A startling document came on the fb groups today allegedly stating that, “Effective 4/22/20, if in the course of an assessment a caseworker or supervisor makes the determination that a child will enter substitute care because their caregiver is infected with COVID-19, the caseworker or supervisor will need to select a newly created case note value for tracking these specific entries.
The category is, “Other Note” and the type of the new value is, “Caregiver with C19,” as displayed in the screenshot below.”
“Again, this value is to be used only when the determination has been made that the child will be entering or has entered substitute care because their caregiver is infected with COVID-19 and is unable to support them. If that determination has been made, it is critical to make this selection for tracking purposes.”
This raises so many questions. Let’s say you are a single parent. You get hospitalized. DHS steps in and takes your child. What happens next? If you die then obviously the child is in the state’s care but what if you recover?
In Florida, a doctor fighting the pandemic lost her child to protective services because she was being exposed to the virus daily in a valiant effort to fight the pandemic. She eventually got her daughter back (for now) BUT she had to fight the courts! “The decision came four days after Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Bernard Shapiro, in a decision that outraged some members of the medical community, ruled that the child was at heightened risk of contracting the highly contagious virus because of her mother’s work.”
“The legal battle is not over, but the appellate court’s decision means the mother’s “time sharing will be temporarily restored effective immediately,” her lawyer, Steven Nullman, wrote in a statement … While we are beyond grateful for today’s ruling, we know that this matter is far from over. We will continue to work diligently for Dr. Greene, her daughter and all the other first responders and medical professionals,”
While overwhelmed, the DHS in Oregon has told me through a friend of a person inside that this is not what the DHS is up to. This matter really is for the child in case the parent dies from the virus and there is no one else to take care of them. The tracking would be to measure the impact of cases. Fair enough.
But, what can happen to an overwhelmed staff with high cases, and a power structure based politically on the crisis for any gain of power, could do to a poor family in a stand off with the state? We have read reports that hospitals get paid more for COVID cases. Is there a loophole where DHS would get funding for fostering COVID affected children? If there was, wouldn’t that make a mess for Oregonian families!
Hi James,
Thanks very much for posting the document. I called Lisa (couldn’t hear her last name on the answering machine), Communications Director at DHS to ask what the document actually means. What are the criteria for removing a child and who makes that determination are two questions I would like to have answered. I’ll keep on this and let you know what i find.
Thanks Kate. I want to trust the DHS. I have 2 people work for them and they are stressed to the gills. I would hate for something to happen during the whole thing that could have been prevented 🙂
Hi james,
I wanted to offer my apology for how I got in your face today at the rally. I have just been so furious about this corona insanity and I took it out on you. I could have simply asked you not to video me and explained my reasons.
I also wanted to say that I appreciated how skillfully you defused the situation by getting us to yak about how hard it is to get cool glasses.
I’m sure we’ll see each other again because I’m sure there will be more rallies cuz I’m sure we’re just starting in on this craziness.
FYI: With Bill (Bill as in BIllionaire) Gates’ drive to forcibly vaccinate the world, I’ve spent and am spending a lot of time investigating the issue of vaccine safety. You may be aware of this already but it has been illegal to sue vaccine makers since 1986. Safe and effective?the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid out $4.3 billion since 1988.
I have a ton of information if you are interested. Going forward, the issue of medical freedom, the right to determine what does and does not enter your body and the bodies of your children is going to be huge.
Be well.
Kate
Hi Kate, I apologize too for assuming you were attacked us. You and your friend were the highlight of my day! It makes me so happy when people from the left can rally with people from the right. Whatever our beliefs are, we have one in common and it’s deep rooted. Freedom. Freedom to buy what we want, choose our work and lifestyle. Freedom to travel without papers and most importantly, freedom of speech. Believe it or not, in Europe, there is no freedom of speech. All we have is America. The last place on earth for liberty and it’s being attacked from all angles. Bless your heart dear and email me here: james@takeoregonback.com then I will fwd my phone so we can talk more. I wanted to continue our discussion on socialism before we got cut off! 🙂
Hi James,
I just spoke with Lacey Andresen, Deputy Director of Child Welfare at DHS. According to her it is not the policy of DHS to remove children if a parent is ill, whether they are ill with Covid 19 or any other sickness. She said that only if 1) a parent is unable to care for the child AND 2) all other possible childcare possibilities have been exhausted AND 3) the parent voluntarily requests a temporary foster placement would DHS consider placement.
I suggested that because many people are understandably concerned when they read this document and have no context in which to put it, it would be a smashing idea if DHS issued a press release clarifying their policy. So let’s see if that happens. Apparently she has been contacted by a number of concerned citizens.