The Colusa County Grand Jury attempted to delve into complaints lodged this past year against the Colusa County Child Welfare Services Unit for the agency’s handling of children taken from their parents – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – and made available to non-family members for foster care placement or adoption by those in the county’s “inner circle.”
The Grand Jury, in its 2022 final report, said it received seven written complaints about the county’s family reunification procedures and had attempted to launch a full investigation, but were stymied by confidentiality laws surrounding minors in protective custody.
Widespread concerns about the agency went public earlier this year after family members and grandparents of children in the system held a series of public street protests.
Relatives of children taken from their parents complained during those protests that the county, during the pandemic, kept family members “out of the loop” on the policies and procedures for reunification; made participation in programs difficult; engaged in cronyism when placing children in foster care; sidestepped state requirements to identify and notify relatives for guardianship; used intimidation tactics and threats to keep family members at bay; and separated siblings, allowing one or more children to be returned to previously-determined “negligent” parents while aiding foster parents who wanted to keep children or adopt newborns to form irrevocable bonds so as parental rights to the child could be more easily terminated.
The Grand Jury said all complainants they interviewed “had commonality of concerns,” including delays in the family reunification process, lack of communication around family roles and rights, lack of follow-through with predetermined outcomes on the part of Child Welfare Services; and lack of compassion and poor listening skills by county staff.
According to the 2022 Grand Jury report, the investigation into the allegations was made difficult since all child welfare cases and court records cannot be accessed, even by grand juries.
“While the Grand Jury understood and adhered to the confidentiality guaranteed to minors, they were unable to access and view records pertaining to individual cases to validate any of the complainants’ statements,” the jurors stated.
While a subsequent investigation by the District Attorney’s Office found no “criminal” activity, the Grand Jury said they did identify a few issues with the agency and made recommendations they believe could help to improve transparency within the County Child Welfare Unit in the future.
According to the report, the Grand Jury found that the Colusa County Child Welfare Services Unit had printed materials available to the public in their lobby that were outdated, some with invalid phone numbers and/or websites.
Jurors also found that while Colusa County Social Services Unit has metrics available, there are multiple sites and repositories to research.
“Unless familiar with the Social Services structure, most individuals would find it challenging to locate and understand the metrics,” the report states.
While independent random audits of the Colusa County Child Welfare Services Unit are conducted by the California Judicial Council and the State Child Family Services, the Grand Jury found the audits are just a small sample size and lack appropriate frequency.
The jurors also found that while training policies are in place at the county and state level, there are opportunities for some additional Child Welfare Services staff training and opportunities for the Child Welfare Services Resource Family Approval Program administration to improve the understanding and requirements for those interested in the RFA process.
Among the recommendations are that the Colusa County Child Welfare Services Unit review all printed brochure materials and update as appropriate to ensure individuals seeking information have accurate and current websites, phone numbers, and addresses and that the county implement a governance policy to routinely review and update printed materials as necessary to provide accurate information to the public.
The jurors also recommended the county develop a quality assurance process that conducts additional internal, independent audits by Social Services management with a focus on Resource Family Reunification cases.
They also recommended that the county review their current training policy and consult with the Colusa County Human Resources Department to develop and implement communication and listening skills training for all Child Welfare Services staff.
By Dec. 31 of this year, the Grand Jury recommended that the RFA Program Administrator develop a comprehensive Resource Family Reunification process that can readily be shared with interested parties and that it includes an introduction and explanation of the Resource Family Reunification program, provides a complete packet of the Resource Family Reunification Act where all forms will need to be completed, including instructions and relevant brochures such as “Caregivers and the Courts”, “Foster Youth Mental Health Bill of Rights”, and “Foster Care Ombudsman.”
Also, they “must implement a governance policy to ensure all processes are followed and adhered to, and that provide continual feedback and active engagement and transparency with RFA applicants throughout the reunification process,” the report stated.
The Grand Jury also recommended the Child Welfare Services Unit administrator develop and implement annual reporting that summarizes Colusa County’s family reunification metrics. “Report distribution shall include Health and Human Services administration and the Colusa County Board of Supervisors,” the report stated.
Colusa County is not unique in having a grand jury attempt to investigate the foster care system.
Almador, Sacramento, and many other California child welfare agencies have faced similar complaints.
Grand Juries in several counties found that home visits by CPS staff did not occur as often as they should; increased sharing of information, policies, and procedures was greatly needed; reunification of child with families was made difficult; and relatives of children in foster care as well as foster families were treated poorly by child welfare staff.
Last month, the biological mother of two California brothers alleged to have been killed by their adoptive parents filed a federal lawsuit saying her sons were removed from her care unlawfully by Kern County Human Services and given over to an adoptive family.
The boys’ adoptive parents were charged in March with their murder, according to a report by NBC news.
The Kern County Grand Jury, which interviewed more than 50 witnesses over three months, determined the brothers, aged 3 and 4, who disappeared in 2020, are dead.
Their bodies have never been found. ■