Copyright ©2010. The Associated Press. Produced by NewsOK.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
DHS problems
DHS problems
Here are some of the most serious problems with
Oklahoma County's child welfare system, according to a secret report:
Related content
NewsOK Related Articles
-
Report rips DHS
National panel faults Oklahoma County system
04/27/2008 © Copyright 2008, The Oklahoman Too many abused and neglected children are taken into DHS custody in Oklahoma County and they are kept too long,...
-
What they said
04/27/2008 What they said "Some of the problems, we think we can solve. ... Some of them are more difficult. They're going to take longer to get fixed. ... I am saying...
•A disproportionately high number of abused and neglected children are being taken from their parents and kept in state custody in Oklahoma County.
•Law enforcement agencies often do not communicate with DHS when children are removed from homes in emergencies.
•The Oklahoma County custom of holding an initial hearing within 24 hours of a child being removed from a home does not give DHS time to investigate. It also does not give parents time to prepare to challenge the decision.
•Removal of a deprived child in Oklahoma County often leads to children being separated form their families for "an unreasonable amount of time — often several years.”
•The quality of legal representation for deprived children, their indigent parents and the state is inadequate because of high caseloads. Public defenders are representing too many children, causing them to violate their professional ethical responsibility to provide quality representation.
•Court orders are not immediately prepared and distributed at the close of hearings, creating confusion and situations where orders are never implemented.
•Judges are scheduling extra hearings because they distrust DHS workers' ability to carry out their orders. These extra hearings take away time DHS workers could be doing social work.
•DHS caseworkers get inadequate training and supervision, contributing to low job satisfaction, high caseworker turnover and distrust between DHS and the courts.
•Specialization within DHS has, in some ways, fractured the caseworker's authority and decreased individual effectiveness.
•Most DHS workers lack basic information about the purpose of various hearings involving abused and neglected children who have been removed from homes.
•Overcrowded courtrooms are compromising confidentiality, jeopardizing the safety of participants and restricting efficiency.
News Photo Galleriesview all
Prev
If you prefer your thoughts to appear in The Oklahoman, we encourage you to submit a letter to the editor.
Would you like to leave a comment?
Log in or sign up (it's free).