A stroll through
to the new Love Park invites families to explore their senses with fun free activities from water play to the corner lawn at JFK Blvd and 15th Street filled with musical instruments, books and outdoor games.
What does it all mean when a statue of Frank Rizzo, a statue of coming up on backs, and various board games adorn our city plaza on the same corner. You can see all of this while walking to family court or a dhs meeting and wonder what is really going on with Philadelphia DHS? The concern has been gaining media attention with the recent closure of Glenn Mills. Families trapped in the DHS systems would like their concerns of abuse heard as well. If Philadelphia cares about our families then why is there no transparency of the current reforms? Councilman David Oh was falsely accused by DHS of abusing his son while at a martial arts class. He and Co-Sponsor City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, understands the cries of these parents and wants to know what is going on at Philadelphia DHS but Councilwoman Helen Gym is blocking the transparency and accountability resolution Councilman Oh proposed in February.
DHS Reform seems to be forever ongoing with little to no public transparency or accountability.
In 2016 Seven Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) subcontractors were fired after falsely reporting on home visits, the Inquirer reported . Understaffed, they allegedly falsified work on behalf of vulnerable kids. [1] In May 2018 PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order that creates the Child Welfare Oversight Board (CWOB) whose duty is to review and assess the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services. The CWOB replaces the Community Oversight Board, which recently concluded their service to the City, after DHS implemented recommendations that the board was charged with overseeing.[2] In February 2019 At an emotionally charged Philadelphia City Council hearing that was often interrupted by shouts of anger from the gallery, parents of children in foster care and legal experts told council members that the city's chief child welfare agency needs an overhaul.[3]
The battle will resume because DHS has made families vulnerable versus providing families with support services addressing or identifying the best possible care models for individuals with complex clinical and behavioral conditions.
"We are committed to ensuring that our most vulnerable populations are taken care of and looked after, but too often these populations struggle to find proper care opportunities," said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. "Leveraging partnerships with providers across the state is a critical piece of creating a network to support individuals with complex needs."
Leveraging partnerships with families and community members should also be examined at Philadelphia DHS. In New York, progress is being made to prevent family separation and reunite families sooner. [4] [5] Where is the public information on how Philadelphia is connecting with vulnerable families? Why is there no transparent or accountable measures for the welfare agency in our city?
Alicia Dorsey
Family/Community Advocate
[1] https://generocity.org/philly/2016/05/27/child-welfare-foster-reform/
[2] https://www.phila.gov/2018-05-11-mayor-announces-new-dhs-oversight-board/
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019074091930088X
[5] https://mailchi.mp/risemagazine/new-legislation-and-evidence-for-approaches-that-protect-child-welfare-involved-families?e=6606e46ed9
