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March 25, 2009 in Opinion
Our View: Report on DSHS in Colville warrants review
Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen was asked by state Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, to look into repeated complaints about the child-protection workers in the Department of Social and Health Services office in Colville, which serves Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry counties. What he discovered after several months is contained in a sharply worded letter sent to the governor, attorney general and about 30 lawmakers and state workers.
The blunt report is sure to raise temperatures, but cooler heads need to focus on the substance to determine whether the allegations are accurate. Rasmussen accuses the office of a pattern of abuse in which foster children are taken from homes for questionable reasons. To accomplish this, DSHS workers in the Colville office are accused of selectively choosing doctors and counselors who were amenable to the office’s agenda.
Rasmussen was the prosecutor who worked out the plea deal in the case of Tyler DeLeon, who died of dehydration in 2005 after undergoing long-term abuse from his adoptive mother, who is serving a six-year sentence.
In that case, Rasmussen was critical of the state for acting too slowly, or not at all. His just-released report often alleges that DSHS is too aggressive in removing foster children from homes. He notes a judge’s outrage at the agency for removing five children from a family and a request to remove two more for what appeared to be financial reasons. He also accuses the state of conducting sexual abuse examinations of children when no allegations have been leveled and ignoring the advice of court-appointed advocates.
The reality of Child Protective Services is that case workers can be accused of being too intrusive or too hands-off. Whether children should be removed from homes is always going to be an emotional issue. Still, criticism should be taken seriously to bring about the best balance. DSHS hasn’t had much time to look at Rasmussen’s complaints, so it has yet to offer a substantive answer. Kretz isn’t convinced that the agency’s self-evaluation is working.
It is too soon to decide whether the Colville office is in need of a serious shake-up based on these latest allegations. But the office certainly came up short in the DeLeon case, so these charges merit a close look. Plus, the agency does have an ombudsman who hasn’t shied from leveling criticism in the past.
For the sake of children, the adults need to set aside hurt feelings and embark on an objective review of the allegations. And the results of that inquiry should be made public.
Don’t fudge fish standard 
Mochacocoa on March 25 at 8:28 p.m.
Nice to see that the call to the community is to remain level headed. One must ask what is the agenda of this prosecutor! Two years longer in office …. humm is this a platform?
cctillett on March 25 at 10:20 p.m.
Dear All,
If you think the Collville office of DSHS is bad..you should hear about the rest of the offices state wide.
For those of you that are under educated about what DSHS/CPS does to families..read on.
How many of you know that this entity is funded by your tax dollars?
There is never enough money for them.They just keep complaining about how overworked and understaffed they are.
They have what..PROMISED to make changes for what now..the last 20 years..and WE THE PEOPLE continue to let the department continue to do business as they always have. They continue to stomp on our rights as parents and violate our civil rights. WTFU.
This system is broken to its very core. No matter how much money you throw at it. It is corrupt beyond your wildest imagination. That is called the trickle down effect. They are corrupt from the bottom to the top.
Social workers by and through their attorneys (from the Attorney Generals Office) consistantly perjure themselves before “GOD” and everyone. That is ..They are allowed to present heresay evidence to the courts as if it is true. They will twist your words against you. While your PUBLIC PRETENDER stands by and lets them do it. A true Kangaroo Court.
If you fight them..they will retaliate against you, Threatening all the while that you will never see your children again.
They stall when getting their clients these so called services. Mind you..all these services need to be completed during your working hours..so forget keeping your job. So now you have zero source of income and loose your housing. This is part of their bigger plan to break you and your family and make you cry uncle and just voluntarily give up your kids..DON’T DO IT! DON’T LET ANY ONE OR ANYTHING THEY SAY make you sign your kids away. Oh they may tell you all kinds of BS..DON”T believe a word they say UNLESS they put it in writting in front of your attorney..YOU MUST BE STRONG! Is this all starting to make sense to you now? If you are already in the system..I am sure that it is.
The department stalls to run out the Federal time lines..which in effect enables them to terminate your parental rights and adopt your children out to strangers for more federal Bonuses.
Did you know that the state stands to gain at the minimum of $10,000 for every child they adopt out to strangers..No money for them to let you ready willing and able relatives take the children. That is why they seldom let the children go to relatives.
They have all kinds of excuses..They will use criminal history..not convictions..So let’s just say for example..you knocked the snot out of your best friend when you were a teenager for trying to cop a feel of your girlfriend..The guys parents call the cops..you go to the juvey..DV or whatever they call it..If you try to get a relatives child..trust me..they will bring up something stupid you did when you were 16 against you..You will never get your relatives.
Every child they can will be classified as special needs..WHY? You will read in their manuals that a child that has had their parental rights terminated will be classified as special needs.
Again people..it’s all about the money they get from the FEDS.
Tim Rassmussen and Joel Kretz : This department needs a bigger investigation than what you have proposed. It goes deeper than anyone would ever think. Let’s see what you guys are really made of..I dare you.
Parents guard your children well. They are 6 times more likely to be abused in fostercare than they are in their own homes.
And let’s not forget about the death rate of children under the supervision of DSHS in the State Of Washington..156 last year. See the Ombudsmans report.
Its all about the money!
Respectfully,
CC Tillett
Washington Families United
Vice-President
Child and Family Advocate
debbou on March 25 at 11:54 p.m.
Our family has a name for CPS: Child Procurement Services:They target poor, depressed, single mothers who don’t have enough fight in them to beat the system. The excuse is these mothers can not care for their children because of their depression.
Real story: twenty-six year old, single mom, suffers from depression, post tramatic stress, was receiving mental health services and medication. Had some house cleaning issues but had back up family to take her toddler in crisis times. CPS took the child during a crisis knowing the family member has had the toddlers older sister for 12 years with no CPS issues. In taking the child and not providing appropriate services the mother nearly ended up on the streets, lost medical assistance that gave her the mental health and medication that could have stablized her. Instead they found a family who wanted the child and went out of their way breaking laws to wear the mother down till she was suicidal and signed her child over. The child was adopted by a preselected foster family dispite the fact the mother wanted her with family. I am the greiving grandmother raising her older sister for 16 years now with “no cps” involvement. I am a college graduate, have a steady job and have been a part time contracted care provider for the State for the past eight years.
Child Procurement Service best discribes CPS to me.
cctillett on March 26 at 12:29 a.m.
In the state of Washington..
IT’S FAMILIES FIRST..IT’S THE LAW
debbou on March 27 at 7:22 a.m.
Yes families first is the law but when defense attorneys don’t show up for court hearings and the mother is too depressed to defend herself the law is set aside. There was nobody exept me to complain. I was told “in Washington State you are just the grandmother you have no rights”. I was also told when I persisted with attemping to get custody “you would make our jobs a lot easier if you would just go away” by an adoption worker.
Yes families first is the law but someone “who is” a party to the case” has to be able to fight for it. When I hired an attorney (lost my house as a result) and attempted to become a party, I was told when she is able to be adopted I can get in line with the foster parents. The foster parents were the only ones told when the adoption hearing was.