Prelude To Detroit: Ivanka Trump Is Here

Welcome!

https://beverlytran.blogspot.com/search?q=Ivanka+Trump

Landed in the Motor City! pic.twitter.com/90Z4paa1vy

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 2, 2020

Ivanka Trump to visit GM’s Warren facilities with CEO Mary Barra

President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, will visit General Motors on Wednesday.

Ivanka Trump will tour the Technical Learning University (TLU) located on GM's Global Technical Center campus in Warren, GM said.

GM CEO Mary Barra will lead Trump on a nearly two-hour tour and highlight GM’s commitment to continued workforce training for hourly skilled trades workers and salaried manufacturing engineers, said GM spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan.

Ivanka Trump's title is advisor to the president.

Ivanka Trump released her new book, "Women Who Work," on May 2, 2017, seeking to fend off ethics concerns by declining to attend promotional events and promising to donate profits to charity.
This is the first time a Trump administration official has visited GM's facilities, although Barra has been to the White House several times to meet with the president.

Barra's most recent visit to the White House was last fall.

Since then, the president has taken potshots at the automaker over Twitter. In April, the president chided GM for dragging its feet in getting lifesaving ventilators to the front lines in the battle against coronavirus.

Then, 72 hours later, Trump changed course, extolling GM after it announced its plans two days prior to make ventilators with Ventec Life Systems at GM's Kokomo, Indiana, plant.

On Monday, GM delivered the last of 30,000 ventilators it owed the federal government as part of a $489-million contract.

The president was also critical of Barra when GM said it would shut down four U.S. factories. On Twitter, Trump urged Barra to keep Lordstown Assembly in Ohio running. But GM closed it and sold the facility, transferring thousands of workers to plants across the United States.

The issue of manufacturing is in the forefront as the election nears. Michigan is a critical swing state that Trump won in 2016, helping him capture the presidency.

GM has repeatedly said it plans to launch at least 20 all-electric vehicles by 2023. It recently unveiled the Cadillac Lyriq SUV, but GM has not said where it will built. GM is spending $2.2 billion to retool Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly to make all-electric vehicles starting later next year. But a source familiar with Cadillac's plans said the Lyriq would not be one of the vehicles made there.

During Ivanka Trump's visit, Barra will tout GM’s TLU, which is based on an initiative that was started in 2017. It is a technical training center that offers a number of programs.

Last month, TLU completed a $2 million upgrade to its manufacturing laboratory facilities.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Happy Birthday PA 4! The People of Michigan Hope It Is Your Last!

Public Act 4, the emergency manager law, is now one year old. Over the past 12 months, we've seen outrage and organization, motivation and mobilization. The people of the state of Michigan have submitted an overwhelming number of signatures on a petition to put the law up for a statewide vote this fall. Communities and school districts across the state have had their local governance usurped and others are on the verge.

The concept of emergency management, as pushed forward by Governor Snyder and the Republican-controlled legislature in Lansing, is deeply flawed. It is a draconian attempt at a solution to a problem caused in large part by policies and circumstances not promulgated or perpetuated at the local level.

Proponents of this misguided law have honed in on "mismanagement" as the reason for necessary emergency management. Mismanagement is a convenient scapegoat for our problems but it is sorely lacking as a reason for such broad-sweeping legislation. As in nearly every area of the private and public sectors, some mismanagement -- from human error to corruption -- certainly exists. It is incumbent upon all of us to be vigilant against these malfeasances, but by no means do they equal the sum total of the challenges we face.

The state, in fact, is guilty of mismanagement. Both times Detroit Public Schools were taken over by the state, the district was left with a larger deficit as a result. The first time, DPS had a budget surplus before the takeover; afterwards, it was in the red. The second time, Robert Bobb spent countless resources and dollars on unneeded lawsuits, salaries, sweetheart deal contracts and buildings, and left the district in debt to the tune of $363 million.

