Absolutely shocking. Calls to Florida family services abuse line often ignored deliberately.

[madfloridian]

Children could die because of this new policy. I am stunned.

Thousands of abuse reports to a DCF hot line go unheeded every month

Sept. 16, 2:02 p.m.: A Broward sheriff's deputy calls the Florida child-abuse hot line to report that a 4-year-old had been molested by a babysitter as the sitter's boyfriend videotaped the assault. A hot-line counselor declines to forward the report to an investigator.

..." Nov. 16, time unknown: A father is attempting to break into his estranged wife's home. He says he will kill his children. That call, too, is not accepted for investigation.

These decisions, and thousands more, are the result of a little-known -- but potentially dangerous -- practice by the Department of Children & Families: Beginning last year, DCF dramatically increased the number of abuse calls considered unworthy of investigation. In an effort to reduce workload -- and the system-wide stress that high case loads generate -- intake workers at the Tallahassee-based hot line have been screening out tens of thousands of calls.

Among the screened-out allegations: reports of kidnapping, rape, aggravated child abuse, medical neglect, malnutrition, kids roaming the streets unsupervised and domestic violence that threatens to harm the children. Among the callers being turned away: school counselors, grandparents, circuit court judges, hospital social workers, day-care workers and juvenile-justice staffers.

Here is more about which calls are being turned away.

Children are not the only Floridians who may be left in harm's way. The hot line is also screening reports about disabled adults and elders, including an Oct. 12 complaint that a disabled woman had been raped by another resident at a home for people with disabilities.

A source with knowledge of the new policies says DCF has revised internal guidelines on what constitutes abuse, including a new protocol to reject complaints about children who have suffered bruises or welts from beatings -- unless such beatings result in a trip to the doctor or hospital, or ``permanent disfigurement.''

I don't even know what to say to this new policy.

When I read it I was reminded of a judge contacted DCF 3 times personally about a child in danger.

The child died as DCF ignored the judge's pleas.

Secretary George Sheldon says he thinks his hotline operators should have acted with a greater sense of urgency in the case of one-year-old Bryce Barros, who died earlier this month under mysterious circumstances.

Barros was caught in the middle of an allegedly abusive relationship between his mother and father, who were sent to Broward County’s Domestic Violence Court. That’s where Judge Eileen O’Connor got involved.

O’Connor was concerned about the safety of Bryce Barros, so she faxed three complaints to DCF’s abuse hotline, hoping it would prompt the agency to investigate.

But hotline counselors rejected the judge’s complaints and did not follow up because there were no specific allegations of abuse to the baby. Sheldon says that was a mistake.

The social workers are caring people. They are caught up in a system that is being manipulated by higher ups, with a gross lack of concern for children and the helpless.

[Quantess]

1. I'm sure the social workers feel terrible about it, but what can they do, realistically?

How could a compassionate person stand to be a social worker in Florida, with those kinds of circumstances? I think a less-compassionate-type person who punches in and does their job dispassionately would fare the best at that job.

[Solly Mack]

2. K/R

[niyad]

3. sadly, I am not in the least surprised.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. That's just horrific. :^(

[barbtries]

5. madfloridian

get ready for the influx of perverts flooding your state once they learn this. this is pathetic. does it have anything to do with a bush?

[tavalon]

6. I was victimized by the New York CPS 30 some odd years ago

I have never believed that they were for the welfare of children.

[WolverineDG]

14. They're not

it's all about the money they can get for putting kids in foster care & then adopting them out.

dg

[tavalon]

16. Really?

I begged them to take me away from my abusive father and stepmother. After three days "cooling off" they sent me back and never even checked on the situation. The next time I escaped, I left them out of the equation. I may have been young but I have never been stupid.

[WolverineDG]

21. "Damaged goods"

if the child is a minority, disabled, or subjected to really harsh abuse, it's harder to adopt them out, because most of the people out there doing the adopting want cute, white babies or toddlers who don't come with any baggage.

dg

[chervilant]

28. Ours is NOT a child-centric society

Social workers are among the most overworked and underpaid individuals in the workforce--right up there with teachers.

Child protection agencies do not get money for putting kids into foster care. Child protection agencies MUST follow the strict letter of the law in order to substantiate any case of abuse or neglect, and taking a child into custody is both expensive (our tax dollars) and largely futile. Only about a third of all investigations actually result in removing a child from a home, OR opening a 'case' for a family (more likely), requiring frequent monitoring by caseworkers and structured, legally mandated family court intervention.

