Ohio parents plead guilty in son's cancer death

[happyslug]

40. That is NOT my experience with my State's Children, Youth and Families (CYF).

Now, over the last few years we have had a scandal over Juvenile Court (A Couple of Dauphin County Judges were taking brides to send Juveniles to a private prison in Allegheny County even if the case did NOT call for such imprisonment) but Children, Youth and Families were NOT involved in that Scandal.

One of the problems CYF has, is instructions from the State to minimize costs, thus placement with parents are preferred, for the amount set for Welfare in Pennsylvania is much lower then the grant to a Family that takes in a Foster Child (and the Local Welfare office refuses to tell relatives that they can get Foster Care money for the child, if they refuse to take the child without foster care). CYF hopes the relative takes the child without the Foster care Grant for any welfare the family gets for the child is much less then the Foster Care Grant for the family. Any Welfare program involving Children, the Federal Government will pay 1/2, but the state has to pay the other half, thus the state to save money prefer children on Welfare as opposed to Foster Care.

At the same time, the law is quite clear, the child has to be put in the care of the nearest available relative. In most cases this is an aunt or uncle, or grandparent of the Child. Unless that relative refuses the child unless they get Foster Care, they can NOT get Foster Care. Yes, relatives have to be cold blooded about this, for that is what the State is (i.e. more worried about money then the welfare of the child). Foster care is three to four times what Welfare will pay in Pennsylvania, but Foster Care will only be granted to a family member if the relative refuses to take the child without it.

Except for the problems in regards to Foster Care to Relatives, my local CYF is noted for providing assistance to families, and this is also done by my County judge who hears the cases of CYF.

Just pointing out the problems you claim, I have NOT seen locally and I deal with CYF on an almost monthly basis (I do a lot of Custody and Visitation Law, and that is related to Children, Youth and Families). CYF has problems, mostly do to a lack of funding (State Legislators and Congressmen talk about helping children, but tend to vote against it when it comes to spending actual money to help Children).