The budget deficits our cities and school districts are facing across Michigan -- especially in Detroit -- are symptoms of a much larger disease known as "disinvestment." For years, urban areas have been systematically disinvested from. This phenomenon was on stark display last year when K-12 education, college education and revenue sharing that cities depend on were drastically cut. Taxes were raised on low-income citizens and seniors, while tax handouts were given to large corporations.

Much has been made of the statements by some Detroit leaders asking the state to make right on its $220 million owed to the city. Much less has been made about the real policy implications of why Detroit's claim to that money is legitimate. Lawmakers from elsewhere in the state say Detroit does not deserve a "bailout." I agree. Nobody is asking for a bailout, though. Detroit just wants the state's hand out of its pocketbook and the $220 million it wrongfully took.

In 1998, the state made a deal with Detroit: the city would agree to keep its local taxes below a certain point, and the state would make up for the resulting lost funds through revenue-sharing. Detroit agreed and has held up its end of the bargain for more than a decade; the state has not.

Indeed, policies like these, coupled with population loss -- Michigan was the only state in the nation to lose population between 2000 and 2010 -- and a national economic recession, inevitably lead to tough fiscal conditions.

The solution, however, is not to do away with our long democratic tradition and turn our cities and school districts over to privately backed emergency managers with demonstrable preferences for outsourcing and awarding no-bid contracts to longtime business associates, as Robert Bobb so blatantly did when he was the unelected czar of Detroit Public Schools.

If Governor Snyder or Republican legislators are serious about finding ways to stem the tide of disinvestment in our urban core communities, I welcome them to the table. The governor's Office of Urban and Metropolitan Initiatives, for example, can be utilized to promote investment in cities. Conservative ideology must be done away with in favor of common-sense and forethought -- no governing entity can cut itself out of a fiscal hole; there must be investments and development.

On the eve of the appointment of an emergency manager to the Highland Park Community Schools, I joined with community activists, parents, educators, businesspeople and the faith-based community in Highland Park to form the Financial and Academic Reinvestment Commission. We are committed to not only opposing emergency managers -- because of their dubious constitutionality and track record of failure -- but to putting forth positive public policy proposals that can and will rejuvenate urban areas from Detroit and Highland Park to Benton Harbor and Muskegon Heights.

We have had a series of meetings and one public hearing thus far, with an upcoming Disinvestment Tour to highlight just how systemic this problem has been. Our work continues as we work toward crafting policies to right the wrongs of disinvestment.

On the first anniversary of the enactment of Public Act 4 today, and as an overwhelming number of signatures are being counted on petitions to put the law before a vote of the people of Michigan, we sincerely hope that next year, on March 16th, 2013, there will be no PA 4 left to recognize. Then we will know that We The People have truly spoken!

Bert Johnson is the state senator for Michigan's 2nd District, which includes northeast Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and the five Grosse Pointe Communities. He is the co-chair of the Financial and Academic Reinvestment Commission.

Conyers Applauds Passage of Payroll Tax Compromise; Calls on Michigan Legislature to Restore State Unemployment Benefits

For Immediate Release

Date: Friday, February 17, 2012

Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543


Conyers Applauds Passage of Payroll Tax Compromise; Calls on Michigan Legislature to Restore State Unemployment Benefits

(WASHINGTON) – Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement today in response to the passage of the conference report for H.R. 3630 – Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011.

“Today’s passage of the payroll tax conference report will ensure that jobless Americans retain access to needed unemployment benefits, America’s seniors are able to see the doctor of their choice, and American families will avoid a $1,000 tax increase,” said Conyers. “While not perfect, I supported this compromise legislation because it will stabilize the current economic recovery and help keep economic relief flowing to families in Southeast Michigan.

“I do want to express my disappointment that other provisions in the compromise which cut benefits for federal workers and place burdensome requirements on welfare recipients will force low-income and middle-class Americans to make additional sacrifices, while, yet again, nothing is asked of the wealthiest 1 percent. Helping the richest Americans avoid paying their fair share makes for bad policy and exacerbates already unacceptably high levels of income inequality in our country.

