The Governor’s Advocacy Office ( GAO) received yesterday your two emails wherein you expressed concerns about your case manager. I am going to respond your questions and concerns starting from the most current. To be clear and in order to help me to address your concerns, I have highlighted and numbered them.
To first clarify the role of the GAO, this office is under both the Governor’s Office and the DHS Director’s Office. We independently review constituent complaints or concerns about DHS programs and services and frequently respond on behalf of the Governor’s and Director’s Offices. Because we are under the DHS umbrella, we have the consent to access client information systems and confidential case files. We are bound by confidentiality …show more content…
b) The CW Program does not act autonomously in their decisions to protect children. Continuous court involvement and review are part of the checks and balances in place to ensure that DHS complies with the law, does not exceed its authority, protects the welfare of children and affords parents their legal rights.
1. Since you have a Child Welfare open case in WA, and there is a court order issued by a Judge in WA, we strongly recommend to work with your case manager in CW WA. As mentioned before, we do not have authority so oversee Child Welfare workers in WA. We also recommend you to continue working with the ombudsman in WA.
2. Regarding the information you have requested to your case manager here in Oregon, I asked the CW Dallas Supervisor, Mark Walsh, if there is any information pending to be sent, and here is his response:
“We have passed along every reported concern against the grandmother, to the State of Washington Protective Services.”
Based on that, any information you may need, please request to your case manager in Child Welfare in WA, if there is any other additional information, your Child Welfare case worker can coordinate with the Child Welfare in …show more content…
Regarding having a meeting to share more documentation that needs to read it, we strongly suggest to share that documentation with the ISPO.
5. My understanding is that CW Dallas workers and including the GAO recommended you to work with WA case manager and with your attorney, since you case was already under WA jurisdiction.
6. We do not have information if they already have called you. I suggest to contact the ISPO either sending to them an email to dhs.privacyhelp@state.or.us or calling them at (503) 945 6812.
7. Regarding court order decisions, what we mentioned in our conference call was that if the court order granted the child’s custody to the State of Oregon, DHS, then the CW here in OR will open a case and you will have an case manager helping your to get services and they will develop a Ongoing Safety Plan to keep your children safe.
Again, we understand your frustration and we acknowledged that as difficult as the circumstances are at this present time, the placement of your children with you is out of the Oregon DHS CW control. We understand that you may disagree, however the GAO will consider this matter closed. This is our final response to you as we are not equipped with the resources to continue an open ended dialogue regarding your multilayered disputes with the State of Washington. Nonetheless, we wish you
To first clarify the role of the GAO, this office is under both the Governor’s Office and the DHS Director’s Office. We independently review constituent complaints or concerns about DHS programs and services and frequently respond on behalf of the Governor’s and Director’s Offices. Because we are under the DHS umbrella, we have the consent to access client information systems and confidential case files. We are bound by confidentiality …show more content…
b) The CW Program does not act autonomously in their decisions to protect children. Continuous court involvement and review are part of the checks and balances in place to ensure that DHS complies with the law, does not exceed its authority, protects the welfare of children and affords parents their legal rights.
1. Since you have a Child Welfare open case in WA, and there is a court order issued by a Judge in WA, we strongly recommend to work with your case manager in CW WA. As mentioned before, we do not have authority so oversee Child Welfare workers in WA. We also recommend you to continue working with the ombudsman in WA.
2. Regarding the information you have requested to your case manager here in Oregon, I asked the CW Dallas Supervisor, Mark Walsh, if there is any information pending to be sent, and here is his response:
“We have passed along every reported concern against the grandmother, to the State of Washington Protective Services.”
Based on that, any information you may need, please request to your case manager in Child Welfare in WA, if there is any other additional information, your Child Welfare case worker can coordinate with the Child Welfare in …show more content…
Regarding having a meeting to share more documentation that needs to read it, we strongly suggest to share that documentation with the ISPO.
5. My understanding is that CW Dallas workers and including the GAO recommended you to work with WA case manager and with your attorney, since you case was already under WA jurisdiction.
6. We do not have information if they already have called you. I suggest to contact the ISPO either sending to them an email to dhs.privacyhelp@state.or.us or calling them at (503) 945 6812.
7. Regarding court order decisions, what we mentioned in our conference call was that if the court order granted the child’s custody to the State of Oregon, DHS, then the CW here in OR will open a case and you will have an case manager helping your to get services and they will develop a Ongoing Safety Plan to keep your children safe.
Again, we understand your frustration and we acknowledged that as difficult as the circumstances are at this present time, the placement of your children with you is out of the Oregon DHS CW control. We understand that you may disagree, however the GAO will consider this matter closed. This is our final response to you as we are not equipped with the resources to continue an open ended dialogue regarding your multilayered disputes with the State of Washington. Nonetheless, we wish you