Foster families are few and far between. A significant number of foster parents have become foster parents strictly for the stipend they receive per child, and are almost as inappropriate childcare providers as the parents who've lost custody of the child.

Family courts, Family court judges, and guardians ad litem are also overworked. Judges too often have to work with caseworkers whose court reports are poorly written, and whose case work is shoddy or infrequently in compliance with state laws and/or deadlines.

Call centers are understaffed, and those who answer endless calls describing horrific acts of child abuse and child sexual assault are--not surprisingly--calloused or completely burned out.

Numerous children have died while in the 'care' of a child protection agency. Still more children have died because someone in a child protection agency could not or would not substantiate abuse or neglect, and the child met with their death while still in a toxic environment.

That this has caused a journal post on DU is both ironic and disheartening. Child abuse is one of the BIGGEST elephants under our nation's living room rug. For decades, we've walked around it, looked away from it, or just plain ignored it. If we HONESTLY wanted to do something about it, we wouldn't be having this discussion...

[WolverineDG]

31. Not all social workers should be social workers

and not all of them work for what's best for the children. I've had to argue in court for parents whose only crime was to be poor, against some young, inexperienced, child-less do-gooder who tried to convince a judge that it was illegal to have siblings of the same gender & close in age share a bed, or that because there was only one TV (gasp) in the home the children wouldn't be properly cared for. It's funny how "best interests" gets translated to "how much money do Mom & Dad have to throw at the kids so they can each have their own room, own TV, own play station, etc.

I've seen CPS case workers flat-out make shit up so they can keep their mitts on children who never should have been removed from their parents, all because they were members of a minority religious group. Those very children, who CPS & CASAs wept crocodile tears over, STILL have nightmares from what those do-gooders did to them.

dg

[liberalhistorian]

38. As someone who's previously served as a GAL, I know firsthand

that you are right on the money on most of your points, thanks for posting. And you couldn't pay me enough to be a social worker, no way. Of course, I'd be in trouble right away, as I'd care more about helping the children than the often ridiculous rules that more often than not are in the way of actually helping children. And the rules often seem to be more important than making sure the children are taken care of.

[chervilant]

29. Ours is NOT a child-centric society

Social workers are among the most overworked and underpaid individuals in the workforce--right up there with teachers.

Child protection agencies do not get money for putting kids into foster care. Child protection agencies MUST follow the strict letter of the law in order to substantiate any case of abuse or neglect, and taking a child into custody is both expensive (our tax dollars) and largely futile. Only about a third of all investigations actually result in removing a child from a home, OR opening a 'case' for a family (more likely), requiring frequent monitoring by caseworkers and structured, legally mandated family court intervention.

Foster families are few and far between. A significant number of foster parents have become foster parents strictly for the stipend they receive per child, and are almost as inappropriate childcare providers as the parents who've lost custody of the child.

Family courts, Family court judges, and guardians ad litem are also overworked. Judges too often have to work with caseworkers whose court reports are poorly written, and whose case work is shoddy or infrequently in compliance with state laws and/or deadlines.

Call centers are understaffed, and those who answer endless calls describing horrific acts of child abuse and child sexual assault are--not surprisingly--calloused or completely burned out.

Numerous children have died while in the 'care' of a child protection agency. Still more children have died because someone in a child protection agency could not or would not substantiate abuse or neglect, and the child met with their death while still in a toxic environment.

That this has caused a journal post on DU is both ironic and disheartening. Child abuse is one of the BIGGEST elephants under our nation's living room rug. For decades, we've walked around it, looked away from it, or just plain ignored it. If we HONESTLY wanted to do something about it, we wouldn't be having this discussion...

[Golden Raisin]

7. Horrendous. But we live in a country

where the priorities are to spend untold and unending millions a day on foreign wars for foreign oil, open pipelines, so big oil and big defense contractors are kept flush with huge, profitable contracts (how many millions per tank? Per stealth fighter?). Social services, education and infrastructure at home are neglected to the point of criminality.

[dysfunctional press]

12. this would be a state budget problem, not a national one.

florida citizens don't pay enough taxes to cover their states needs.

[Hissyspit]

8. Um, are they not setting themselves up for lawsuits that could cost them way more

then any savings?

