Mass. Social Workers Say Commissioner Pushing Too Hard

By The WBUR Newsroom
Nov 17, 2009, 3:55 PM
4 Comments

BOSTON — The state Department of Children and Families is trying to do too much too soon, social workers and DCF union members told a legislative committee Tuesday on Beacon Hill.

The oversight hearing was planned before the union’s vote of “no confidence” in DCF Commissioner Anthony “Angelo” McClain, who testified he feels a sense of urgency to improve child welfare with new systems, rules and procedures.

McClain said DCF employees are anxious about change as he works to implement those new procedures.

But union president Zevorah Bagni testified social workers are concerned that the commissioner is pushing for change too quickly.

“If you are a drug addict, I want you to change. If you are a runaway child, I want you to change,” Bagni said. “So we are foremost believers in change. The issue at hand at this particular point is how the change is coming about.”

Social worker Christian King said social workers who lack in training are being sent on “initial assessment” assignments to investigate abuse or neglect.

“DCF regulations require over 40 hours of training to be able to conduct investigations,” King said. “And front-line social workers are very concerned about their safety. They have not been trained, and they would like training.”

The office of Gov. Deval Patrick said McClain is headed in the right direction.

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Boydmarie25

if what my family is going through right now is part of this new plan by govener patrick deval patrick and comm, mcCLain or just a cover up the mess south shore hospital made during the labor and delivery of my grandson who i will leave name less for right now for there privacy and my darling poor grandaughter who is 2 and half years old who i will also leave name less until i get my answers just why eileen valez from the wemouth office was sent to my home to start an assesment and to begin a service plan for my daughter who has hada drug problem being prescibed oxycontin by docters at quincy city hospital manet health for a cronic knee problem that required two knee sugerys and still didnt correct her problem it just left her with an addiction problem that she has been batteling for 8 years now she bore a beautiful daughter that changed her life and not only did i get my daughter back but a beutiful grandaughter, who has lived in my home in norwell since she was brought home from the hospital. We are all she has known,mydaughe has had no relapses with herion in more then 4 years. She lives for her child she. She was set to have her second child due date of march 3rd,2011 but on jan30 th she started to bleed to my regret instead of putting her in one of our vehicles i called an ambulance they would only take her to SSH in Weymouth to stabilize her they thought what we all thought that she was having a placenta abruption their still saying thats what happened even thought the bleeding and cintractions stopped and both MOTHER and SON TESTED negative to any illiced drugs and after calling a high risk doc.in to do a ultrsound to check baby and condition of placanta which looked fine and there was no blood in her amniotic fluid the baby that was actually 6 weeks early weighed 6pounds five oounces with apcare score of i beliuevew were 8 and 9 ended up on high amounts of morohine versed and parilizing agents and also had breathing difficulitys because she did not recieve a simple inj. that would have matuered the babys lungs in 24hours in utero any eileen valez called her on the phone and asked her to go for urines she agreed to do anything my daughter took her first urine on feb. 4th 2011 and eileen valez came to my home in norwell on feb.8th and told my daughter shewas taking both of her children because her urine was dirty with cocain in it she took my granddaughter out of her home this stranger who has never met my grandaughter and rode off with her screaning only to call the next day and said im sorry i read your urine wrong it didnt have cocaine present in her urine it was bezodiazapan that my daughter was prescribed that was not a mistake this worker EILEEN VALEZ OF WEYMOUTH DCF simply lied so my daughter who knew she was clean and didnt use anything said are bring my daughter back and can i see my6 nerwboynm who ended up with bacterial menegitis from SSH buth thank GOD Childrens Hospital Boston in 4 days had him off the heavy mrds SSH had him on blaming my daughters for it. but both hospitals disagree but i as many believe CHILDRENS HOSPITAL over South shore which has had many lawsuits and now to make an innocent newborn sick and go as far as blaming the mother and using dcf to make their case was easy for them as long as they knew what worker would destroy a whole familys life to make their case for them by the way my dauther’s children are still in foster care becuase of her history, yes she has a history we ALL DO,she is in recoverys and just to let you no if you have a history it doent matter EILEEN VALEZ WORKER IN WEYMOUTH DCF WORKER WHO lies to her own supervisor please give my grandchildren and do the job you are paid to do.Please remove Valez from her power trip and let her know she lives and works by the same system everybody else does she cant lie and put words into her coworkers mouths by changining her coworkers words that were written in my daughters investigation done by mr spellnan and mr. corlos that if my daughter remained on the right track with no positive drug screens she wouldnt loose her children now will some please for the best interest of the children and judtice lookj into this as soon as possable. Please do the right thing. a loving grandmother
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002035780490 Marie Boyd

