Former Foster Kids Struggle to Get Records
For years, Leigh Ecke repressed her childhood — the physical abuse from her “small-time cult leader father” and the subsequent decade she spent in Texas foster care. But when she became pregnant with her second child, Ecke decided it was time to dig up her past. She made what she thought was a routine request to the Department of Family and Protective Services, asking for her paper record.
Three years and several follow-up calls and letters later, the state had given her nothing. It took an attorney and a hand-delivered request to the agency’s head of records to get a ...
Comments (8)
Michelle Bafik-Vehslage via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Welcome to TX... When it comes to getting any paper work from a goverment office,you may as well have the number 1 million on your ticket. With so many people out of work you would think they could hire more..... But that would require common sense.
Marc Lippincott via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You don't collect taxes, you don't really have a responsive government...it's the problem with the GOP government mentality...
Sue Ann Smith via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well, that would be a gubmint job and they don't count.
Scott Kilpatrick via Texas Tribune on Facebook
But, taxes!!
Robert Price via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It's bashing big govt day I see. Think maybe it might be the people they have working there? or in most cases not working?
Bob Brown via Texas Tribune on Facebook
WE are bashing little government, actually.
Casey McKinney via Texas Tribune on Facebook
having worked for CPS and OES under HHSC I can attest to the fact that the employees in those agencies are expected to do the work of three people for the pay of one. Extreme amounts of work that cannot be done. the turn-over is tremendous becasue of this. Paying these people more and hiring enough people to do the job would pay off in the long run and clients would receive higher quality services.
PHYLLIS GREEN
I can relate to this story. I also was a foster child in an abusive home. At the age of 12yrs me and my sister, when school let out walked directly to the DHHR and told our story of abuse. They took us right back. My life was threatened seriously. The next day we returned to the DHHR and was placed in another home. I am now grown and would like to have my records that I have been seeking for 3 yrs or more. I am told from the DHHR office that they have probably been destroyed. My childhood is gone. It hurts to think I was let down by DHHR as a child asking for help for myself ,my sister and the three other foster children in the home. we were just ignored and the abuse never stopped for the others because it was work for DHHR workers to do there job just as as an adult I wont get my records that is in a paper archive because it is work. I am happy for you Leigh that you did receive help and you accomplished your goal. That was your life and you deserve those records.