Hearing shows need for OCS reform.

From  The Daily News Miner March 1st.

By Pamela Samash  Feb 26, 2017

News-Miner Community Perspective:

On Feb. 18, from 12-4 p.m. at the Borough Administrative Center, Rep. Tammie Wilson alone, with no other representatives or legislators to accompany her, listened to a packed room full of broken people whose lives have been shredded to pieces by the state Office of Child Services. In the seats were family members comforting one another as they felt completely without hope, but saw this as maybe — just maybe — an opportunity for someone to hear them.

There were testimonies coming from parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles. The stories were so similar that it was sickening. Here’s what rang out over and over again: “I did everything they told me to do, jumped through every hoop they instructed, went through every class they requested, and they still fostered or adopted my kids out.” Here’s another one common from the grandparents, “I’ve been in and out of the courts and have spent $30,000 on lawyers (for some reason, $30,000 seems to be an amount of money to expect to pay when fighting OCS, because a lot of people mentioned it), and I haven’t ever done anything wrong and yet they won’t let me have my grandchild.”

Then there’s the damaged children, who are not only separated from their parents or grandparents or aunts or uncles, but also from their own siblings as well. Night terrors and emotional trauma that last a lifetime are just another day in their obliterated worlds. As a matter of fact, there was a very unique twist to the testimonies in that one of those speaking out was an adult who was taken from her mom as a child. This is a very significant event, because what we have now are the next generation of OCS-damaged people coming forward telling their stories from a child’s point of view. These children are growing up and telling their perspective and anyone listening to what they say will never forget the pain in their voice. As I listened to one of these adult kids, tears ran down my face.

OCS isn’t always evil. I admit they have saved and do save lives. There is intervention on their part that gives children a second chance at life when parents are violent, vicious, cold-hearted monsters who neglect and abuse their babies. They deserve recognition for those shining moments and those moments are heroic. So why is it we have this tree that bears fruit and thorns? Could the culprit be poor training, financial gain or just so many horror stories that some of the workers become hardened?

One thing is for sure: Once OCS has begun targeting a family, there’s no shaking them off and no recourse. There’s no politician or ombudsman, governor or anyone who’s going to fly in and save the day, anywhere. If somebody alerts OCS to a family and that particular caseworker has it out for them for whatever reason, life will never be the same again for them and they will live in and out of court. They may spend every dime they have for the remainder of that child’s years till 18, and nothing will be private again. Everything will be under the microscope. The children will be bounced from foster home to foster home, and if they are molested or abused, many times their cries are ignored because it’s assumed they are trying to “make stuff up” to get back to their birth families.

Will Rep. Wilson succeed in changing the system and create a new and improved OCS that will follow guidelines and work to restore the family unit every chance it gets? I don’t know. I do know she needs our support. She is carrying a heavy cross and has to lift it over many barriers. She flies to Juneau to listen to five hours of testimony for one issue, then flies to Fairbanks the next day to listen to four hours of distraught mothers and fathers and family members begging for help to have their children back. I’ve never seen anyone in her position do more to represent and listen to the people. Let me be very clear: These devastated parents and grandparents have proof, proof and more proof. They are prepared, they are obedient and they are fighters.

Where are you, Gov. Bill Walker? Have you listened to these people? Where are you? We have ignored the guardians, but no one can ignore the future generation of children. They will grow up and they will start running for office and making decisions and this era and system will change one way or the other. Praise God that children grow up. They will have the final say.

Pamela Samash is a Nenana resident and community activist.

*The posts made in this blog are of our opinion only* Without Prejudice UCC 1-207