Letters to the Editor
Missing from Brag Letter
I am writing to voice my opinion about the recent letter bragging about the Juvenile Court. Are people in this county aware that there is a new federal law regarding ensuring dependent children contact with family? I have been writing in about it for some time. It is called the Family First Prevention Services Act. Moving toward compliance with the new federal law cannot be credited to our local or state agencies. In fact, Ohio is actively working to put off the changes, changes that will greatly benefit children.
What was missing from that brag-letter is the fact that family placement of dependent children and/or prevention of removal at all is the focus of the new federal law. How many children in Geauga County have been needlessly placed in the foster system? How many children are in congregate care who don’t need to be? How many family members who complain are being punished through the children? How many have been threatened with jail if they speak out against the treatment of those children? How many children are being misdiagnosed with mental disorders and drugged?
Cuyahoga County indicates where their dependent children are right on their website. Why not Geauga?
In my opinion, there should be an independent investigation into how the Geauga County Juvenile Court and Children’s Services have handled individual cases through the examination of dockets and transcripts, by an independent body. And the results should be measured by outcome. We demanded outcome-based education years ago. How about outcome-based children’s systems? The Ohio Disciplinary Counsel does not investigate such things.
Citizens should demand accountability of these systems that, in fact, have almost zero independent oversight. We cannot take the word of government agencies. No oversight always leads to the abuse of power. Always.
Robin Neff
Chardon