[madfloridian]

23. One would think so.

:shrug:

[lostnfound]

9. It's worse than having no hotline, because people are fooled into thinking

that they've done something by making that call.

[madfloridian]

22. You are right. They would be "fooled" and perhaps not pursue it further.

They would assume it would be taken care of by the authorities.

Good point.

[varelse]

10. Yes, I think children will die because of this policy

Among the screened calls: On Oct. 21, someone alleged that a woman and her five children were living in a car because her husband kicked her out and changed the locks.

Two of the kids were disabled: an autistic 3-year-old and a 6-year-old sibling who is developmentally disabled, failing to thrive, and required 24-hour nursing care to maintain a feeding tube. Local homeless shelters refused to help the family because they wouldn't accept disabled children.

But DCF turned her away, too.

[liberalhistorian]

39. Yes, and watch the same DCF that turned her away turn around

and charge her with neglect of duty and leave the husband completely alone. Been there, done that.

[dysfunctional press]

11. sounds like the florida voters are going to have to approve more taxes.

sorry kids- that just ain't gonna happen.

[madfloridian]

36. Never happen. Not Florida voters.

They are going for Rubio over Crist....so what does that tell you?

[dysfunctional press]

43. it tells me that i'd like to see at least a 3' sea level rise in my lifetime.

or- lacking that(or in addition to) an explosive eruption of the cumbre vieja volcano in the canary islands might suffice.

[Odin2005]

13. OMG! There are no words...

"a disabled woman had been raped by another resident at a home for people with disabilities."

:cry:

[csziggy]

15. Are the hotlines part of the privatized DCF services?

I tried to find out but the information is buried. The best info I could find is years old and is from an AFSCME report on how privatizing was continuing in DCF despite the lack of data on how effective and economical private groups were.

One figure I did find was that at one point there were 127.5 workers on the Abuse Hotline, but it was not clear if that was statewide or for one region. That seems a low number if statewide.

DCF had problems long before Jeb Bush cut budgets and started awarding contracts to his buddies. If the services are privatized, without sufficient state oversight I do not see how they could solve the problems that have existed for decades.

[madfloridian]

19. I have tried to find out as well.

I have gone to various websites, looked at the About page, but it is really hard to tell.

[csziggy]

20. They've hidden this stuff very, very well

Jeb really managed to dance around the Government in the Sunshine and Charlie sure didn't change anything. I even looked at the budget for DCF and couldn't figure out which of the services had been privatized, even though it should have been apparent.

[madfloridian]

35. I just spent an hour trying to find which companies...

handle which part of the DCF. I can find nothing. I have happened on names of these companies in the past when another mistake happened, so doing a search on DCF problems to see if I can find anything.

[csziggy]

40. If you find it, post it. I'll try to look tomorrow

The last two days have been long for me and I am too tired to do any research tonight. Maybe I can call DCF and ask them directly, but I bet they will not give a direct answer.

[marshall]

17. A reaction to Florida's zero tolerance policy

They may be trying to screen out calls where they think the spouse will eventually not cooperate with law enforcement.

It's the same policy that is biting Tiger Woods in the ass now.

[AngryOldDem]

18. I've dealt with similar situations.

In my former job, at times I had the very sad and upsetting responsibility of contacting children's service authorities concerning actual and suspected abuse of kids by their parents. I was often kept on hold for upwards of 45 minutes to an hour (while my other job duties -- equally important -- were left hanging). Not once did I ever consider hanging up, but it was frustrating and outrageous all the same. Then, when I would finally speak to a real live, actual human, more often than not I was met with indifference.

This was at a homeless shelter and I often wonder what has become of some of those children.

[winyanstaz]