“Although it was critical that Congress act to partially extend federal emergency unemployment benefits, I am deeply disappointed that the conference committee was unable to fully extend current benefit levels through the end of the year. We risk inflicting unnecessary harm to Michigan families and our state’s economy by arbitrarily and abruptly cutting off access to unemployment benefits at various points in the upcoming year.

“In light of these cutbacks at the federal level, it is now more important than ever for the Michigan Legislature to move quickly to reinstate a law that provided jobless Michiganders with 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. Reinstating these benefits would be a particularly appropriate use for the $400 million budget surplus recently announced by Governor Snyder.”

###

The reporter did not watch the debate.

Working Example Of Medicaid Fraud In Child Welfare

Ever wanted to see a working example of Medicaid fraud in child welfare health care programs?


Well, here is your chance!


Stay tuned because in Wayne County, Michigan, it is the only county in the state where the State Attorney General prosecutes child abuse cases.  And guess who prosecutes Medicaid fraud?


Yup, that's right.  It's the State Attorney General.


Now, guess who will be defending allegations of Medicaid fraud?  That's right!  It's the State Attorney General.

Parents, civil rights groups support Detroit mom jailed over daughter's meds

Detroit — A group of parental rights supporters and activists gathered at a northwest-side church this morning to raise awareness and money for a mother jailed after a 10-hour standoff with police over her daughter's medications.

Maryanne Godboldo, 56, told the audience at the rally held at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church on James Couzens Freeway that the state had no right to take her 13-year-old daughter.

Godboldo had been in custody for five days since surrendering to police March 25 after barricading the girl inside their west-side home where she is alleged to have fired a shot with a .38-caliber revolver at three police officers who broke open the door of her home and entered. The shot hit a wall, according to a police report."I want my daughter back and I want her back today," Godboldo said.

Godboldo has said she was protecting the child from unnecessary medication and Wayne County Child Protective Services workers who arrived March 24 with a warrant to remove her daughter. The warrant was apparently issued without a hearing by a Wayne County Circuit Court judge, because the mother had stopped medicating the girl.

Community leaders, including ministers, civil rights activists and a judge, helped negotiate Godboldo's March 25 surrender.

Godboldo's resistance of authorities has drawn nationwide attention from conservative and liberal groups advocating for parents' rights and concerned about the safety of childhood immunizations, the use of psychotropic drugs on juveniles and government intrusion.

"Our parental rights are being undermined. Maryanne Godboldo sought to provide the best health care for her child," said a statement from the Justice for Maryanne Godboldo Action Committee, rally organizers. "Providing health care for one's children is not something that should be surrendered to any state authority."

The teen's physical and mental problems stem from a bad reaction to a cocktail of immunizations she took so she could enroll last year in a traditional middle school after being home-schooled, Godboldo has said. The medical treatment plan was developed by Godboldo and specialists at The Children's Center, a family service organization for troubled children, according to its website. The court had no prior involvement with the family, defense attorney Wanda Evans said.

Godboldo has not seen her daughter since her arrest, but expects to arrange supervised visits at the Northville psychiatric services agency where her daughter is being held, Evans said.

Barbara Ann Polizzi, a 44-year-old mother, drove 13 hours from New York with her 15-year-old son, Michael Polizzi, to attend the rally and support Godboldo's cause. Michael was once given Risperdal by doctors to treat behavioral problems. The drug, which had also been prescribed for Godboldo's daughter and is commonly used to treat schizophrenia, left the boy debilitated by visual and auditory hallucinations, severe anxiety and rapid heartbeat, Polizzi said. She fought for six years to get her son back after he was taken by authorities and placed in state-run residential schools.

"I know what it's like to put my head down on a pillow every night and worry about what might happen to my son," she said.

The mother and son both cried when they learned about Godboldo's plight, she added.

