Motion Filed In DHS Lawsuit


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Updated: 3/25/2010 3:41 am Published: 3/24/2010 10:07 pm


New developments in a class action lawsuit against Oklahoma's Department of Human Services.

It was two years ago when the group Children's Rights filed the lawsuiton behalf of all of Oklahoma's 10,000 foster children.  Attorneys are asking the Governor's office... to turn over records of child welfare workers' caseloads.

The group says DHS does not properly track cases, leaving some case workers with many more cases, than they can handle. The result? Children suffer. 

"When a caseworker has excessive case loads, it's bad for kids. It's bad for kids because reports of abuse fall through the cracks and aren't attended to. It's bad for kids because caseworkers don't have the time and resources to pay attention to these children in the manner in which they need to be monitored," says attorney for the Plaintiffs, Paul DeMuro, of Tulsa.

DHS has not yet responded to our attempts to get a comment. The next court date for the class action lawsuit is this Friday, when the judge will determine the next step.


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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of KOKI FOX23 - Tulsa

Fightforkids - 4/28/2011 2:55 AM
Today was the first time I saw my daughter in 2 weeks!! I relized something at this visit, I told my 4 year old daughter that I loved her and her response was I know... My daughter use to all the time say I love you momma.. I was extemely upset so we had a talk with her without going into great detail or (tryin not to:) show any emotion toward anything that was said. She ended up telling me in the bathroom that the foster parents get on to her for saying I love you to them or anybody in the home. I know that they aren't suppose to get attached but I have worked in the medical field for several years and they tell you the same thing... Honestly I believe if you don't get attached your in it for the money not in all cases but most, how do these people get on to a 4 year old for expressing emotions and feelings!!!! It makes me very angry knowing that my daughter went from a home that was full of love to people who are just blah no emotion If you show emotion it just shows you do have a heart a child needs to know that they are loved in every way including being able to hear it actions do speak louder then words but a child needs to be told that they are loved everyday every minute. It's absurd to think that my daughter gets punished for saying I love you. If this is how they are tryin to raise my daughter imagine the foster parents who don't give a s**t what the hell goes on behind there closed doors?? My daughter was stuttering a lot in the other foster homes today there wasn't any stuttering at all, I'm not licensed but I have been around kids long enough to know that's a sign I have taken enough classes to know that this is not right. My daughter also had brusing down her spine now she has scars do I honestly think something was going on...HELL YES I do but all I have is what my daughter tells and the pictures of her bruises I always take pictures because you can say hey she was bruised tell you die and you won't get anywhere. SHUT DHS DOWN FOR GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

papdadi - 3/25/2010 2:50 PM
They need to just shut DHS down, its a big frickin joke anyway. I have to deal with them on a daily basis as a nurse and what a broken system it is.
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