24. It is a crime for this to be going on.

I had to call the police after a phone call from one of my grandkids. She was crying and said her mom had hurt her arm very bad and slapped her in the face because she had tried to turn off the car radio when her mom turned it up so she wouldn't have to listen to her try to tell her about the step dad beating on her with a board. (in front of a foster kid that had just arrived as well..yes these assholes are also foster parents which makes me sick) My granddaughter had also slapped back at her mom after her mom had backhanded her in the face four times.
I called the police of course and the sheriff of the tiny town went out there...to find the whole family up and dressed and sitting on the couch on a school night at 2 am in the morning.
The sheriff asked my granddaughter (in front of the mom and step dad) if she was alright and she said yes...because (as I found out later) she had been threatened to be put into a girls school or shipped away to a foster home if she told. She also told the police she was very sorry for hitting her mom. (as she was told to say)
The sheriff called me up and acted like I was a pain in the ass for calling him in the first place.
Her mom didn't take her to the doctor until a week later and the nurse told my granddaughter that her arm had been sprained all that time.
I also reported to the child protection agency here about this man beating on these kids with a wooden board with holes drilled in it......three times so far and as far as I know..absolutly nothing was done.
I will have to buy a gun and shoot that man if he attacks my granddaughter again..I don't care if I go to jail or die.

[bertman]

27. winyanstaz, I recommend sneaking up on the son of a bitch with a two-by-four or a crowbar

and cold-cocking him. You have to swing hard so he is knocked unconscious or dazed enough to crack him again. Then, it's up to you what happens next.

Shooting him would be unwise since your grandkids will then have no one to turn to.

Plan it so no one knows you're out and about--especially him. Use your imagination.

I have to say that I am so sorry for what you and your grandchildren are going through. I also have to ask why is your daughter being so violent toward her children?

Good luck.

P.S. borrow the crowbar or two-by-four so it can't be traced back to you.

[winyanstaz]

46. She is NOT my daughter..she is an ex-daughter in law..

She divorced my son because, as she said "I don't want to be poor, I need a man with money."
She saw my son's medical issues due to injuries at work and bailed.
I am a little ol grandma of 5'4"...and he is six foot tall...I couldnt reach him to hit him on the head..nor do I hope it ever comes to having to defend my granddaughters.
I am also not into violence and will of course first try again through the legal community to deal with it.
But if it happens again that they do nothing then I will do something.
Their daddy now lives in Israel by the way and is having operations at this time on his neck and arms so he cannot do it.

[bertman]

47. Thanks for the followup comments. I hope this works out well for all concerned.

[winyanstaz]

48. ty..me too :)

[Echo In Light]

25. "Humanity is a virus with shoes." - Bill Hicks

[fl_dem]

26. this really pisses me off,.

This is what they are hired to do, it is their job to step in to protect those who cannot protect themselves, if they are overworked and understaffed, hire and train more people. There is NO EXCUSE to disregard the welfare of a child, the elderly or disabled.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

30. It sounds like policy John Yoo would write

this is disgusting.

[debbierlus]

32. Social workers cost money. We are spending our money on wars and weapons.

Obama is on the TEE VEE right now.

DISGUSTING

[BrklynLiberal]

33. Entrenched incompetency......

:mad:

[Noseyaboutpollution]

34. Happens here

Neighbor beat his woman pretty badly. Happened outside, he gave her a karate kid kick to the breast and slapped her around.

He did it in public, caught on couple security cameras.

Still together, even though she called police and had witnesses.

[TexasObserver]

37. Recommend.

[BobTheSubgenius]

41. It's a profession with a horrible burn-out rate.

Small wonder. In fact, a friend of mine who is a SW told me that a colleague committed suicide last week. Clearly, her job was not the only cause - there must have been underlying issues - but jeez. You'd think that would be a milieu in which a person could find some help and support, yet she saw none.

It's too often a heartbreaking, depressing and toxic environment.

[madfloridian]

42. I worked with great social workers when I was teaching.

Their jobs are terribly hard. I would venture to say they are the victims of a bunch of FL legislatures led by those of the Jeb/Marco mindset .....who don't know how to run a government.

I feel for them.

[beyurslf]

44. When they ignore a call from a neighbor or family member, they are saying

"normal" people can't call in abuse and maybe we don't trust them anyway. But when they ignore calls from judges, law enforcement, schools, and hospitals, they are saying screw kids--we don't care.
Why would the policy say abuse is only when they end up at the hospital or disfigured permanently? Isn't that like saying go ahead and beat the shit out of your kids--just don't take them to the doctor afterwards and you will be fine.

And don't be fooled that it is lessen the workload of the social workers. It is to save money. Investigations cost some but when kids have to be pulled out of the home and placed in foster care, it gets expensive.

[madfloridian]

45. I notice that "permanent disfigurement".

Guess they figure partial is okay?

Yes, it is to save money. So many of the DCF agencies are run by private companies, and it is so hard to find out which ones are running which section.