[abigail]

HI, I WAS JUST WANTING TO KNOW IF ANYONE KNOWS FIRST HAND IF ANYTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED WITH IT BEING EASIER TO ADOPT IN ALABAMA THROUGH DHR? WE WENT TO A ADOPTION FAIR A YEAR AGO AND THEY SEEMED VERY EXCITED TO HAVE US UPDATE OUR HS. WE HAD A POSSIBLE PRIVATE SITUATION COME UP AND DIDNT GET BACK WITH THEM. I KNOW ABOUT 7 YRS AGO IT WAS DIFFICULT WE ENDED UP DOING A PRIVATE SITUATION BUT BEFORE WE PUT ALOT OF ENERGY INTO GOING THROUGH THE STATE I WAS WONDERING IF THEY REALLY HAVE MADE POSITVE CHANGES????

[beverly gardner]

Abigail,
No, nothing has changed. They are still dragging their feet with all of the adoptions. They act excited when you inquire about adoptions, but that is as far as it goes. It is so depressing. The kids are just sitting there waiting for Mom's and Dad's and nothing is getting done. I have 16 and have had to fight for every one of them. I don't know how I have lasted so long. I guess when I think of who I'm hurting when I stop fighting, it makes me continue.

[abigail]

THAT IS SO SAD BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY CHILDREN NEEDING HOME IN THE STATE. YOU WOULD THINK AFTER THEY GOT IN ALL THAT TROUBLE A FEW YEARS AGO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING BETTER. I KNOW SO MANY KIDS THAT THEY KEPT IN THE SYSTEM INSTEAQD OF PLACING WITH A FOREVER FAMILY THAT ARE SO MESSED UP BECAUSE OF THAT. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT A WAITING CHILD. BUT I JUST WASN'T SURE I WOULD WANT TO THREW ALL THE DRAGGING OF FEET. WE WERE LIKE IN THE VERY FIRST SET OF GPS CLASSES THEY DID IN THE STATE RIGHT WHEN THEY WETRE SUPPOSIVLY MAKING CHANGE. I WAS HOPING THEY WERE MUCH MORE PROACTIVE IN PLACING CHILDREN NOW.

[beverly gardner]

Abigail,
I really need you to contact Carla Crowder at the Birmingham News and tell her your story about how hard it was years ago. People need to know that the state is not making it any easier. Carla is waiting to here from some other people in the state to make her story credible. Her phone number is 205-325-2460. She is so sweet, and would love to talk to you.
Let me know if you call her.


Bev.

[TEAG]

Hi Beverly
The reason the rules change is because DHR workers don't know policy or law, and until the state of Alabama starts getting license Social Workers( as RC Decree says) and not somebody with a 4 year degree in everything from economics to teachers the system will not change. In most cases the workers really don’t care about the damage that they do to the children, to them is just a job, and really don’t take the time to study the policy and the law, they rely on what other workers tell them. I know in the county I live in a lot of the workers don’t even know the basics of the RC Decree, much less the Alabama Code of 1975. So it is violated daily. If they were to be asked what is the system of care and what does it intel, most of them would shoot from the hip based on what they have heard NOT WHAT IS WRITTEN, and be wrong most of the time. Yes, Beverly I agree with you, change needs to be made, DHR in Alabama is out of control and even our commissioner is not holding the counties accountable.
TEAG

Beverly you know us, but because of what's going we don't want to use our full names. I know you understand.