Systemwide Review Of Foster Care Program Under Way
Last updated Wednesday, September 17, 2008 7:30 PM CDT in News
By Rob Moritz
THE MORNING NEWS
CONWAY -- The state Department of Human Services is conducting a comprehensive review of Arkansas' foster care program in the wake of high-profile cases involving the deaths and sexual abuse of children in the system, a DHS executive told legislators Wednesday.
Agency officials appeared before lawmakers to address admitted breakdowns in the foster care system brought to light after the arrest and conviction of Brian Bergthold of a Bella Vista for molesting foster children in his care. Also, authorities are investigating the deaths this spring and summer of four children in state custody.
"We're doing a top-to-bottom review of all our processes, our systems, everything that you have mentioned here today we are looking at," Assistant DHS Director Janie Huddleston told members of the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on Children and Youth.
The two committees met for more than three hours Wednesday to discuss ways to improve the system.
State police have disclosed few details in their criminal investigation into the deaths of four foster children, two in May and two in June.
A Eudora woman has been charged with first-degree battery in the May 28 death of her 22-month-old foster daughter, who authorities said suffered head injuries, brain damage, cuts, bruises and welts.
State police are investigating one of the other deaths as possible maltreatment, and do not suspect abuse or neglect in the other two deaths, DHS officials have said.
Agency officials on Wednesday acknowledged serious lapses in the case of Bergthold, who pleaded guilty Tuesday in Benton County Circuit Court to sexually assaulting two of his foster sons. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison, adding to the 70-year federal prison sentence he received in August for producing child pornography.
During the meeting, Bella Vista police detective Barb Shrum told lawmakers several foster children escaped Bergthold's home but were returned, despite telling DHS workers they were being abused. Shrum also said state workers did not have photographs of the children in their files and that some of the children were interviewed in Bergthold's home.
Pat Page, director of DHS' Division of Children and Family Services, admitted to lawmakers Wednesday some employees in the case did sloppy work and did not follow procedures.
Page said changes have been made to make sure protocol is followed, including requiring photographs of the children be in their files. Also, state workers are receiving specialized training in how to interview children and more changes will be made, Page said, though she stressed the foster care system is understaffed and workers are averaging 28 cases while the ideal is 15 or less.
"What your saying is every worker is either working 80 hours a week or only getting about half the work done," said Rep. Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock. "Given that statement, as horrible as this is, we can expect this to happen again and again. The more thin we're spread, the more things fall through the cracks."
Rep. Donna Hutchinson, R-Bella Vista, who asked the Bergthold case be presented to the committee, said she was pleased DHS was addressing concerns she had. She said the system has had problems for years and she was "really encouraged by all the good things that are going on."
She said she understood that more foster care workers are needed.
After the meeting, Huddleston said under the agency's foster care review, 120 recent foster case files are being evaluated to determine if proper procedures were followed.
Huddleston said the review was part of the second phase of an overall look at the system requested by Gov. Mike Beebe.
Phase I was completed last month when some leadership changes were made in Children and Family Services, including about a dozen jobs being eliminated in the division's central office and the addition of workers in the field to improve service to children and families.
Reader Comments (29 comment(s))
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ozarks wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:12 AM:
BCR wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:04 AM:
You know who wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:06 AM:
All of these people work for the same common goal-MONEY! DHHS is a money making system for the state and NO ONE wants to see it stop coming in!
PAT PAGE said it best yet she is the director of it all! SLOPPY WORK! Sloppy work will get you a prison sentence of 35 years! My brother is that case! He is serving a 35 year prison sentence for a sloppy job that was done to him and his children and no one is investigating his case!
His daughters were put into a foster home were a known convicted child molester was around his children and now my brother is serving time! NO ONE has called our family to open up his case!! NO ONE!! And they do KNOW WHO I AM! "
You know who wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:16 AM:
UAfootball wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:26 AM:
BCR! wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:48 AM:
I noticed a couple of bloggers on this page blasted those who called for an independent investigation into the death of the inmate, now you have changed your mind. Why? "
You know who wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:56 AM:
I have been at it to long and I have been doing all I can as one person but I can not do it alone.
I wrote Pat Page a letter a month for a year, asking and begging her to review my brother's case......I GOT NOTHING! WHere is the top? "
recross1 wrote on Sep 18, 2008 9:27 AM:
I think if 2 men or 2 woman who are in a stable relationship and have been for several yrs want to foster a child then thats ok but a single man ...no way.And people can call me whatever but thats the wayitis "
recross1 wrote on Sep 18, 2008 9:39 AM:
The federal govt needs to get involved with this investigation,and a unbiased
outside organization needs to be brought in and completely overhaul the entire staff and system currently in place in Arkansas's DHHS.When they find out who's pocketing all the kick backs and skimming the pot however they are doing it,and I can think of several ways,they need to be shown the inner workings of the Arkansas Dept.of Corrections and its many fine living establishments.
