August 2006
Elyssa - thanks for continuing to update us on DB. I received an email from Eric Henderson who has been looking into DB's case.
According to his information there was a CFTM schedule for DB, transitional living staff, etc. on 9-6-06 and she did not attend. In the email, Eric states that DB signed for a certified letter regarding the meeting in August.
This meeting might have been a way for DB to meet everyone face to face to discuss her needs, etc. From her past experience with DCS, I wondered if she was discouraged about meeting with them or felt it might be more of the same old, same old."
You probably have the best rapport and insight into how she if feeling with the situation.
Is DB at the place where she can follow a program, rules, or guidelines that might be required by certain programs, etc. to receive housing, services, etc.?
In my experience working with many older foster children they can be so tired of all this with the system, that they basically shut down when needing to access services, etc. after aging out.
Does she need a case manager or support that she can partner with for these meetings and contacts that will provide the consistent "cheerleading" when perhaps she cannot she the forest for the trees (needing to attend meetings, follow expectations, file forms, etc)?
My reason for asking these questions is to get your perspective on where DB is in being able to access resources and then maintaining them (again relating to following a program, etc.)
[Redacted] CMSW
Assistant Statewide Program Coordinator
Office phone: 615-269-7751
1315 8th Ave. South
Nashville, TN. 37203
Mark Your Calendar's Now !!!!!!!!
TVC's State of the Child Conference 2006
October 16-18, 2006. For more info, visit our website, www.tnvoices.org
August 2013
POST SCRIPT: Transportation never showed up to take DB to the meeting. As a member of the team and DB's primary counselor, CM and the person who requested the meeting to help advocate and secure services for my former client, I was not at the meeting because the state conveniently forgot to tell me when and where it was.
DB later informed me that did go to a meeting and sat alone on one side of the long table in the conference room and had no one there to defend, advocate, or support her throughout the meeting.
She was not offered ANY post custody services and was too intimidated to speak or advocate for herself with five to seven state employees sitting on the other side of the table blaming her for their mistakes and denying services that she was legally entitled to under state and federal law.
She left that meeting with no services, no benefits, no hope, and no recourse.
DB if you are reading this, please know that your story needs to be heard.
In a court of law. I saved your records and gave them to an attorney for your protection.
I hope you sue those fuckers for what they did to you and so many others.
Your file was audited and I submitted a report to TVC and TCCY that your case file had been falsified by the for profit agency that pimped you out for $60/day. The court knew this because I called Carrie and told her.
She told me that she was too busy to be bothered bringing you in two months before your eighteenth birthday.
I did pick you up much to everyone's horror, and they were pissed that I managed to locate you just in time to benefit from post custody benefits that would entitle you to educational expenses, housing, transportation, healthcare, and transitional funds to get you started.
That was an illegal placement and when I resigned, I left the agency because they refused to comply with federal laws and I refused to sign a false treatment report.
Your file was audited and my signature was forged by KM.
He used white out and didn't even try to color between the lines or match my handwriting.
Two of us quit that day. Both of us will testify on your behalf.
I'm sorry I couldn't do more. Your file is available if you need it.
Be well, sweet girl and Happy Birthday.
-Miss Elys
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