Welcome back! In our previous article we talked about Target 8’s revealing investigation into the deaths of several babies born with drugs in their systems, and the response it provoked. From one specific person, that is – Joann Hoganson. As director of the Community Wellness Division at the Kent County Health Department, Hoganson believed there was something that she and her staff could do, and they reached out to CPS with a solution.
Soon after, Hoganson was invited to help with a group working to craft legislation that would mandate a “plan of safe care” for any babies who are in any way affected by substance abuse. The culmination of that work was Senate Bills 397 and 398, legislation that aimed to put a plan in place to provide babies, and their mothers, with the care and protection they need while addressing substance abuse problems.
According to the legislation, a “plan of safe care” refers to ” a plan developed by the Department (DHHS), a medical professional, or another provider, that addresses the health and safety needs of a newborn infant, the substance abuse disorder treatment needs of the mother, and the service needs of the caregivers or family members.” In other words, a plan that addresses the basic health and wellness needs of the baby and their family.
“This bill will guarantee that somebody from DHHS will be watching that baby and the mother. It may be a visiting nurse, it may be a social worker, it may be somebody’s that’s an expert in rehab, but everybody is going to be paying attention. It will be mandated.” That was Jones’ explanation for what lay ahead once these bills reached the Governor’s desk and were signed into law.
That was the good news. Now for a hefty dose of reality. While the bills sound like a wonderful idea, (and probably are) the truth is that the process involved in making them into law is very slow. Why? Because as State Senator Margaret O’Brien’s Chief of Staff, Stephanie Bogema explains, there is a lot more to this than meets the eye. Translation… it will be a long time before we see this implemented.
“We recently had a work group meeting on this legislation with Senator Jones’ office and other stakeholders,” Bogema wrote in response to media questions about the matter. “This issue is considerably more complex than it appears at first glance…. Senator Jones and Senator O’Brien consider this a priority, but as with many public health-related issues there are complexities when thinking about long-term solutions.”
Although Bob Wheaton has publically praised the efforts of Kent County’s Health Department, he has also acknowledged that there was still a lot of ground to cover. This is something we’ll be keeping a close eye on, and will keep you informed if there are any changes to their two bills that would affect families in Kent County and around the state.
Until then, if you or a loved one have been accused of jeopardizing the well being of an infant, or harming a child in any way, call The experienced CPS defense attorneys at The Kronzek Firm right now! We are available 24/7 at 866 766 5245 to help you defend yourself and protect your family from CPS.