Mass health / and dss or what ever they r called now

[redlite]

I'm not sure if this is the right place but i need to vent And air out some dirty laundry and baby get some advice on a direction to go before i call a television station
On friday we got a call from mass social services that they just took my dope head junkie sister in laws 4 yr old drug dealer's kid from her. They gave my wife and i ( we're his god parents) the option of either taking foster custody of him or he was goin into state foster home. I said no effin way at least for weekend he's a real good kid and dont want him gettin f'd up from that experience. So we suddenly became a family of 5. Something i am in no way mentally or emotionally wantin to do but so is life. Fortunately we r able to take on the financial burden and our house is big enough but here is where i am pissed off to no ends and need advice
It is now day 4 and we cant get ahold of the social worker or even her superviosor. They havent returned numerous calls. We have no idea what to do or where to go. We have no "receipt" whats so ever giving us decision making authorization for this kid should he get hurt and have to go to hospital. We have like no clothes or anything for him and they said we would get clothing and food vouchers from state which is no big deal cause we arent hurting that bad financilly but still
Now the other part of my gripe about health insurance and mass health in particular
My p.o.s. sister in law is on mass health we just found out that after she gets out of detox for heroin addiction ( welcome to se mass) mass health will only cover 10 days of residential rehab. Wooped f'n doo. What good is 10 days of rehab for one of the most addicting and deadly drugs on the street. No wonder why the heroin epidemic is so out of control. People cant afford to get the help they need to kick it r just kicked backed to the wolves, yet our government will spend gazzillions on the drug war but not more than 10 days on rehab to help people get clean
F'n joke
And now my family is gonna be put thru the ringer more, especially raisin another kid

[redlite]

Grrrrrr
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Slipknot]

I feel for ya Mike, hang in there and do the best you can. Sorry I have no advice for you. Are you sure you want this in the political forum?
Keep calling social services until you get the answers you are looking for. I bet they are swamped with cases but that is no excuse for not getting back to you. I have no clue how that process works. It's a good thing what you are doing for him. Maybe consult a lawyer if you know one.

[nightfighter]

Just focus on the kid. Isolate the other crap and especially the emotion from him, your family, and yourself. Keep it in the day and make today the best you can for your family. Rome wasn't built in a day. And your mission is the kid, not to fix her.

[Jenn]

Let me just say the fact that you are taking in a sister in laws kid is amazing!

I don't have any advice either that would differ from everything Slip said. Just keep trying to get someone, anyone that can help maybe even send a certified letter just to have some sort of proof that you tried contacting them in some way? Lawyer may not be a bad idea...

[PaulS]

Good luck. It is a nice thing that you are doing. It will be a lot of work and frustration but in the end you'll be thrilled you did it.

[OLD GOAT]

You're a lucky guy redlite. Just keep it in the "just today" thought process.
It's all about the kid.

[spence]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Just focus on the kid. Isolate the other crap and especially the emotion from him, your family, and yourself. Keep it in the day and make today the best you can for your family. Rome wasn't built in a day. And your mission is the kid, not to fix her.

Well said. My understanding is that these programs move at a glacial pace, they just don't have the resources or fire under them to move faster.

Some friends just adopted a girl about the same age who came from a very similar situation. She can hardly believe the love she's getting now...

[FishermanTim]

I also agree, focus on the kid!
You will probably benefit as much from him being with you as he will from being removed from his "mother".

Unfortunately the state only moves as fast as the money!
If it were a high-profile case, celebrity-related or already in the national media it would be resolved so fast your head would spin!

But....since you are just a regular tax paying legal citizen, you get the snail treatment.

God bless you and god bless the child, as a child should not have to endure what we see them exposed to with such regularity and with little regards to their well-being.

Hopefully your sister will straighten her act out and clean herself up, but if not, hopefully she will have the common decency to remove herself from her child's life (and yours).

[Notfishinenuf]

Red, never met you and I like you already. You are a good man and its a great thing you are doing. Be honest with this child and build trust with him I am sure he needs that. Let him know he can count on you. Be prepared that the state may give him back to his mother at some point unless she gives up her "parental rights". The state agencies move like molasses in January! You can not help your sister, she has to want to help herself and is the only one who can do it. Its not going to be easy but, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

Best to you and your family,

Vic

[Raven]

maybe talk to non state groups that have better connections
that can pull some strings....
the fact that your not receiving "any state support" for doing the right thing
might make your predicament have more impact.
write everything down.... as anything not documented never happened.