Another Outrage from Child Protection Services

Emial | 10/17/05 | Mark I. Johnson

[Carry_Okie]

Interested Parents,

Tuesday, October 18th at the Biltmore Hotel & Conference Center – 7:00 – 8:30pm, we are holding a meeting to inform, educate, and rally the public around the egregious abuse of power by the Santa Clara Social Services, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) – Child Protective Services (CPS) as they attempt to rip my family, and many others apart. The Biltmore is located just south of Montague Expressway, east of highway 101 at 2151 Laurelwood Rd, Santa.

At issue are three key points that will be of interest to you as a parent:

1. Our rights as parents to raise and educate our children as we deem appropriate within the law, free from the harassment and abuse of Social Services,

2. Our rights as adoptive parents / families to seek and utilize resources that will help solidify the bonds of attachment which are essential to a successful adoption, and

3. The need for change in the policies of DFCS that will position them to embrace and support families rather than vilify parents and destroy families.

Synopsis of our Situation – The Johnson Family (my family) - is currently under siege by the Santa Clara Social Services, Department of Children and Family Services (DFCS) – Child Protective Services group (sometimes referred to as Emergency Response). The department’s intense interest in my family stems from an allegation of child abuse related to our oldest son who was adopted at birth, and who suffers from drug and alcohol abuse in-utero and a condition called Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). It is my understanding that the mother of a baby sitter made the report after talking with her daughter who has never met my adopted son, and only sat one time for my two younger children for one day in our home. The sitter observed inconsistencies the furnishing of my oldest son’s room and observed the smell of urine. On this basis this, the mother, who has never met any member of my family, or stepped foot in our home, or discussed the circumstances surrounding our son, reported us to the police as child abusers.

Because we are home schoolers, we initially consulted the HSLDA who advised us not to allow CPS into our home or to interview our children unsupervised. We were further advised to seek the services of a local attorney to ensure that our rights as parents were not violated as we work to clear our names related to the allegations of child abuse, which we did.

The DFCS, as a result of our refusal to allow them to interrogate our young children without supervision, together with the fact that we home school and therefore they are unable to gain access to our children without our permission (as is commonly done when children attend school outside of the home), went to court and swore out a Protective Custody Warrant to force themselves into our home, to have their way with our children, and to remove my oldest son into their protective custody. Today, my wife and children are in hiding to protect our family, in a location not even know to me, while I have been engaged in a very distressing and disruptive court battle in an effort to have the Protective Custody Warrant quashed, a request that was denied last Friday.

To date, no one at DFCS has been interested in understanding our unique parenting needs, the resources we have used and the third parties who can speak to quality of our parenting, and love that we have for of all of our children. Their action, based on our stance of “tell us what you are concerned about so we can give you reasonable access to our family to resolve them”, has been to take the child and ask questions later. They have leveraged the courts in this effort.

Since DFCS has no interest, nor apparent requirements to ascertain the facts before they have ripped our family apart, we’ve decided to share them with you. Perhaps when you speak out someone in the agency will finally listen to how they are about to destroy yet another family in an effort to “protect” a child that does not need protection and initiate policy based changes. This is why I urge you to come out Tuesday evening! This is a completely free event paid for out of my paycheck.

Thank you for your support,

Mark I. Johnson

[MineralMan]

Go visit:

http://www.attach.org

This organization recommends therapies and trains "therapists" in some pretty unorthodox "therapies" for attachment disorder kids.

I wonder if the "therapist" referred to in this case was trained through this organization. If so, I understand why CPS is not all that interested in talking to him/her.

These folks are the "rebirth" folks. Other therapies they use include restraints and other odd things.

I note that the "therapist" has not been named. I'd be interested in knowing that name, so I could do further research.

[Politicalmom]

Possibly the room was bare of ornamentation and furnishings. Absolutely reasonable with a child who has destructive rages and tantrums.

[Saundra Duffy]

No child is ever deserving of harsh, irrational, undignified, painful treatment, especially by, or at the direction of, a therapist.

Don't we all agree on that, for goodness' sake?

[Rodney King]

OK, here is my prediction as to what happened: They are practicing some nutjob therapy on the kid. Probably including holding or tying the kid down, which is why the room smells like urine. The baby sitter asks the kids what the deal is, and the kids describe the nutjob therapy. The babysitter tells the mom, who calls the government. The government has dealt with this before, so they went to see the place. Mr. Johnson doesn't let them in, but says "hey, go speak to the therapist". The government knows that the therapist is a nut-job, so they become concerned for the kid.

[Rodney King]

Don't we all agree on that, for goodness' sake?

One would think so, but apparently a lot of people practice these quack therapies.

[MineralMan]

Here's the name of an ATTACh therapist in the San Jose area. Does that sound familiar?

Linda Ikeda

[Saundra Duffy]

What a tragic story of the little girl in the library. I am so sorry. I can see why you are a little gun shy.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"I note that the "therapist" has not been named. I'd be interested in knowing that name, so I could do further research."

Ouch. I read the article Rodney King posted re: "Attachment Disorder" and "Attachment Therapy." The fact that the family is operating under a diagnosis that is generally regarded as quackery is a warning bell.

[Rodney King]

From the long essay I printed:

The American Psychiatric Association has recently (June 2002) issued a Position Statement warning against the use of AT in the treatment of RAD, pointing out that all of forms of coercive restraint are contraindicated. (There have been many other position statements taken, for which see our Opponents page.)

