kansas that was about twice the national average. 12:03 PM Mar 2nd via web
#ksleg Representative from National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) talking about child welfare system. http://www.ncsl.org/ 11:59 AM Mar 2nd via web

SRS, Foster Care, Children Issues brought up at JoCo Legislator Forum

Marlene Jones CALLS For Quo Warranto "It's Time To Stop"

Wichita-area Legislators Hear From Citizens Before Session Starts
By Paul Soutar on January 6, 2010
http://kansas.watchdog.org/2010/01/06/wichita-area-legislators-hear-from-citizens-before-session-starts/

Citizens from South Central Kansas gave their legislators plenty of ideas and opinions to take to Topeka for the upcoming 2010 Legislative session. State Representatives and Senators from Wichita and the surrounding area listened as 31 citizens expressed their interests and opinions for nearly two hours Tuesday evening in the jury room of the Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita.
Legislators will hear from several governments and interest groups Thursday afternoon during their annual meeting at Wichita State University. The public is also invited to attend Thursday’s meeting but will not be allowed to address the delegation.
Speakers at Tuesday’s meeting addressed a broad range of topics and nearly all thanked the delegation for their service. Many said they recognized the challenges legislators face in balancing the state’s budget during tough economic times.
Concerns about judicial corruption and children unnecessarily taken from their families by state agencies were the most common topics. About a third of the speakers asked for better checks on the state’s judicial system. Some made allegations of corruption and called for granting subpoena power to the Government Efficiency and Fiscal Oversight Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Morrison, (R-Colby) or creation of a citizen’s grand jury independent of the judiciary.
Several speakers said too many children are being taken from their parents by judges and state agencies. A few said a profit motive was involved and alleged collusion with contractors to garner childcare payments from parents as well as money from state and federal sources.
A recent Legislative Post Audit report (pdf) examined allegations that Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) workers were “bullied” by district attorney’s offices. The audit found that about 80% of social workers statewide didn’t feel pressured to distort their reports but in Sedgwick County about half felt that way.
Recent hearings by the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues heard statistics and examples illustrating the problem. Rep. Bill Otto (R-LeRoy) told KansasWatchdog, “the State of Kansas takes children away from parents — severing their parental rights — when the parent in question has committed no crime. The child has committed no crime. But they just didn’t do what the nanny state told them to. I think I need to do something about that.”
Possible tax increases were also on the minds of citizens addressing the delegation. Kip Schroeder of Wichita said it would be hard for legislators to balance the budget without tax increases as private sector employment falls and public sector employment increases. “I ask that as you go (to Topeka) you allow us the opportunity to persevere through adversity, that you not raise our taxes under any circumstances.”
John Todd, representing Americans for Prosperity, asked legislators to not raise taxes. “This is not a time to raise taxes on businesses and families that are struggling to pay their bills and trying to maintain their jobs. Economic recovery will come from the private sector, particularly small businesses that don’t need a rollback of hard-fought tax relief gained in previous legislative sessions.”
Kansas Policy Institute President Dave Trabert summarized recent research showing significant opportunities for savings through increasing efficiency and spending down cash balances before cutting services or raising taxes.
Several speakers asked legislators to cease or reduce funding for Planned Parenthood.
Speakers were uniformly courteous, though one speaker gave the delegation an earful of criticism. He named and facetiously thanked several members of the delegation for their votes in the last session against coal-fired electric plants in Western Kansas and in favor of wind-generated power, votes he blamed for rising electric bills.
“What were you thinking? Haven’t any of you toured electric plants? Didn’t any of you know the drawbacks of wind power? Did you know how much electricity costs from any power source?” He reminded legislators that wind-powered electric generators are heavily subsidized by taxpayers and that wind, even in Kansas, is not a reliable source of electricity.
Rep. Melody McCray-Miller (D-Wichita), who chaired the forum, extended the meeting beyond its scheduled 8:30 p.m. wrap-up to allow all who sighed up to speak to do so. The last speaker, Paul Rhodes of Wichita, thanked the legislators and noted the many hard decisions they would face in the upcoming session.
Rhodes, in effect, summarized the tenor of the preceding speakers by asking that legislators reduce the tax burden on citizens, provide better access to justice for all and “correction of high crimes under the color of law.”
“My belief is that under every bad economy is a moral or ethical problem. Some say the opposite of love is hate. The opposite of love is indifference.”

