WTFDCF? If Someone Calls Because A Kid Is Being Tortured, Answer The Phone!

"The child was tortured.  Tortured.  It's been a week.  Yet no one has been able to reach Commissioner Angelo McClain?"  


You can't make this stuff up.  


The Director of DCF and DCF Press Representative Refuse to Discuss the Torture of A Nine-Year Old New Bedford Boy. 


New Bedford lawmaker yesterday demanded Department of Children and Families Commissioner Angelo McClain personally oversee an internal investigation of the torture of a 4-year-old boy and share his findings with cops and the Bristol District Attorney’s Office.    


“We already know where there was human evil. I want to know where there was human error,” state Sen. Mark C. Montigny said. “My plea to (McClain) was, ‘You need to aggressively oversee this.’ Something went terribly wrong here and this little boy has to pay for it for the rest of his life. When you can’t protect a child, what’s left?” 


Listen to the Boston Herald reporter who broke the story (click here). 

WTFDCF Cited at DCF Area Mangers Meeting as Part of Reason for Restructuring. S-h-h-h-h.

A WTFDCF T-Shirt to anyone else who can provide more details from today's Area Manager's meeting about the "restructuring."  S-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h!  

WTFDCF??? DCF Does Nothing as Couple Says Bruises on Dead Child Due to ‘Clumsiness’

WTFDCF???????
Clumsy is reaching across a restaurant table and knocking over your date's glass of red wine; clumsy is tripping over your own feet while running to first base, clumsy is me on my first date.
Clumsy is NOT a child who is badly beaten and bruised with the impression of an adult's hand on her body.

WTFDCF? Why are you hiding behind all the secrecy?

WTFDCF?  Why are you hiding behind all the secrecy?

At other agencies, people are proud for whom they work. At DCF, there aren't even staff lists available for the public.

Here'how we do it in Connecticut.  The first person who sends us a Mass DCF staff list, which we'll publish to bring some more sunlight into that dimly lit maze, will get a WTFDCF T-Shirt and the thanks of the parents of the state.  Send the lists! to WTFDCF@Gmail.com

DCF and Torture. They go together like "crack" and "pipe."

Pol urges DCF boss to probe New Bedford child’s torture

(WTFDCF?  How many times do we have to see "DCF" and "torture" in the same headline???   How about a response?  If Mubarak can do it in Egypt, why can't you do it here, Angelo?)  

WTFDCF? You did it again!

The acting head of the state’s probation office said yesterday the agency is “saddened” by the “tragic” death of a 3-month-old Lawrence boy, whose father is accused of killing him while on probation for child abuse, and plans to meet with child welfare authorities about ways to improve their cooperation.

“The supervision of the Alexis Medina case was done in a professional and responsible manner and in accordance with the standards of the Massachusetts Probation Service,” said acting Administrator Ronald Corbett Jr. in his first public comments about Medina. “I have spoken with Department of Children and Families Commissioner Angelo McClain and will meet with him to explore ways to collaborate on cases of mutual concern.”

DCF had closed its case with Medina before the death of his son, Alex. McClain told the Herald Tuesday he wanted to meet with Corbett about the case and other issues.

Probation spokeswoman Coria Holland also confirmed for the first time that Medina was visited at home by probation during the short life of his son. Police say the baby was abused two other times by his father before his death. 

Probation said it did not find any evidence of mistreatment during its visits.

Medina, who is being held without bail, has denied the charges.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1307692

W.T.F.D.C.F.? Tell us your worst abuse and neglect story and we'll carry the ball!

WTFDCF, how hard can it be to fix problems?  If you're a family member or a DCF staffer, former or past, tell us your greatest story of abuse or neglect, or just plain bureaucratic frustration.  We'll let people vote online and once we pick the worst one, we'll get it fixed using the power of the web.  And then we'll move on to the next one.  Deadline for submissions is January 22, 2011.  Just post to the site (below); email WTFDCF@GMail.com ; or call us at 646-535-WTF1

WTFDCF? LYAO Secretary Bigby.

Listen for yourself!  Hahahehehehehahaha!

Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby, who is responsible for the Department of Children and Families, along with 16 other state agencies, just forced out longtime Veterans’ Services Secretary Thomas G. Kelley, a Vietnam War hero and a Medal of Honor recipient who has served under four governors, only to be replaced by a former public relations consultant.   WTF?  