[dmz]

I am absolutely NOT qualified to make any determination about how the kid should be educated. But the education thing seems a giant red herring in this entire discussion.

There was an allegation of child abuse. Child services came to investigate and were denied access, and now the family is in hiding.

What again is the connection to the homeschooling?

[PAR35]

There is much that I am not at liberty to divulge.

....That's much as I can tell you.

Will, or can? It would be 'can' if you are the lawyer (or a professional counselor providing services) for the father, it would be 'will' if there are facts that are being withheld which are not privileged.

That aside, when folks act like they have something to hide, they shouldn't get upset when folks start suspecting them of hiding something. Folks who act guilty frequently are.

As a specific example, how many folks think the Ramseys were implicated (or at least covering up) in their daughter's death. They could have diverted much of the suspicion if they had fully cooperated with authorities, but instead they lawyered up and got defensive. Were they guilty? I don't know; probably not. Did they do what I would have advised a guilty person to do? Yes.

[dmz]

Thanks for that very cogent piece of info. I had asked this a few times before, but got a "duh" response instead.

I already know I'm not terribly bright, it's why I asked in the first place.

[MineralMan]

"They are practicing some nutjob therapy on the kid."

This is entirely possible. There are some really bizarre things going on out there with attachment disorder kids. I'm fearful that might be the case here.

If so, I do understand why there's so much secrecy going on around this. Do some research on attachment disorder therapies on Google. It'll scare the stuffing out of you.

[PAR35]

They came they looked asked a few questions and for some references (family). Two weeks later I got a letter that the charges were unfounded.

I suspect that things would not have ended as quickly or as well if you had run them off and hidden the children from them.

[Wallace T.]

There are people who abuse homeschooling. Some people abuse firearms ownership; others operate businesses in an unethical manner. Both the mainstream and alternate media are abused to unjustly slander individuals or willfully misrepresent facts. Some clergy engage in sexual or financial misconduct. The difference between the homeschoolers (or parents generally) and the other groups of people is that in the case of homeschooler or parent, an agency of the state (generally called CPS) can preemptively take custody of the children alleged to have been victimized without the protections of habeas corpus or due process. The gun owner, businessman, member of the media, or clergyman do not lose their property or livelihood, much less their liberty, without a civil or criminal trial.

Parents should receive equal protection of the law as do other classes of people. The CPS agencies should not be able to take children without a court order, and then only after a court of general jurisdiction (and not a so-called family court) has determined that there is immediate danger to the life of the children. (A room smelling of urine hardly qualifies as such.) There should be no anonymous accusers. In all cases, there should be a swift trial, with the defendant afforded adequate legal representation. Additionally, if the parents defeat CPS, the state should reimburse the defendants for court costs at market rates. (I believe this should be the case not only for child custody trials, but all civil and criminal trials. This would be a great way to limit abuses by prosecutors, police, and government agencies. At present, only the wealthy have a level playing field in the courts of this nation.)

The right of the individual to be safe from unwarranted government intrusion in his personal and business matters is fundamental to our form of government. The last century witnessed an enormous erosion of this right. The trend must be reversed.

[MortMan]

If you're not familiar with HSLDA, then it can seem confusing. I have some experience with them, being the dad of a homeschooling family.

Have a great day.

[Carry_Okie]

Thank you for the post. I will look into that.

The American Psychiatric Association has recently (June 2002) issued a Position Statement warning against the use of AT in the treatment of RAD, pointing out that all of forms of coercive restraint are contraindicated. (There have been many other position statements taken, for which see our Opponents page.)

Considering what the APA is doing to medicate the kids of this country, I am I am just as suspicious of the APA. They represent a group of professionals who get paid by the hour. Cures are not in their interest.

Charities and volunteer groups, on the other hand, have every interest in a cure, because they exist to help as many people as possible with less incentive to drag out the treatment.

[Carry_Okie]

It would be 'can' if you are the lawyer (or a professional counselor providing services) for the father, it would be 'will' if there are facts that are being withheld which are not privileged.

If on the other hand, I was told something after the proceedings that was a breach of that confidentiality, if I divulged it to you, then I would be providing evidence of that misdemeanor and implicating the person who told me.

[MineralMan]

No single therapeutic technique works for all patients or conditions. However, the non-standard therapies for attachment disorder have gotten a lot of attention, due to a couple of deaths resulting from their use.

If this is the sort of therapy this child is receiving, and I suspect it is, after doing a little research on such practices in Santa Clara County, then there is reason for concern by the CPS.

Such "alternative" therapies often involve long periods under "restraints." The rebirthing nonsense is also part of the alternate therapy nonsense used to treat this disorder, as is partial smothering and other unpleasantries.

Since you are restrained from, or are unwilling to discuss any further details regarding this situation, there's little else to discuss, given the facts at hand.

I do know that there is a very active alternative therapy movement in your area. I mentioned one of the therapists above. If this person, or her organization is involved, then the interest of the CPS and unwillingness to allow access to the child by these therapists is not surprising.

Sorry, but there's just too much secrecy here. It raises red flags. It took me less than 30 minutes to track down all this information and link it directly to the area in which you and this family live.

I could go further, but will not.

[Senator Bedfellow]

Remember the Chastain's, who smacked their kids around on their bus?

Yeah, Brian and Ruth Christine. 12-1/2 and 7-1/2 years, respectively, but boy did they have a cheerleading section here. And Ted Maher, who had his family checking in here for him. Don't see much of them any more, not that they would do anything like co-opt the forum for their own purposes, no sir ;)