Posted by: Kansas Watchdog

Be sure to click on this link below for more details and the complete report by Kansas Watchdog:
http://kansas.watchdog.org/2009/12/01/parents-grandparents-ask-why-children-removed-from-homes/



Parents, grandparents ask why children removed from homes
By Earl Glynn on December 1, 2009 Print This Article
Topeka. About a dozen parents and grandparents appealed directly to state legislators Monday for answers about why the state removed children from their homes, denied adoptions and even placed them in foster homes instead of with grandparents.
Lawmakers gave no clear answer. Parents said they are confused about how to appeal or if it is possible. They turned to their legislators after they said social services and courts failed them.
The Joint Committee on Children’s issues received written testimony from about a dozen more parents.
Three State Senators, Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-Wichita), David Haley (D-KCK), and Julia Lynn (R-Olathe) said they have received more complaints in recent years. Committee Chair State Rep Mike Kiegerl (R-Olathe) said he was not only receiving more complaints but the intensity is increasing.
Haley discussed the secrecy in custody cases and expressed frustration about his inability to learn facts in cases brought to him. He wondered if new legislation is needed to give state legislators access to documents about cases to help pass better laws.
One grandfather, Clarence Wonsetler from Topeka, testified he spent $10,000 on legal bills to get his granddaughter back after she had been in eight foster homes. The man said he had been told he and his wife were too old for custodial rights, but his granddaughter was placed in foster care with a woman only a few years younger with medical problems of her own. The man claimed the foster mother smoked, even thought she needed oxygen. While the man has his granddaughter back, he now wants “to bear witness to the atrocities that continue.”

Another case was particularly touching. A young woman, Cecillia Arnold originally from Wichita, told about the abusive relationship she was in, and was victimized again when the state took her children. Rep. Bill Otto (R-LeRoy) said he was stunned the abused mom, who had never broken any law, lost her parental rights.





At the 2:40 point in the video below, DeGraff says he was not convinced that Jordan personally wanted to return the kids to their families.