It makes you want to LYAO not matter what Secretary Bigby has to say, especially when she tries to explain how the Mass. Department of Children and Families is fighting neglect and abuse and reuniting families.  What do you think? 

"No Debate. DCF is Dysfunctional, Intolerable, Bordering on Criminal": Patriot Ledger. WTDDCF?

In its most recent editorial on the Massachusetts State Department of Children and Families, the Patriot Ledger wrote: 


"It is no longer open to debate: the Massachusetts state Department of Children and Families Services is a dysfunctional agency whose collective actions and systemic negligence are intolerable and border on criminal.

The case involving the 7-year-old Middleboro boy who was beaten and burned by someone is just another fiasco that has DCF officials admitting they made errors.

DCF visited the Middleboro family several times over a period of months but never checked the boy for burns on his genitals that school officials discovered or for welts on his back from being beaten with a belt. The agency also conceded the man charged with the abuse, David Privette, had a drug conviction as well as a conviction for assault on a police officer.

DCF counseled the mother and her boyfriend against corporal punishment but, in the assessment of Middleboro Police Chief Gary Russell, “this little boy was sent home to be tortured for another 13 days.” Russell said DSS never notified his department of the allegations, which could have resulted in an arrest sooner.

Rebecca Riley of Hull died in 2006 from an overdose of medications, which prosecutors charge was an intentional act by her parents who are awaiting trial on murder charges. There also were bruises on Rebecca’s body, including on her thighs.

But DCF had visited the family following allegations of abuse and never found a problem despite Rebecca’s father awaiting trial at the time for rape of a minor.

Yeah, we missed the boat on that one, DCF said after Rebecca’s death.

Haleigh Poutre, Aidyn Hudson, Dontel Jeffers, the Warren, Mass., home where 10 children were beaten and sexually abused for a decade; the list isn’t endless but it is maddening and, when one thinks about the pain and suffering inflicted on helpless children, heart-wrenching.

DCF actions in the Riley and Poutre cases triggered a legislative investigation and recommendations. Among those was the recently passed bill that allows DSS to collect and maintain information on unsubstantiated reports of child abuse and neglect to assist in future risk and safety assessments of children and families.

But admitting problems after the fact is no longer good enough. Children are dying and being maimed for life because of – take your pick – budgetary underfunding, politicized administration, inept training and overwhelmed case workers.

Money doesn’t appear to be a problem.  In 2008, DSS officials returned $24 million in unspent funds.

Changes need to be made and made quickly. More than one-third of case workers still handle more than the 18-case limit and nearly 75 percent oversee in excess of the 15-case standard.

If it takes more money to hire more workers, do it. The time to ponder is over. Action is essential before the next headline that reports a dead child who had been abused.

Sorry doesn’t cut it anymore.

Copyright  The Enterprise. Some rights reserved

WTFDCF? "Kids per Social Worker" Ratio Shocks Even Embattled Former DCF Commissioner

The number of kids and families assigned to each Mass. DCF social worker, who are responsible for abused and neglected children, has soared to 22 to 27 families per staffer.  That's more than twice what's recommended by the Child Welfare League of America.

How serious is the situation?  Even former Mass. DCF Commissioner Harry Spence, whose six-year term included the infamous Rebecca Riley case, says he's shocked.  "It's horrific if it's risen to 22 to 27," says Spence.  "The single most fundamental issue is caseload. It actually provides a line in the sand as to whether real improvement is possible. At 27 you can't do anything."

The Child Welfare League of America, which sets nationally recognized standards for social workers, says caseloads should be limited to 12 to 15 children, according to the suit. The union contract for DCF social workers caps caseloads at 18 families, the suit said.

WTFDCF Commissioner McClain?

Would you buy a used
children's agency from this man? 

WTFDCF found this gem on the Department website.  Commissioner Angelo "McLame" describes the work of the Department.   Can we get some of whatever he's on?

Q: "Commissioner McClain,  Is there anything you’d like people to know about your agency?"

A: "Very few folks can imagine how rewarding the work of DCF is. . . .the thrill of finding the perfect placement—Friday afternoon at 4:45; the adventure of being on-call on a Saturday night—the relief of getting no calls; the deep-down feeling of satisfaction when a family says, “thanks, we know you care;” the overwhelming feeling of appreciation and admiration of foster (and adoptive) families willing to help kids because that’s the right thing to do."