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Idea to send: |
| Topic | A Reformation in DHS Policy |
| Content | For centuries the world has been awed by the ancient pyramids of Egypt, whose permanence is due almost entirely to the meticulous fashion in which their foundations were constructed. Any architect will tell you that this is the most vital part of any structure. In today’s culture, children are known to be our future, but are seldom recognized as the very groundwork upon which the pyramid of our society is built. Oklahomans today hold a great responsibility to offer hope and protection to these irreplaceable foundational blocks that will one day be the leaders of our great state. A key part in accomplishing this is a much needed reformation of our Department of Human Services policies.
As a current foster child, I have personally experienced many of the ups and downs of DHS. One of the most preeminent flaws in the existing policy is the assumption that all families are able to be reunified. This generic, once-size-fits-all approach simply cannot apply to all families. In some cases, children should in fact not return home due to the inability of the family as a whole to be emotionally functional. When this cookie cutter approach is taken, there is often great emotional scarring for the victims involved due to the psychologically unsafe environment to which they have returned. Each case should be handled individually, according to the needs of the family involved, rather than with a blanket-policy approach.
Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ Child Protective Services are as a whole incredibly understaffed as well. The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2006 Annual Report shows that Oklahoma’s child welfare workers and supervisors bear an active caseload that is two to three times larger than suggested by the Child Welfare League of America. The resources are extremely limited for families attempting to complete a DHS treatment plan also. Many counselors are not specifically trained to treat the various disorders and issues which families face and therefore may not be able to sufficiently correct the behaviors in question. It is imminent that we ensure that our children are being cared for sufficiently as individuals. Without enough qualified workers, this goal is impossible to reach.
It should be made a goal of each worker as well to explore other options in placements for children. The adjustment into foster care is difficult for any child, but kinship placements immensely help the children to adjust more easily and begin once again productively taking part in their every-day activities. In cases in which there is a guardian free from reproof, it is possible as well that rather than the child being displaced, that the perpetrator be removed from the home instead. This would allow the child to experience much less apprehension due to being sited in an unfamiliar atmosphere. This benefits child-welfare workers as well, leaving them more foster home openings for other children in which both guardians are in question.
I have had many superior experiences being in foster care; however, my position has allowed me to see what others may not see looking from the outside in. A revamping of the Department of Human Services is long overdue, and cannot stand to be pushed aside any longer, lest we lose even one more precious life to the tragedy of child abuse and neglect. In celebrating Oklahoma’s 100th year, we must look ahead to the future and find today whatever ways we may build these blocks, our children, to be strong for the Oklahoma of tomorrow.
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