Tammie Wilson continues scrutiny of OCS
In September of 2016, Tammie Wilson called for a grand jury investigation. In her request Tammie wrote:
The Department of Health and Social Services, Office of Children’s Services has become a protected empire built on taking children and separating families. Poor parents are often targeted to lose their children because they do not have the means to hire lawyers and fight the system. Parents are victimized by “The System” that makes a profit for holding children longer and “bonuses” for not returning the children. Case workers and social workers are oftentimes guilty of fraud. They withhold evidence. They fabricate evidence and seek to terminate parental rights. The separation of families is growing as a business because local governments have grown accustomed to having federal dollars to balance their ever-expanding budgets. OCS can hide behind confidentiality clause in order to protect their decisions and keep the funds flowing. Social workers are the glue that holds “The System” together that funds the court, the child’s attorney, and the multiple other jobs including the OCS attorney.
The Adoption and the Safe Families Act offers cash “Bonuses” to the states for every child they adopted out of foster care. In order to receive the “Adoption Incentive Bonuses” local child protective services need more children. They must have merchandise (children) that sell and you must have plenty of them so the buyer can choose. The funding continues as long as the child is out of the home. When a child in foster care is placed with a new family then “Adoption Bonus Funds” are available. When a child is placed in a mental health facility more funds are involved. There are limited financial resources and no real drive to unite a family and help keep them together. The incentive for social workers to return children to their parents quickly after taking them has disappeared. Many parents are told if they want to see their children or grandchildren, they must divorce their spouse. Many, who are under privileged, feeling they have no option, will separate. This is an anti-family policy, but parents will do anything to get their children home. state and federal dollars are being used to keep this gigantic system afloat.
Taking Tammie Wilson’s own words in their true context she is describing the facts that support Alaska Ombudsman reports J2011-0222 and A2013-0776. Future generations due process and civil rights mean nothing to other state representatives. Thank you Tammie for fighting for our future generation!
Thomas Garber
Kenai