Hello, I feel thankful especially today,that someone is paying attention finally. This tragidy that could have been avoided if someone was doing their job. I have not slept a full night since this happened,there were so many mistakes made by DCF, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I cannot mention alot of them,because i feel i would be hurting their case. Its pretty sad,when you’re afraid to share the truth with the public because you will be hurting you’re loved ones chances of getting her children back. I don;t know how my grandchildrens thansgiving went,we didn’t do anything wrong. I ask myself why were we chosen,to implement Comm. McClains new plan. after reading it,i wrote another comment to this redicules plan. I asked him in writting what do you mean if you’re a drug addict stop. If you’re a runaway stop ,stop or what. What i threat if i ever heard one. Stop or youy will loose you’re children i guess. I thought they were in place and payed for streanthening the family unit. Now believe me i know in some cases,they have no choice. The mother leaves and their are no other family members,but not in this case. They didn’t check any family packets,they were suppose to do that in the first few days. Dcf says please we need foster parents,well this worker who we never met,showed up,and not only took our angel kicking and screamingon am emergency order,while my other grandson who lives here,was at preschool because he has an iep. I will never forget the terror of that day,and i look into my grandsons eyes when he asks ,wheres sister and in the beginning wiping away my tears,before looking at him,i would say,lexi is sick,but now when he gets sick,he wants us to take him to the docter right away. Eileen Valez now after ripping my and other family members apart,is voting “no confidence”. For what,because she feels afraid to go in and take someones child,on a lie. I heard her say as my daughter was crying and sobbing,i didn’t do anything,her response was test don’t lie,only p Well i guess she had that right. But imagine,right in front of a Norwell police officer,lied, on the affidavit,she didnt get until the next day,she lied. In Brockton Probate Court,the one and only time we were there for a seventy two hour hearing. where my daughter met the lawyer for her children, whom i begged first to take us in front of the judge,everything on the affidavit,my daughter had the original paperwork filed by date, that prooved the truth. On the affidavit she said my first grandchild was born on allicit drugs,my daughter pulled out the paperwork,to proove them wrong,oh my god it was one lie disproven by my daughter evrytime. When they were scaring my daughter not to go ,but to waive her rights,as the dcf attn. kept. coming out of the courtroom saying he doesn’t like to be kept waiting,my daughtyer said im going in,and then her lawer,and the fathers lawer pulled her into a room away from us,i can remember herfrightened eyes,as she was being pulled in and rushed on her decision. Then within yen minutes she was out,and she said momi made a deal.ill have them back in ten days,they told me that DCF wouldn’t work with me,and i would never get my children back,because if i don’t go along with htem now,they wont even help me find what they want me to do. I knew right away,that my grandchild.the 2yr old little angel,she is so beautiful,and innocent must have been looking for us. I’m so glad i’m writting this,because i cry thru the whole letter,but when i get to those parts i have to stop. So at the end of that day,the only thing we won if you could call anything a win that day,was Eileen Valez was thrown off the case that day,for lying.to a Judge. People oftem say,why does she even have a job. When i told her,and they gave me that honer,she had the nerve to say i quote “it was a mistake ,everyone makes mistakes” i said do they,thats not wht you said before,amd the Norwell Cop knew he was breaking the law to. How could you do this all of you. How can society now that these storys are coming out,stand by and not do anything, I have found out so much info on this whole story,did you know that DCF angency that doesn’t have enough money,gives a South SHORE HOSPITAL employee 150.000.00 scholorship a year,well i was wondering why the social worker from the hospital wasn;t a mandated reporter. Now isnt that stange, a social not a mandated reporter,and i