Dec. 01 2003 09:40PM
Richard A. Dunsmore, M.D., FACP
Lillian
D. Dunsmore, M.D.
2300 West Chester Road
East Fallowfield, PA 19320
E-mail:
famforfreedom@webtv. net
November 24, 2003
Martln Indars, Editor
Daily Local News
250 N. Bradford Avenue
West Cheater, PA 19382
Sir:
In his November 22 column, Congressman Pitts underestimates the number of
children in foster care. There are actually 600,000 - and 90% don't belong
there! Further, 10% are more likely to be abused in foster care ( 24% more sexually abused) than in the general
population or at home. There is overcrowding amidst dirty surroundings.
Caseworkers ask physicians for antidepressants and sleeping pills for children
exhibiting behavior associated with separation from families. Too often the physician never sees the child and dire
consequences ensue - high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and respiratory distress.
General Accounting Office, examining foster care children, reported 12% receive no medical
care;
34% receive no immunization; 32% have identifiable medical illness and receive no care. As for education, it is best summarized that a child who has the Child Protective Service as a tutor is usually a
failure.
Only 10% of children are ever returned to their biological parents, according to several Federal judges. We testified
before a House of Representative subcommittee concerning the ineptness
of Child Protective Service. A judge from Sunbury stated, " I was once a caseworker, and I know how hard they work for the best interest of the child. I've never known one that
was wrong." Amen.
The causes for warehousing children are multifaceted: mandated reporting by unskilled individuals; false allegations by
vindictive spouses, rebellious teenagers and mean-spirited individuals; ill-trained, poorly- educated caseworkers ignoring the very laws designed to protect
the children.
Poverty, mentioned
by
Congressman Pitts, is not a cause for removal of a child;
otherwise, Jesus and Abe Lincoln would have wound up in foster care!
Child protective Service Laws (Act 124) dictate the categories for removal of a child: bodily, mental and sexual abuse. The Juvenile
Act 333 was enacted granting children constitutional protection against frivolous removal by
the state.
As for adoption, Pitts leaves us with the thought that money should dictate
terms for adopting - 561,000/year in adoptive households vs.
$48,000 with biologic
parents!
Children with 2
parents fare
better than
those
with only one. True, but is the widower/widow to forfeit their children
to adoption?
The Adoption Incentives program, which rewards states for adoption placement, forebodes problems. In July 2000, Florida passed an adoption law that would enable state employees to adopt. They would receive $5,000 for a child; $10,000 for
a special needs child, financial aid for adoption expenses and monthly maintenance of the child, along with 6 months' parental leave. If the adoption did not work out, the child would be
returned after a year and replaced with another one. One correction Officer in
Florida, has already figured out a way to make between $20,000 and $30,000. He would return the children, one by one, never having more than one child in the house. This is not the stability one seeks for our children.
Many families have
been
caught in the pernicious claws of the Child Protection Service. They want their children
home
but are obstructed by CPS and the indifferent courts.
'
In
1974, when
the Mondale Act was enacted, child
abuse stood
at 60,000 cases
in a population of 220,000,000. The budget was set: at
$45,000,000 for the entire country. Today,
with a population of 280,000, 000, over 3,000, 000 cases are reported annually and
the budget is over 4 billion dollares. Children have become an industry.
Increasing
the
number of caseworkers is ludicrous. Rather, adequate training, a large dose of
common sense, respect for the laws would enhance the welfare of children and keep
families
united. Open the courts. This approach in Michigan changed the demeanor of caseworkers and lawyers which worked to the advantage of the families. Remove immunity! Make the caseworker accountable! The number of children snatched would drop
precipitously. The monies wasted by
"do-gooders" could be utilized in programs for the families and for
the children.
Children belong with families, not bureaucrats.
Instead of dispersing children with the Adoption Incentives program, we suggest Congressman
Pitts direct his efforts to returning
540,000
children back
to their rightful owners.
Sincerely,
Lillian D. Dunsmore, M.D.
Riohard A. Dunsmore, M.D., FACP
cc. Congressman Pitts
Congressman Jim Gerlach
The authors are co-directors of Families For Freedom, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping innocent families who have lost their children illegally to the "Protective" system,
Statistics have been gathered from:
Congressional Quarterly Almanac, 93rd
congress,
First Session.Vol XXIX, p
513.1973
House of Representatives, lO6th congress. Resolution 76. March 1999 S511.
The Safe Adoptions and Family Environments Act.
Thoma, Emerich. "Critical Look at Foster Care: How Wide Spread the Problem?"
Dursmore, L.D. and Dunsmore, R.A. "'!'he Shredding of Families" p39-44.
Fallowfield Publications 1994
Thorn, Emerich.
Critical Look at the Child Welfare System: The Sectarian Agencies
The Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Act. 42 U.S.C.A. Section 5103; 601-602. 1974
Social Security Act. Title IV E and Title IV B
National Commission of Prevention of Child Abuse. study 210.
The State of
the Children.
Florida Law 2000-241. Fl. Stat. Section 110.152
PA Child Protective Service Law. Act 124