America is becomeing a steal all you can get away with country and all these people that get state, and county jobs and are placed in charge are finding ways to pick the pockets of us tax payers to sum of billions of dollars a yr and ya know what,no one seems to care untill it strike home,when it effects you personally,ya turn a blind eye towards it.These floks in the ar.dhhs need to be held accountable! "
You Know who wrote on Sep 18, 2008 9:52 AM:
My brother was a divorced dad raising his "OWN" kids and his case worker HATED IT!! She went as far to let him know that his girls were better off in a home with a mother and a father. The case worker hated my brother and made it a point to see it through. It blows me away that Brian got past her! Oh I forgot case workers come and GO- "What your saying is every worker is either working 80 hours a week or only getting about half the work done," said Rep. Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock. "Given that statement, as horrible as this is, we can expect this to happen again and again. The more thin we're spread, the more things fall through the cracks."
Falling through the CRACKS alright! "
justalocal wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:04 AM:
Just a thought!!... send it to every paper call every TV station. I believe in Justice and hopefully you will see it soon for your brother!!
I have had good luck in the past writing Ken Hendren as well. "
ravenmother wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:47 AM:
That may be why you have had good luck with writing him in the past. I have written Mr. Hendren and had absolutely no response in the past.
I hope this investigation does some good, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Until they get supervisors and caseworkers in the system that trully care about the kids, the system will continue to fail. "
ravenmother wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:13 AM:
cybertech wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:34 PM:
In our legal system there is supposed to be a presumption of innocence until concrete evidence is given to the contrary.
Thing is with DCFS you are "GUILTY" until proven innocent and proving innocence with them is harder than moving a mountain.
I stood by and watched the case with my sister and her daughter very closely and I am here to tell you that documents were falsified in favor of DCFS, they flat out lied in their statements truncated court reports, and sadder still is that the Juvenile Court judge bought the whole thing lock stock and barrel, she knows who she is too!
There is so much evidence of malice, greed, and other things against DCFS but due to immunity laws, which should be abolished btw, that its hard to get anything real accomplished and somehow they think that an inside investigation will fix those problems??? Oh Puhhhlease!
I guarantee you that a good 50% to 60% of those working for DCFS should see jail time for humanitarian crimes, at least that is my belief based upon what I have witnessed first hand. "
cybertech wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:42 PM:
A child(ren) should NEVER be removed from a home UNLESS there is 100% concrete evidence that the child(ren) have DEFINITELY been abused.
If you dont have that evidence, then you have NO RIGHT to remove them from the home, PERIOD!
Trust me, an truly abused child does exhibit certain types of behavior that is a dead giveaway, while a child who may be lying for whatever reason does not.
If you can not distinguish between the two, and there is no other concrete evidence, then you have no evidence.
Also remember that lying under oath is PERJURY! That and it is wrong to do so as is falsifying documents, which is FRAUD!
So tell me how many laws you have broken today by your own actions under the guise of trying to protect the children???
The very people many of those children should be protected from are those that work for DCFS!
Put that feather in your hat! "
You know who wrote on Sep 19, 2008 6:17 AM:
IF we do nothing nothing will happen. "
ravenmother wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:06 AM:
ggranddaughter wrote on Sep 19, 2008 9:33 PM:
you know who wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:55 AM:
ARKANSAS CHAPTER. "
you know who wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:59 AM:
ggranddaughter wrote on Sep 23, 2008 9:05 PM:
wisdom wrote on Sep 24, 2008 9:58 AM:
wisdom wrote on Sep 24, 2008 10:03 AM:
wisdom wrote on Sep 24, 2008 10:10 AM:
Haven't you noticed our officials keep recycyling themselves in newly elected offices when they've already served in this county for years? If you want to take them on you'll have to be ready for the onslaught of republican friendships; the great political machine to hold you back. You can trust me I've seen it. The next time a politican says they have experience it means they have more experience extracting a lot of benefits for not a lot of actual work on your behalf. You all are so correct - it isn't about you, it's about them. "
wisdom wrote on Sep 25, 2008 9:47 AM:
You Know Who wrote on Sep 30, 2008 12:11 PM:
No, not when you adopt a foster child through the state. In fact, it could cost you almost nothing. DHS does not charge a fee to apply for adoption, but you may have some minimal court costs and other fees. However, there is a federal tax credit of up to $10,000 for any adoption. "
You Know Who wrote on Sep 30, 2008 12:15 PM:
Shadow2 wrote on Dec 11, 2008 3:08 PM:
My daughter was snatched by the DHS in July from me because I could not pick her up safely from a mental health hospital she was at. I called the hospital and asked if she could stay one more day until I could safely transport her and they said yes. I also called DHS hotline because I did not want anyone to think that I was abandoning her. (Dummy me to think they would actually help me)
Well the next day DHS took her into their care and she was there until Oct. 3rd when she ran away. DHS did not call me to tell me she was missing.
When I found out she was gone I helped the police place her on the NCIC ACIC and National endangered and missing children's (NCMEC) list hoping to find her.
One week ago I was sent papers for child support for her from office of child enforcement. I called OCE and sent a letter too letting them know my child was missing and an endangered runaway.
DHS wants their money anyways. My child turns 18 in Feb. I told them I would love to support her and had done whatever they asked me to before her disappearance.
How does one support a child that is missing? Where does this money go? The OCE officer had no answer for me he said ask DHS.
All I want is my child back safely. "
Not already registered?
cybertech wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:40 AM: