Wednesday, June 11, 2008
News
Parent group protests family court practices
Argus-Press Photo by Nathan Bruttell Joseph Sabin of Lansing, left, and Joel Taylor of Corunna stand outside Corunna City Hall Monday to increase awareness of Parents for Children.
By NATHAN BRUTTELL Argus-Press Staff Writer
CORUNNA - Protesters representing Parents for Children stood downtown hoping to raise awareness of their organization Monday.
Parents for Children is an organization dedicated to addressing alleged problems of abuse and corruption in family court for parents who have had children taken by the Department of Human Services.
The group also gathered to support one of its own members, Michelle Romine, who was in court hoping to gain custody of her children.
Spokeswoman for the Shiawassee division of Parents for Children, Linda Haddix, said the group gathers every chance it gets to support one of its own members.
“We handed out flyers at (DHS) in April, and we rally at court dates to show our support,” Haddix said. “We also attempt to raise awareness of House Bill 5931, which holds (DHS) workers accountable for their reports.”
The bill, introduced by Rep. Fulton Sheen, R-Plainwell, in March, has not been passed by either the House or the Senate. If passed, the bill would prohibit DHS case workers from submitting false reports and remove all immunity.
Currently, DHS workers have civil immunity from mistakes made during investigations, but not gross negligence immunity. Haddix and Parents for Children would like to see the bill passed in hopes that case workers would be held responsible for reports made to the court.
Many members of the group, including Jane Feldpausch, were mothers who had lost their children to DHS.
“I just want to bring my kids back home,” she said. “I have done what (DHS has) asked and I want them to give me back my kids.”
Susan Fulton, director of DHS for Shiawassee County, said parents hoping to regain custody of their children must follow guidelines set by DHS and the court system.
“Generally if parents can comply with the plan and make the needed changes to rectify the situation, then we can look at reunification,” she said.
Fulton also said that in some cases, meeting the guidelines will not necessarily guarantee custody.
“You could go to a therapist every week, but if you're still displaying the same behaviors, we have to identify that,” she said. “It could be that new issues have been identified or the (completion of the guidelines) has not made an impact or change.”
Fulton also encouraged parents looking for answers from DHS to speak with her to resolve the matter.
Joseph Sabin, a member of Parents for Children, said that many members of the group were not opposed to DHS, but hoped investigations would move faster and more efficiently.
“Some children deserve to be taken away from their families,” he said. “Some have been abused or neglected. No one is arguing against that.”
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at (989) 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com.
Parents for Children is an organization dedicated to addressing alleged problems of abuse and corruption in family court for parents who have had children taken by the Department of Human Services.
The group also gathered to support one of its own members, Michelle Romine, who was in court hoping to gain custody of her children.
Spokeswoman for the Shiawassee division of Parents for Children, Linda Haddix, said the group gathers every chance it gets to support one of its own members.
“We handed out flyers at (DHS) in April, and we rally at court dates to show our support,” Haddix said. “We also attempt to raise awareness of House Bill 5931, which holds (DHS) workers accountable for their reports.”
The bill, introduced by Rep. Fulton Sheen, R-Plainwell, in March, has not been passed by either the House or the Senate. If passed, the bill would prohibit DHS case workers from submitting false reports and remove all immunity.
Currently, DHS workers have civil immunity from mistakes made during investigations, but not gross negligence immunity. Haddix and Parents for Children would like to see the bill passed in hopes that case workers would be held responsible for reports made to the court.
Many members of the group, including Jane Feldpausch, were mothers who had lost their children to DHS.
“I just want to bring my kids back home,” she said. “I have done what (DHS has) asked and I want them to give me back my kids.”
Susan Fulton, director of DHS for Shiawassee County, said parents hoping to regain custody of their children must follow guidelines set by DHS and the court system.
“Generally if parents can comply with the plan and make the needed changes to rectify the situation, then we can look at reunification,” she said.
Fulton also said that in some cases, meeting the guidelines will not necessarily guarantee custody.
“You could go to a therapist every week, but if you're still displaying the same behaviors, we have to identify that,” she said. “It could be that new issues have been identified or the (completion of the guidelines) has not made an impact or change.”
Fulton also encouraged parents looking for answers from DHS to speak with her to resolve the matter.
Joseph Sabin, a member of Parents for Children, said that many members of the group were not opposed to DHS, but hoped investigations would move faster and more efficiently.
“Some children deserve to be taken away from their families,” he said. “Some have been abused or neglected. No one is arguing against that.”
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at (989) 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com.