As promised Virginia board of Social Work - Board Member information.
http://www.dhp.state.va.us/SOCIAL/social_board.htm
I don't see individual email addresses for the board members, just a main email address at the very bottom of the page.
Board of Social Work
Email:
socialwork@dhp.virginia.gov
Evelyn B. Brown, Executive Director
David R. Boehm, LCSW, Chair
I am going to send my letter and voice my outrage and concern regarding Aveion being returned to this family which eventually led to his death to both Ms. Brown and Mr. Boehm. Of course, I am requesting others be a voice as well. I ask that this be done without cussing etc. so our voices will be collectively heard! Hopefully this tragic event won't be dismissed without making necessary changes to prevent this from happening to another child in Virginia.
Please include in your email, Jane Conlins comments dismissing her departments responsibility in this childs death. Clearly the signs were there and ignored. The child was emaciated and only 8 lbs at 15 months when he was brought to the departments attention. I will find the original article with Ms. Conlins statement and link it here shortly.
Link to article with Ms. Conlins statement dismissing her departments responsibility in this childs death.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/234025
Statement from Ms. Conlin:
Jane Conlin, director of Social Services in Roanoke, said Friday that the responsibility for what happened to Aveion does not rest with her department.
"The person who is responsible for this is not the social worker," she said. "I think we need to keep in mind that social workers aren't mind readers. We work with the best knowledge and information we have and within the law. Nobody can, with 100 percent accuracy, predict the behavior of another person."
While Social Workers are not 'mind readers', they clearly have evidence, information as well as education and statistics to work with regarding the capacity of parents who allowed this child, to not receive the proper medical care he needed, allowed him to wither away to the size of a new born at 15 months, and had some reason to believe the child was not in danger if placed back into the legal custody of his mother. Recommending legal custody be returned to Morgan Dockett despite her previous history, despite a drug addict with a criminal record of domestic violence in the home, and despite other professionals recomendations that this child not be returned to the care of his biological mother. Clearly, something went very seriously amiss as this child was dead in less than 4 months after being returned to his mother.
thank you!
Cubby