I have retained an attny!!

[klmno]

YIPEE!!

It became clear while talking to her that the reason PO/super would not even consider short term group home placement for difficult child is because the fed funding won't cover that- it only covers the long term. Local fundsing would have to be used to pay for short term and they won't do that if fed funding can be used, even if that means a longer placement for difficult child. She agreed that this program was nothing more than the diversion program with the name "re-entry" slapped on it (she's been working in this local system for years) and she said if they didn't fill those beds at the long term placerment, they wouldn't get their funding for next year.

I'm wondering at what point this is more than just a little violation of difficult child's civil rights- and what would one do about it?

Anyway, she's going to call POs super and says she knows her. She's also going to dig around to find out what can be done if super won't 'give' any. She made a couple of calls while I was sitting there and she was very good at not giving any case info out- she was calling the 'head' PO person to find out typical procedure, expectations, etc and that actually convinced her that I was telling the truth I think. She told one person that "sometimes things can get a little too cookie cutter and that's the problem". Yeah....

And she said if I move out of state and difficult child is in this group home, she's almost certain he would be transferred out and into whatever jurisdiction I moved to. Well, that's the back up plan then.

I, on the other hand, have been given direction to call Mr M at Department of Juvenile Justice and asked him to call POs super to inform her of possible early release 'since she has scheduled a video-conference' and the date of that might be cutting things to close, and also, could Mr M please mention that he's suggesting early release because he doesn't think difficult child intentionally flaunted his 'actions' and another reason he thinks it might get approved is due to the academic impact of being incarcerated past the start of 2nd semester.

 

[Marguerite]

This sounds really positive. I hope you can get the help needed for difficult child. It should not have to come to this, but needs must, it seems.

Marg

 

[DammitJanet]

Well this sounds promising...keeping fingers crossed.

 

[klmno]

If super won't give any though, it can become a real mess. If the order for long term group home goes thru, she has to figure out a way to get this in front of a judge and hope for the best, which prolongs the school and difficult child's release and everything we're advocating for. Plus, it's asking a judge to go against a PO although she says some of this might be doable - like the academic stuff.

She says we can't try to go before a judge right now because the order fro group home really isn't cast in stone yet and it's too close to holidays and release date is now up in the air. And she said the end result will be better if super will judge come around. That's probably all true.

This boy of mine...well he better....ya know....everything all of us warrior moms think at times.....shewwww.....

 

[klmno]

Oh- I alos brought up to her that the parole plan was stating 'group home' before they even knew difficult child's charges, that this was his 2nd commitment, and before they'd even looked thru his file to see social hx, or anything else. It becomes clearer all the time that all this is about funding......and they wonder why the statistics on these boys look like they do...

 

[Liahona]

I really hope you win this.

 

[HaoZi]

She sounds like a keeper, I hope she is. Wishing the best!

 

[buddy]

such a sad commentary on our society. BUT the good thing, you liked this woman and she really does seem to understand things. It all seems good! Some hope and that will carry you a long way. He needs this news to go along with what the head guy said to you.... Please difficult child, hold it together! good job mom.

 

[klmno]

thank you Ladies! I'm worried more about what will happen after difficult child's release but we just have to taake that one step at a time.

When I got home from attny's office, I saw that he'd tried to call. (I think we still have that mother/child instinct. LOL!) Anyway, I hope he has another chance to call this evening so I can fill him in and see how things are going there as far as this possible early release.

 

[exhausted]

Im so glad you have someone in the know. What a sad bunch of bologne-tp keep a kid for longer because of funding sources. Its not right! I hope difficult child keeps his poop in a group and appreciates all you have done!

 

[Steely]

Sending you guys all the positive energy I have...you and difficult child deserve better than this. HUGS.

 

[TerryJ2]

VERY good! That is so promising. I'm sorry about the fed vs local funding issue. I'm sending a pox on the PO super.

 

[klmno]

I have to say -there's no way I could ever trust people in the juvie CSU system again. Maybe it really does just boil down to funding and them choosing a parole plan that supports their funding goals, but if that isn't bad enough, we've had difficult child been denied psychiatric Residential Treatment Center (RTC) (which would have cost them NOTHING) because of a PO saying it wasn't her idea therefore it wouldn't happen, difficult child getting no services to speak of because of a PO claiming anything else was koi, and now this. After realizing how bogus my boss is with this whole contract and everyone's job responsibilities, I can now see that there really is that much abuse of funding and lack of responsibility and incompetency in the system. My mission in life has become to advocate for change. It's bad enough to mis-use taxpayers dollars but when they are being mis-used to throw our kids under the bus, destroy families, and treat parents like koi, something needs to be done.

I read so much complaining about this stuff on this board and I'm glad we all have this place to vent. But i wonder why some can't bring themselves to actually tell someone higher in the system who could at least log in a parent's complaint. This is what it will take. Just like the infant dimeattap that was causing so many babies health problems- it takes 10,000 parents making issue before it gets reviewed by those high enough to do something about it.
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I'm not trying to get political or solicit anything- just trying to throw out food for thought.....