"The hospitals never really tell moms what goes on behind those locked-up, closed doors," Michael told the audience.

A $500,000 cash surety bond was set at Godboldo's March 27 arraignment on felony charges, including three counts of felonious assault, three counts of resisting and obstructing an officer, one count of firing a weapon in a dwelling and one felony firearm count. But the bond was later reduced to $200,000 personal recognizance by 36th District Court Judge Paula Humphries, who said she didn't consider the mother a risk to the public.

Godboldo didn't purposely fire at police, defense attorney Allison Folmar told Humphries. "My client … had to endure the onslaught of police unlawfully taking her child," Folmar said.

A custody hearing is set for April 6, followed by an April 8 preliminary exam.

Michigan Covering Up Medicaid Fraud, Again

What better way to prepare for the kick off of Child Abuse Propaganda Month than with a package of bills to cover up Medicaid fraud in child welfare, again!

WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Pretty Pinwheels!

Covering up Medicaid Fraud

Bills would streamline adoption process for foster care children

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Supreme Court Justice Mary Beth Kelly and Michigan Department of Human Services Director Maura D. Corrigan have urged legislators to approve bills before both chambers that will streamline the adoption process for children in foster care. The passage of these bills could pave the way for expedited placement in qualified, permanent homes for more than 1,100 children.
Currently, the only person authorized to approve adoptions for children in foster care is the Michigan Children’s Institute (MCI) superintendent. Since April 2010, the MCI superintendent has received 1,100 such cases for approval.


Under the bills, the MCI superintendent, the legal guardian for children committed to MCI when parental rights have been terminated, may authorize a designee to provide written consent to the adoption, marriage, guardianship or emancipation of MCI wards. The designee would be allowed to authorize adoption requests where the child is already living in the recommended adoption home and a review by a caseworker and supervisor has determined there are no concerns about the placement.


Kelly said her experience as a family court judge convinced her that the bills are needed.


“No matter how good a job the MCI superintendent does, he or she is only one person, and it is simply unrealistic to expect one person to perform in-depth reviews of hundreds of these cases each year,” Kelly told legislators.


While finding a permanent, loving home for children in foster care is a key mission for DHS, Corrigan was clear that the expedited process will not sacrifice due diligence in the examination of potential adoptive families. The department will be systematic, careful and considerate when determining who will be named as a designee, Corrigan told members of the Senate Families, Seniors and Human Services committee.


“The best place for a child is in a stable, permanent home. That is our goal for each of the 4,150 children in foster care available for adoption. Joining a family should not be delayed because only one person in the entire state can authorize a child’s adoption or guardianship,” Corrigan said.
Among the bills’ supporters is the Michigan Probate Judges Association. In a March 15 letter to Sen. Judith Emmons, Judge Dorene Allen, chief judge of the Midland County Probate Court and chair of the MPJA’s Juvenile and Adoption Issues Committee, wrote that the legislation “will facilitate the permanency of children in the abuse and neglect system, certainly a goal we can all agree upon.”

This is my response: 


It is amazing how Michigan allows the Supreme Court to make law from the bench to usurp, or rather, "transfer" judicial powers of the decision-making process to "designees" who are neither appointed or elected, to represent the State.


I have aggressively dissented with finding of fact and conclusion of law, only to be silently dismissed when addressing issues of false claims and violations of due process contained within this package of bills.

The decisions of the Superintendent of Michigan Children's Institute, Bill Johnson, are never question as to being legitimate, but rather if the decisions are whimsical within the doctrine of arbitrary and capricious.


How is it one person, being the Michigan Children's Superintendent, Bill Johonson, can wield so much power? It is only within the later part of Director Ahmed's DHS administration and the current DHS administration of Director Maura Corrigan that letters of appointment of the Superintendent have been generated. Prior to this, nothing authorizing a civil servant to represent the State of Michigan in Court decision-making process existed.