State Rep Pete DeGraaf Challenges SRS Don Jordan on Children's Issues

Twitter Posts By Kansas Watchdog

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#kschildren Sen David Haley has concerns about compensating grandparents since it provides cover for the chilrden. about 4 hours ago from web
#kschildren Chair Kiegerl Should foster parents and grandparents be compensated at the same rate? A child is a child, expenses are the same. about 4 hours ago from web
#kschildren Rep Valdenia Winn see most problems with the courts, not SRS. about 4 hours ago from web
#kschildren No follow-up discussion today from yesterday's parents' appeals while waiting for SRS response. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Judge Sloan from JoCo couldn't attend today but recommends secure facility for run aways until case can be adjudicated. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen Julia Lynn grills SRS Secetary about "trust" issue when he authorized special payment with so many in the waiting line. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren "Extra" payment of $714K was paid to one provider unilaterally. Perhaps 3000 on waiting list when "extra" payment made to group about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Maury Thompson: How to justify increasing revenues to one provider when 1000s not receiving services? about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren JoCo Development Support Representative Maury Thompson addressing contract irregularities, and possibly contract/law violations about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Jordan: SRS using contractors must be ready 24-hours a day to respond within 4 hours to place kids if asked. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Responding to Kiegerl: SRS Jordan is not ready to end privitization now. Would need many more employees. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Chair Kiegerl asks Jordan what SRS could do with $150 million more. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Rep Otto asks Jordan for salary info. Jordan's $110K or so is less than many of the CEOs of SRS contractors. about 5 hours ago from web
#kschildren Jordan: Is the capacity there in the community? Sen Reitz says it is not in many cases about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren SRS Jordan not yet sure how KNI closing and Parsons downsizing will affect things yet. Sen. Reitz: I cannot accept that. about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen Retiz asks how cuts have hurt. Jordan: Mental health services have been affected, also those with development disabilities. about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Jordan responds to Sen Reitz: SRS budget $1.5 to $1.6 billion. about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren SRS Jordan believes non-profits have the right values about taking care of kids. about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Jordan: To state there's not much financial benefit when kids are placed in foster care. Incentive for contractor for re-union about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen. Julia Lynn: If family preservation is a good thing, why don't we just do family preservation? Jordan: Other needs too. about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Chair Kiegerl: "We're drowning in data here" as reponse to report by SRS Secretary Jordan about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren Members of committee have binders of materials from Secretary Jordan, but interested citizens can't follow along without copies about 6 hours ago from web
#kschildren SRS Secretary explaining their budget process, esp. dealing with foster care and children in need of care about 7 hours ago from web
#kschildren KC metro area has highest turnover rate of case workers. Both Wichita/KC still have vacancy rates higher than other areas. about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit found inconsistiences in on-going training to help case workers dealing with legal matters about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Training at Kansas universites not consistent for social wokers to know how to deal with attorneys, documents, testifying about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit recommends training for social workers on bullying they may experience for what's in their reports about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Social workers in the west and near Wichita have strongest number of disagreements with attorneys in handling CINC cases about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Children in Need of Care performance audit: workers in every SRS region said "they felt unduly pressured" about info in reports about 8 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen. David Haley: We've got to do better. There are families being torn apart (even though much is going well). about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit can look at confidential info. "Horror stories" that were told were only part of complete story. about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit used data from SRS and was not independently collected. State Rep Otto: Can you look at secret info? about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen Lynn: Info was accidentally leaked to the Farm, which allowed them to raise bid by over $2 million. What remedy? about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren WIBW TV now taking video of hearing about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit pointed out potential conflict: The Farm board member represents them legally and is married to CEO. about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Legislative post audit explaining multiple non-profits and for-profits setup by The Farm in Emporia. about 9 hours ago from web
3 videos and report from yesterday: Parents, grandparents ask why children removed from homes http://tinyurl.com/yzzansq about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Performance Audit Report about Foster Care being presented at Joint Committee on Children's Issues about 9 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen. Lynn: Should judge be allowed to make placement of children? GAL Loomis agreed that flexibility would be good. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen Reitz looking for help from guardians at litem to revise existing laws. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren State Rep Otto: Could judge find contractor in contempt of court for failure to follow state laws? about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren State Rep Otto: Where is the ACLU in helping parents in their court battles? about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL Loomis: Often parents' attorneys only see court records at the court proceedings. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL Erna Loomis: More accountability and oversight is needed about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren Committee Chair Mike Kiegerl introduces second guardian ad litem, Erna Loomis, who is his daughter. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren Guardian ad litem's name in recent tweets is Jean Ann Uvodich, Olathe. Just learned the spelling. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren Rep Kiergerl say 60 out of 50,000 (Jordan's stats from yesterday) still too many families traumatized. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren Committee Chair Mike Kiegerl concerned about "power" that new case worker out of school might have over family. More supervision about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: The "court didn't like him" should not be reason for child removal. Very specific guidelines are needed. about 10 hours ago from web