saw that with my own eyes. I know were ,we had a Fair Hearing we only had to wait six months,and i guess thats very strange,but i thought, when i was emailing the govenor of mass. his own constitute were telling us not to do the things they wantedher to do,but we had that on sept. 20 2011. BUT no one will call her back, you’re suppose to get the results in twenty days. nother law broken. You’re suppose to be given a pamplet with you’re rights,she didn’t get one. The judge white juwst found out in one bit of information,,because my daughters lawer was freindly with the Dcf attn. ,she told us that was a good thing,funny,there playing with all of our lives,and there laughig it up in the courtroom. anyway i was in the courtroom,when my daughters lawyer told the judge she was leaving the case,because my daughter wasn’t lisentening to her advoce,what a jole,if she diudn;t she would have walkeds out with her children that day. Anyway she has to go along with DCF or her contract wont be signed,why go to lawschool.to be a patsy for an agency that hurts children. mrs, virtue. Oh the day when she left,she finally got around to telling judge white,that mother and child were clean at the time of birth,this was in July or August, my grandson was born,on Jan 31st,2011. My daughter was told by the delivering docter, that what happened just happens for no reason sometime, and the fact that they were both clean, told her that it had nothing to do with drugs,she saud the baby was healthy at birth,and like i said they were both clean at the time of birth,and then she hugged us and left. But inthe affidavit,it said the baby was dirty at birth another lie,my daughter and i and a couple of other people in the room heard the docter say that,and my daughter had her paperwork ,she got before she left,thats why she always has the originals,now usually drug addicts that are using dont have there original paperwork,im not judgeing anyone,its just ,sometimes there noving around,because there behind in rent,and there is just no housing. So needless to say the judge wasn’t veryhappy with DCF,she asked is there a social worker,and yes there was one,but he was told to visit the parents once a month,i think he has been there i know once in almost 11 months, maybe twice,but anyway she ordered Dcf to turm over all discovery,in a week. My daughters lawyer who is wonderful,is just now getting some of it,and shes making progress with my daughter. but like i said before,even when they comehome,and i pray everyday the lord will bot forsake us,and i have faith that he won’t,i will always stay involved,and i will be here to help other parents. I already kmow a;ot of the laws. that was the first thing i said to the superviser,who was out that day,whens she stoe my grandaughter. and the officer knew he was breaking the law,pleaqse help us,by changing laws,by praying,i want them back,how dare somwman,without knowing who did what,put an order in,to take a child and lie to do it. Thats not someone out to help the children,thats another person with a thinking there GOD,and running people. I feel for the mothers who they do this to,that don’t have people in there life to help them,so they give up. Well MR.MC CLAIN you picked the wrong family,this time., And i will not stop until.youre out of any position,were you can ever harm children again. Why can’t we see,the foster parents records,my grandaughters foster mother went to California,oh she took her hudband to,my daughter was so afraid, she asked who will be with my chikden and the other three foster children,and she said oh my sister,and no she doesnt have a licence to have foster children. My daughter,didnt know whay to do,so it was like the story in the bible,she could have called DCF although they never call her back. but we can record on out cell phones,and it tell the date and time. amyway to end this fornow,my daughter chose to sit and worry all week, or pray she would be safe,because the foster woman told her at least she knows my sister if you say something, they will move her again. so my daughter didnt want her daughter to go through this again,and once again she was threatened by anither person from dcf,only this time it was the foster mother. now i want to see her cory her driving records,and why dont they get urined,oh dear Jesus,return them,we have to make this right. this could happen top anyone.thank you
Boydmarie25

