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CPS Public Awarness and Advocate Support Group (Sacramento or surrounding counties)
Reply to: familyreunification1st@live.com [?]
Date: 2009-02-09, 10:17PM PST


This is a group for parents, children, and/or family members currently or previously involved in the Child Protective Services "system". Sacramento County's Child Protective Service agency is rated among the worst in a nationwide study.
You can be the best parent in the world, have no criminal history, child neglect history, drug history, citizen in perfect standing and fall prey to false accusations reported to CPS which will in the least warrant a "emergency home-visit". Surely an investigation will follow, resulting in the nightmare I have lived for the past 3 years now.
Im trying to begin a non-profit organization to promote awareness about Sacramento County CPS.
I too received a knock on my door one day. Not worried because the allegations against me were false and absured, and I had hard proof against them. Strange as it may seem, my coercian, and willingness to work with CPS, thinking they would perform their investigation and clear me. NEVER HAPPENED, here I am 3 years later, still fighting hard, still trying to get my proof in, and still no ability too. Something you may be shocked to know is that our family court system and criminal court system work in 2 very different ways. Criminal court system requires that the prosecution has the responsibility to provide the burden of proof - Beyond a reasonable doubt. At family court however, if you choose to fight the allegations, which can only be done at that hearing and that hearing only, CPS/Sac County Counsel (essentially the prosecution) DOES have the responsibility to provide the burden of proof...BUT...only by a preponderance of evidence. Usually most parents have no idea how this system works and when their "paper" attorneys "post-pone" court you think you still have a chance. But the moment you walk out that door, your life ended. You will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE THE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST YOU. THE WORST PART I'M GONNA TELL YOU NOW, IS THIS. While you thought you were agreeing to a simple postponement to get to know your attorney and comeback more preparred another day was not what you accomplished at all. Essentially you agreed that they had right to detain your children and place them in protective custody and you agreed (albeit without knowing) that the report from the social worker, allegations and all, were true and you submitted to allow them to become court record. That new date you set, was a date for a jurisdictional and/or dispositional hearing. Whereupon an investigation is supposed to be conducted by a court investigator who will determine details about the furture of the case. In my experience, so-called "investigations never really occur. From this point on, truth doesn't exist. Even if you have solid black&white proof to your innocence, it doesn't matter. Any info provided by the county is ALWAYS ADMITTED INTO TO the RECORD AS TRUTH (this includes lies, statements taken out of context, misrepresentation of real information, any and all hearsay, BASICALLY ANYTHING)will be stacked up against you with no ability to repair ANY OF IT.

FALSE ACCUSSATIONS HAVE LED TO THE TRAGIC AND MOSTLY PERMENANT REMOVAL OF CHILDREN FROM "SAFE" HOMES. Even when circumstances warrant the need for intervention to help a family, many of those interventions and services can be done w/o removing the child from the home while the home is made "safe". However, it seems that if you simply "admit" to the allegations, you can start services and get your kids back ASAP. Which brings us to the dangerous deaths that have recently occured to many children already having been in "the system" previously (many with current open cases).

As I said before I am trying to start a non-profit organization to advocate for children and families. I have much insight to offer and am eager to focus my energies in the right direction. If you are interested in being part of this effort in the beginning stages, please contact me at the following numbers:
cell (916)601-4115 or hm (916)722-1571
There are MANY people who have or had issues that may require CPS intervention and I really want to hear from you too. I know for a fact there are many parents that have done everything CPS required them to do and more, yet still don't have their kids home, and many will never come home!
I WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE AND EVERYONE INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
parents
children (foster, adopted, living back at home, all kids)
family members
friends
social workers
child advocates
Native Americans (I have much involvement with the Indian Child Welfare Act)
ANYONE that would like to help and promote awarness

With much love,
God Bless,
*~*Heather*~*

* Location: Sacramento or surrounding counties
* it's ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1028516289