How can the Michigan Children's Superintendent, Bill Johnson, go without public scrutiny when the State's foster care system is under federal court jurisdiction in dealing with the abuse and neglect of children who under the legal guardianship of this one, omnipotent man, Bill Johnson?


Why is is that not one case of Medicaid fraud in child welfare under the aegis of the Michigan Children's Superintendent, has been referred to the Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for prosecution and recovery?


These bills not only streamline the adoption process; these bills cover up the pervasiveness of Medicaid fraud in Michigan's child welfare system, because, once a child is adopted, the service files verifying false claims are sealed from external examination.


The time has come to end Medicaid fraud in child welfare and so have I.

Beverly Tran
An Original Source

Wayne County Friend of the Court Analysis of Chief Justice Virgil Smith Administration

By Doug Dante


Chief Justice Virgil C. Smith's commentary on the state of the budget fails to recognize the problems created by his own employees at the Friend of the Court.

Firstly, the fact that the Wayne County Circuit Court has a "mother's room" and not a "parent's room" is indicative of the low esteem in which they place fathers.  It is all the more disturbing because Wayne County's exceedingly low percentages recommending father joint or sole custody serve in large part to drag down the custody rates of African American fathers to 3/5ths of White Non-Hispanic Fathers.  Protecting children by making decisions based on the facts, and not based on gender or race would help to relieve problems caused later by inadequate parenting.

It should also be noted that many children served by the Wayne County Court also receive public assistance, and I've heard father's comment that FOC workers have said to them things such as, "When mom receives aid, then dad must pay".  This implies that when deciding the custody of a child, the court does not use the best interests factors, as it is required to do by law, but rather manufacturers a custody agreement to maximize child support income - regardless of the actual best interests of the child, in apparent violation of state law.  The reason?  The child support is effectively taxed at a 100% rate to pay for the child, and the FOC obtains more income.  While it is appropriate to demand that absent parents pay the state for their children, it is wrong, and I believe illegal, to shove good parents out of their children's lives because it's in the best interests of the state or of the pocketbooks of the court.  Such shameful activities which hurt children are consistent with the very low rates of joint and father custody in Wayne County and other jurisdictions in which large numbers of children receive financial assistance.

Secondly, the Wayne County Friend of the Court, based on the 2008 Michigan Statistical Supplement, openly refuses to do its duties under Michigan Law and enforce the parenting time of parents.  Zero hearings held, zero hours of makeup parenting time given.  For children and parents desperate to maintain a mutual and loving relationship, sometimes in the face of domestic violence and child abuse, this misuse of taxpayer funds (Title IV-D)  is a terrible shame.  It is also ultimately a self defeating policy, as father access is associated with a host of positive child outcomes, including reduced rates of gang activity and reduced rates of teen pregnancy, which later put further burden on the courts.

Thirdly, like most FOCs, the Wayne County FOC is part of the FOC Association, which funnels taxpayer dollars intended to help children into apparently illegal lobbying.

Fourthly, FOC child support specialists in Wayne County, like others, are given means, motive, and opportunity to defraud gullible parents.  FOC form 10a, along with procedures for calculating support in the dark, makes it easy for a child support specialists, who are encouraged to maximize transfer payments, to manipulate "calculations" and obtain "voluntary agreements", maximizing pressure on parents by allowing them to simultaneously maintain control of how often they see their children through "recommendations" which are rarely questioned.  Evidence of fraud was uncovered in the 2008 MCSFM training, when FOC's own training manual acknowledged that "automatic imputation" (a violation of law) was the de-facto previous policy of the FOC.  This allowed the FOC to manufacture payments in violation of law which had no bearing in reality on the parent's ability to pay, obtain a parent's signature through coercion and threats that they will never again see their children, and maintain that those calculations were accurate in court later.  (The FOC Association, uncomfortable with parents who were prepared to expose their activities in court, lobbied the legislature to change the law to prevent evidence of their  games from appearing on the record).

