Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEWS
Jeffrey Fetzko, ACSW, LSW, CFRE
Vol. 2, No. 16, July 29, 2004
The executive director news is published specifically for the employees of the Somerset Home. This issue and past issues of this newsletter are available on our web site at http://www.somersethome.org/main/pages/employee_newsletter.htm.
Accountability
for the Kids
Star Ledger Editorial
July 26, 2004 - Last week, the state Department of Human Services hailed its new plan for reforming the Division of Youth and Family Services, required by the settlement of an embarrassing foster care suit. But within hours, the state Attorney General's Office was asking the U.S. District Court judge on the case not to hold the state liable for much of what it had just agreed to do. The court must reject that request.
Human Services Commissioner Jim Davy says he is just attempting to get some necessary legal issues on the record. We don't buy that. All the pertinent legal issues should have been raised before the court settlement was signed last year. The state is looking to take some bite out of the accountability the settlement builds into this reform plan. But jeopardy of court sanction is the only thing that makes the current promise to change DYFS different from the very long list of previous pledges that have been broken over the years.
The McGreevey administration settled the lawsuit because it was stripping the covers off foster care scandals even as other DYFS scandals were rocking the state. The settlement created a panel of court-appointed experts to help draft the reform plan and the list of items New Jersey could be sanctioned for if it failed to get the job done. That includes accountability for hiring more caseworkers and training and deploying them more effectively. But now Davy says the state should not be "dragged back to court" if it fails to enact the parts of the plan that involve the family and juvenile courts, the schools, community programs and other agencies. They are not under the department's control, Davy argues. Too bad. Gov. James E. McGreevey signed the settlement. It is his duty to make the Education Department and other state agencies do what needs to be done to comply.
McGreevey can and must negotiate with the state court system to improve the handling of adoptions and other child welfare cases. Human Services must weave private and public programs into a network of close-to-home, community-based services for kids and troubled families. That network is the linchpin of the reform, and the state must make sure it's developed. New Jersey should be fully focused on the mission to improve life for the 81,000 kids under DYFS's wing.
Instead the state is seeking absolution -- in advance -- for failure. That's the kind of maneuver that shows why the court must keep its hand on this reform.
Staff Profile
Jessica O'Gara - We welcome a new employee, Jessica O'Gara as the Residential Services Coordinator for the Somerset Youth Shelter. Jessica comes to us with experience from Carrier Clinic's East Mountain Youth Lodge and the Middlesex County ARC.
My Place I
Scott Ruth - We would like to welcome Scott Ruth to his new role as Case Manager to My Place I. Scott has been working in our Union County Community Outreach program and will be making the transition to My Place effective September 1, 2004.
We purchased the property two weeks ago and the process of gaining all of the approvals necessary has begun. Alex Ciccone, program director and Melissa Wilkin, Residential Services Coordinator (TLP) have been working diligently toward the goal of making the program operational this fall. We welcome Scott to My Place and look forward to operating this exciting new program.
As always, thank you all for your continued hard work on behalf of our youth.