i making this comment to WBUR. i was so grateful to see,that you putmy comment under mcclains story,i thought we finally had some help. This has been the worst time in my life,and someone was finaly listening to me. Then in Sept. they changed the goal,from reunificationship to adoption,for no aparent reason. anywayi i went to court to get temp cust last week after waiting eleven months for dcf to make a decision and they said they lost my packet i filled out to take the kids,i am so tired of being lied to,dcf made a wopper of a mistake i cannot and havenot put on the internetfor the sake of the children,and then i became aware thaat my daughter gave this info to her worker right away,and thge father of her second child told his attn. and leannes last month. So yesterday i and my 25 year old daughter recieved a call from an adoption worker yesterday saying they found this and a page i made for my grandaughter and cancelled our visit,i dont know what tyo do,i figured u were the press,and all of this was legal,i wish i could tell u the mistake,but they keep threatenening me. please i had to shut it all down,they are calling my fb friends,and thrteateneing ones that have old cases with them,i have been trying to get a hold of u and im stopping now,because im afrais im never going to see them again. please try to get a hold of me,my addrress is 22 knollwood rd. norwell mass.
marie tempesta

I know there are so many more familys that are in the same sitiuation that we are,look at some of the other web sites. I am hoping some one will come forward,and stop this terrible harrasment of my daughter,who at her first day of trial,was quetioned by a dcf Attn. about a relationship that my daughter was involved with more then seven years ago. At that time my daughter had no children and was in a five year relationship,that in the beginning as we all know,usually starts off great. Unfortunately this man began my daughter,after a year into this relationship,anyway the DCF Attn. question her,for five hours,and most of this time,she was asked why she let this man break her nose,jaw,burn her with cigg. He even drove a vehicle into a building trying to kill her,. So now i guess its the womans fault when she stays in a relationship. I have never been so sickenend to her she was turned into a victim again by a female Attn. So i guess now,the other change is,if you’re a drug addict stop if you’re a runaway stop, now if you let you’re self be beaten stop. Whats next,if you’re not married stop,when do these new rules on how you’re aloud to have children start,whenare they going to stop. I thought god was in charge of that. I know there are children that need to be protected,but how does a woman who had a relationship seven years ago, have anything to do with now. The only thing my granddaughter had was two chipped teeth,from a fall, and she had an appt a bmc to have them looked at. I can’t believe i am actually believe,i am defending the fact,that my daughter,was beaten terribly,by a man who had ben sentenced after being foung guilty,in the very court that was,trurning it on my daughter.
. But her s.w. told me back in Oct. when i had physically go to the DCF office,because he doesn’t return calls,he stated then that we don’t think she is a drug addict anymore,we tink she makes bad decisions. Iam saddened that my daughter had to relive those days,of those terrible beatings. They assumed my daughter hasn’t resolved those issues. I don’t know exactly how you do that,but i know,she had never touched a drug before that happened,so maybe,thats why she did, I don’t know. I do know,that she didn’t deserve it,and we were very happy,when he made the mistake we were waiting for,he did it here in front of us,so we called the police,and they worked quikly,and apprehended him,and put him away,for a year. I just can’t beieve that this woman is blaming a victim of domestic abuse,at its worst,I thought we came along way on this subject. So this is why she lost her children,or is fighting to keep them. This man was found guilty,for the second time,but according to this Attn,who plays prosecuter for dept. of children and familys,says its the womans fault for taking them back. I have lived in Norwell for twenty four years,and even though i have said i was angry with the Norwell Police,they were right here,and had warrents from here to taughton tp pick him up. One of the police officers were sickened when her saw the burn marks on her neck ,and they did a wonderful job,in getting him away from her,and putting him in jail for the second time,the first time,involved another woman. So please.can some one,speak out to domestic violence,and remind peoiple,its not the womans fault.