In conclusion, Justice Smith could substantially improve the financial outlook of the Wayne County FOC, and the welfare of children in his jurisdiction by ensuring that children are placed in homes where their best interests are maximized, and ensuring that the financial implications of the court and state, nor the race and gender of parents are not given inappropriate influence, enforcing parenting time so that children and parents can enjoy mutually beneficial relationships and are not subject to abuse and domestic violence, drop out of the FOC Association and ensure that taxpayer dollars intended for children go to those children, and take the necessary steps to end child support fraud which evidence indicates has been systematic in the past.

Michigan Medicaid and Child Support Double Dipping

For years, I have been battling with the father rights groups to understand that non-custodial parents are parents who have been determined by the court unfit to be granted the right to custody of the child.


Here we have a perfect example to show the child support issue advocates that child support is under the policy aegis of child welfare, being in this case, the Michigan Department of Human Services, and not the Friend of the Court.


The Friend of the Court collects, or rather enforces the orders of the court.  The court, judicates the bidding of Michigan child protection policies.

How does Michigan protect its children?  By double-dipping, of course! 


Let's have some fun with the antics of the Supreme Court's ignorance of the foul administrative opertions in Michigan's child welfare.


First and foremost, the children were made wards of the court.  That is just a fancy name for foster care.  I do not have the details on the order, as it substantially affects the funding decisions of reimbursement, but, for conversational sake, let's say it is a Title IV-E placement with Targeted Case Management services.


Michigan has been known to order parents to pay for the time a child is in foster care.  This has led to many termination of parental rights decisions.  By this I mean a child may be placed in foster care for the parents failure to provide for the necessary needs of the child; they are poor.  It could be homelessness or it could be the inability to access proper medical care.  In any event, it is a catch-22.  Your child enters foster care because you are poor, yet you are ordered to pay for the length of stay.  If you do not pay for the time the child is in foster care, you fail to comply with the case plan and parent-agency agreement, generating documentation to support the call for TPR.


Ok, the State has been reimbursed under these two funding streams: (Title IV-E and Targeted Case Management).  Does the State send back this money to the feds if the parent pays for the foster care stay?


Hell no.  Wait, it gets better.


Then, as child support is ordered and to be intercepted, Title IV-D kicks in.  Now, you have foster care administrative payments kicking in to refer to Friend of the Court to collect money from a person whom the State has decided has no legal ties to the child.


Absolutely brilliant scheme of double-dipping.


Michigan has ordered many parents whose rights have been terminated to pay child support.  Even though the child is adopted out and the new adoptive parents or even foster parents who have the child in adoptive placement are receiving adoption assistance payments, child support operations are in full force.


Where does the child support money go once a child is adopted out from TPR?


Into the blackhole of Michigan's Medicaid fraud scheme.  Remember, it's all about maximizing revenue for the State.

Mich. Supreme Court: Loss of parental rights doesn't end support



The Michigan Supreme Court says a loss of parental rights doesn't automatically mean an end to child support.



In a rare unanimous opinion, the court says a father or mother can be ordered to support a child financially even if he or she has no other role. The justices ruled in a case from Oakland County in which Lawrence Beck's parental rights were terminated in 2009.

A judge still required Beck to support two children under the terms of a divorce from his wife.
The Supreme Court said Monday that Michigan law requires financial support unless a judge modifies or terminates the obligation.

Justice Alton Davis did not participate in the 6-0 decision because he reviewed the case when he was a member of the state appeals court.

Michigan Supreme Court Opinion On Child Support In Termination Of Parental Rights

Will Snyder Stop Medicaid Fraud In Michigan?

Hey Rick, 


Congrats on the election but I send my condolences to you, in advance, for the inherited mess of DHS for which you are about to receive.  This wonkette is here for you.


Here is a list of administrators you need to immediately boot:

Bill Johnson, Michigan Children's Institute Superintendent


Bruce Hoffman, Michigan Children's Institute Assistant Superintendent


Mary Rossman, Michigan Children's Institute Assistant.... who knows her title.


