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Sen David Haley has concerns about compensating grandparents since it provides cover for the chilrden.
about 4 hours ago from web
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
Rep Valdenia Winn see most problems with the courts, not SRS.
about 4 hours ago from web
No follow-up discussion today from yesterday's parents' appeals while waiting for SRS response.
about 5 hours ago from web
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
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
"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
Maury Thompson: How to justify increasing revenues to one provider when 1000s not receiving services?
about 5 hours ago from web
JoCo Development Support Representative Maury Thompson addressing contract irregularities, and possibly contract/law violations
about 5 hours ago from web
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
Responding to Kiegerl: SRS Jordan is not ready to end privitization now. Would need many more employees.
about 5 hours ago from web
Chair Kiegerl asks Jordan what SRS could do with $150 million more.
about 5 hours ago from web
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
Jordan: Is the capacity there in the community? Sen Reitz says it is not in many cases
about 6 hours ago from web
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
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
Jordan responds to Sen Reitz: SRS budget $1.5 to $1.6 billion.
about 6 hours ago from web
SRS Jordan believes non-profits have the right values about taking care of kids.
about 6 hours ago from web
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
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
Chair Kiegerl: "We're drowning in data here" as reponse to report by SRS Secretary Jordan
about 6 hours ago from web
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
SRS Secretary explaining their budget process, esp. dealing with foster care and children in need of care
about 7 hours ago from web
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
Legislative post audit found inconsistiences in on-going training to help case workers dealing with legal matters
about 8 hours ago from web
Training at Kansas universites not consistent for social wokers to know how to deal with attorneys, documents, testifying
about 8 hours ago from web
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
WIBW TV now taking video of hearing
about 9 hours ago from web
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
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
about 9 hours ago from web
Performance Audit Report about Foster Care being presented at Joint Committee on Children's Issues
about 9 hours ago from web
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
Sen Reitz looking for help from guardians at litem to revise existing laws.
about 10 hours ago from web
State Rep Otto: Could judge find contractor in contempt of court for failure to follow state laws?
about 10 hours ago from web
State Rep Otto: Where is the ACLU in helping parents in their court battles?
about 10 hours ago from web
GAL Loomis: Often parents' attorneys only see court records at the court proceedings.
about 10 hours ago from web
GAL Erna Loomis: More accountability and oversight is needed
about 10 hours ago from web
Committee Chair Mike Kiegerl introduces second guardian ad litem, Erna Loomis, who is his daughter.
about 10 hours ago from web
Guardian ad litem's name in recent tweets is Jean Ann Uvodich, Olathe. Just learned the spelling.
about 10 hours ago from web
Rep Kiergerl say 60 out of 50,000 (Jordan's stats from yesterday) still too many families traumatized.
about 10 hours ago from web
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
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
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
Sen. Reitz, Manhattan, says he is outraged by how children are removed, sometimes at family outings.
about 11 hours ago from web
GAL says privitization works better in Missouri than Kansas.
about 11 hours ago from web
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
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
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
GAL: Need specific guidelines on how child can be permanently removed from home. Need documentation.
about 11 hours ago from web
GAL: Should not lose children when family moved in with another family for lack of money.
about 11 hours ago from web
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
Some workers become case managers months out of school and judges value their opinions. Not enough life experiences.
about 11 hours ago from web
GAL: Contractor lied in court possibly as CYA reaction to failure to notify parents of planned actions.
about 11 hours ago from web
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
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
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
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
5:08 PM Nov 30th from web
Holiday Shopping Tips from the Internet Crime Complaint Center
5:04 PM Nov 30th from web
Sunshine Review page on the Kansas state budget
4:41 PM Nov 30th from web
Rep Kiegerl Some of the problems here are with the courts and not SRS.
12:34 PM Nov 30th from web
Sec Jordan says court case is the paper work with reason.
12:31 PM Nov 30th from web
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
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
Amazing that abused wives don't get custody of children, and become a victim a second time.
12:15 PM Nov 30th from web
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
Unbelievably, abuse can be ignored in deciding who gets the children.
12:12 PM Nov 30th from web
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
Sen. Reitz stating that parents should always be allowed to know "why". Too much secrecy.
12:07 PM Nov 30th from web
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
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
SRS Sec Jordan commenting about grievance process. Jordan said he will review the case.
11:56 AM Nov 30th from web
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
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
Rep Peggy Mast asked about why denied adoption. Unclear why. Woman denied is former social worker herself.
11:49 AM Nov 30th from web
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
Testimony to continue this afternoon at Joint Commitee on Children's Issues at Captiol in Topeka
11:41 AM Nov 30th from web
Wichita mom left hearing in tears
10:11 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web Sen. Hensley, KCK, says system is not working; receiving more and more complaints
10:05 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web Abused Wichita mom said she could have done a better job representing herself than court-appointed attorney.
10:04 AM Nov 30th from web
State Rep Otto stunned that abused mom from Wichita had her parental rights severed.
10:02 AM Nov 30th from web
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
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
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
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
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
Abused mom testifying about loss of children.
9:35 AM Nov 30th from web
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
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
"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
Sen. Hensley, KCK, says system is not working; receiving more and more complaints
8:16 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web 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 Rep Kiegerl: Intensity and number of complaints have increased about child placement
8:07 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web Rep Kiegerl: rookie attorneys paid $80/hr; child advocates only about $60/hr
8:04 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web Only about 25 percent placed with relatives. Must pass same standards as foster care.
7:52 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web Background checks on grandparents and close relatives slow placement process
7:40 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web 1st question to Sec Don Jordan is about kinship factor used for placement of children
7:38 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web In Kansas per year: 55000 allegations, 26000 investigations, 3000 children removed from home
7:31 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web SRS Sec Jordan: Removal of children most sensitive and emotional issue for them. Discussing reg now
7:27 AM Nov 30th from
mobile webWaiting for Joint Committee on Children's Issues meeting to begin at Capitol
7:12 AM Nov 30th from
mobile web