#kschildren State Rep Bill Otto asks why children are removed when parent has no wrong doing. GAL agrees not uncommon and fix is needed. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren Sen. Reitz, Manhattan, says he is outraged by how children are removed, sometimes at family outings. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL says privitization works better in Missouri than Kansas. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren State Rep Bill Otto thinks fines may help contractors follow laws that are being ignored. Guardian ad litem agrees. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: Case worker "power trip" may come from judging others by personal standards. Kansas "takes the kids and runs". about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: In once case parents not having phone should not be consideration. Kids not abandoned because parent have no phone. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: Need specific guidelines on how child can be permanently removed from home. Need documentation. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: Should not lose children when family moved in with another family for lack of money. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: May be financial incentive for how agencies handle cases. Some case workers are egocentrical and may need more oversight. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren Some workers become case managers months out of school and judges value their opinions. Not enough life experiences. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: Contractor lied in court possibly as CYA reaction to failure to notify parents of planned actions. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren GAL: When contractor changed adoption changed and may have been affected by contractor. In one case contractor lied in court. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren Guardian ad litem: Some case workers are not as trained as they should be and are given too much power over familes. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren Guardian ad litem (don't know spelling) says parents need to be given info. Secrecy causes later problems with interactions. about 11 hours ago from web
#kschildren Joint Committee on Children's Issues continues in Topeka. Two guardian ad litems speaking this morning. about 11 hours ago from web
Many Uncertainties Remain about National and Regional Effects of Increased Biofuel Production on Water Resources http://tinyurl.com/ylq2pc5 5:08 PM Nov 30th from web
Holiday Shopping Tips from the Internet Crime Complaint Center http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/091130.aspx 5:04 PM Nov 30th from web
Sunshine Review page on the Kansas state budget http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Kansas_state_budget 4:41 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Kiegerl Some of the problems here are with the courts and not SRS. 12:34 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Sec Jordan says court case is the paper work with reason. 12:31 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Sen Faust-Goudea asking Sec Jordan: Don't parents/grandparents deserve something in writing about reasons for child removal? 12:29 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Sen Oletha Faust-Goudeau talking about case where woman was killed in SGCo even after she had reported domestic violence. 12:17 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Amazing that abused wives don't get custody of children, and become a victim a second time. 12:15 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Kiegerl says that all abuse should be reported. Woman said police would respond the wrong way when abuse is reported. 12:13 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Unbelievably, abuse can be ignored in deciding who gets the children. 12:12 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Woman may go to jail soon for her contempt of judicial injustice. Sen Reitz said something needs to be done. 12:10 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Sen. Reitz stating that parents should always be allowed to know "why". Too much secrecy. 12:07 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Otto asking Sec. Jordan if there can be a court order blocking parent from attending children's events in public. 12:06 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Woman was held in contempt of court after appearing on local TV station about her case and rights to see daugher suspended. 12:05 PM Nov 30th from web
A former psychiatric LPN and subject to an abusive relationship lost custody of her daughter. Unclear why only supervised visits allowed. 12:02 PM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren SRS Sec Jordan commenting about grievance process. Jordan said he will review the case. 11:56 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Foster mom was "more appropriate" but about the same age. SRS complained 72 yr old great granddadhad no recent parenting. 11:54 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Otto shocked that foster parent smokes in the home, but sign in window says no smoking, oxygen in use. 11:51 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Peggy Mast asked about why denied adoption. Unclear why. Woman denied is former social worker herself. 11:49 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Great grandparent telling about being denied adoption of great granddaughter. Confused when foster mom was in late 60s. 11:44 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Testimony to continue this afternoon at Joint Commitee on Children's Issues at Captiol in Topeka 11:41 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Wichita mom left hearing in tears 10:11 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Sen. Hensley, KCK, says system is not working; receiving more and more complaints 10:05 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Abused Wichita mom said she could have done a better job representing herself than court-appointed attorney. 10:04 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren State Rep Otto stunned that abused mom from Wichita had her parental rights severed. 10:02 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Abused mom's parents also told they were too old to have custody. Grandparents stand in hearing room at request of Senator. 10:01 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Abused mom from Wichita lost girls after re-integration had started. Mom doesn't understand why girls were removed. 9:59 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Rep Otto asked grandfather how old he was when turned down. He was 72. Sec. Jordan says there is no definite rule about that. 9:54 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Grandfather spent $10,000 on legal fees to get granddaughter back. Now wants to "bear witness to the atrocities that continue" 9:46 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Grandfather testifying he was not allowed custody of granddaughter because he was too old. She's now been in 8 foster homes. 9:43 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Abused mom testifying about loss of children. 9:35 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Foster mom describing removal of foster son they planned to adopt. Says caseworker lied to judge. Removal terrifed other son. 9:28 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren LMSW said case worker had too much authority in case and wrote court order. Judge should have written order. 9:10 AM Nov 30th from web
Licensed Master Social Worker testifies about failures in Valorie's case. Had sent complaints to Gov. and AG. Boys placed with abusive dad. 9:07 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren "Valorie" describes her case where she lost custody of her children and they were place in care of abusive father. 8:54 AM Nov 30th from web
#kschildren Sen. Hensley, KCK, says system is not working; receiving more and more complaints 8:16 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren SRS Sec Don Jordan explaining contractor process to Joint Committee on Children's Issues at packed hearing room 8:14 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Rep Kiegerl: Intensity and number of complaints have increased about child placement 8:07 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Rep Kiegerl: rookie attorneys paid $80/hr; child advocates only about $60/hr 8:04 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Only about 25 percent placed with relatives. Must pass same standards as foster care. 7:52 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren Background checks on grandparents and close relatives slow placement process 7:40 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren 1st question to Sec Don Jordan is about kinship factor used for placement of children 7:38 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren In Kansas per year: 55000 allegations, 26000 investigations, 3000 children removed from home 7:31 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
#kschildren SRS Sec Jordan: Removal of children most sensitive and emotional issue for them. Discussing reg now 7:27 AM Nov 30th from mobile web
Waiting for Joint Committee on Children's Issues meeting to begin at Capitol 7:12 AM Nov 30th from mobile web