Shut down Michigan Children's Institute (Supreme Court has been playing the hiding game on this one.)


Kate Hanley,  Her title keeps changing on the micro-org charts, she is adoption czar

and, last, on my top ten list of the status quo keepers of Michigan's Dark Secret...

Verlie Ruffin,  Ombudsman of Michigan's Children

Deal averts request for fed control of Mich. child welfare system

Catherine Jun / The Detroit News

  Detroit — A child advocacy group backed away from plans to seek a federal takeover of Michigan's child welfare system after a federal judge said she received assurances from Gov.-elect Rick Snyder that his incoming administration will make fixing the Department of Human Services a top priority.

Children's Rights, a New York-based agency, had announced earlier today that it planned to file a motion of contempt Wednesday in federal court in Detroit and ask the judge to appoint a receiver for Human Services, the agency that oversees foster care and adoption. The agency cited a progress report publicized today that showed the state was failing to comply with court-mandated reforms.

Instead, after a meeting in chambers this afternoon with U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds, attorneys for Children's Rights agreed to meet again with DHS officials in late January — after Snyder takes office — to devise a plan to get reforms on track.

"We have every confidence that they see how urgent this is," said Sara Bartosz, senior staff attorney for Children's Rights. She added, though, that she has not ruled out seeking federal intervention in the future, if necessary. "That option is out there if the system doesn't improve."

This is the latest development in the department's court-ordered overhaul of its foster care system. The department has been under court watch since the settlement of a lawsuit in July 2008 filed by the New York group, which alleged the state's system was endangering the lives of children.

Before the scheduled 2 p.m. court hearing, the New York agency had issued a statement saying it planned to seek receivership for the department, citing a court-appointed monitor's report that showed the department failed to adequately reduce high caseloads for caseworkers as well as recruit and retain enough foster homes.

The 200-page report, covering Oct. 1, 2009, to March 31, 2010, charges that DHS failed to: Ensure that new caseworkers were adequately trained before they became responsible for children and families.

Ensure that adequate staff was assigned to conduct timely and thorough child abuse and neglect investigations.

Recruit, retain and license enough foster homes and those of relative care providers.

Court-appointed monitor Kevin Ryan, of the New Jersey-based Public Catalyst Group, submitted the report to Judge Edmunds at the hearing.

According to the report, Ryan also found data-keeping and mathematical errors in state records, including how the state counts the number of children in its care. The state delayed the recording of adoption finalizations in some cases by as much as 225 days.

"Child welfare managers and staff across Michigan, in both the private and public sector, are working very hard, but their best efforts are often undone by poor planning and a lack of adequate coordination," the report stated.

This is the third update since the settlement, and comes 1½ years after reforms began. The settlement contained a five-year plan the state agreed to enact.

This is the final report before Rick Snyder takes over as governor next month. It's possible that new management will be tapped at DHS.

Anticipating the court hearing, the Michigan Department of Human Services issued a news release this morning highlighting what it says are improvements within the department.

More children have been adopted from foster care, are receiving better mental health services and have better outcomes overall, DHS Director Ismael Ahmed said in a written statement.

"DHS, in partnership with private agencies and the courts, have made significant strides in the past two years to ensure we're doing our part to help children find safe, loving and stable homes," Ahmed said.

In fact, 3,030 children were adopted from foster care in 2009, more than in any other year, he said.

Other accomplishments include reducing the number of children in foster care and expanding a program that provides in-home services and support to families with children who have serious emotional problems.

The previous report issued in March showed the state was missing significant targets, like sufficiently reducing the number of children aging out of foster care and documenting adequate responses to allegations of abuse or neglect of foster children.

At the time, the human services department was placed on a 30-day watch to get reforms on track.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101207/METRO/12070385/Deal-averts-request-for-fed-control-of-Mich.-child-welfare-system#ixzz17T4XMO3Z