My CPS Case: Power to Harm II

Below is my response to Marie's response to my emergency email (which is also posted, beneath my reply):

Marie,

You are not listening to me. My son was not just tired of being on the phone. He was wimpering 1 minute after I was on the phone with him, and the first times we talked, he was happy and trying to find me in Holly's house, for over 20 minutes, with his phone to his ear, listening to his mother. The last time I talked to him, he began the strange crying and wouldn't stop, and Holly's excuse was that he was "tired". He had been up, woken up that morning and been up for an hour already. He was NOT tired. He was distressed and it was not a temper tantrum. I know the entire range of my son's vocalizations. Secondly, last time I talked with him, he didn't wimper after 10 minutes with me, he was wimpering and wailing after ONE MINUTE and continued on, only stopping when I sang songs he heard me sing to him when we were together. As for my son having a low grade fever, I'm not surprised. The immune system goes down when humans are under stress. My son is in distress and you are NOT listening to me.If you don't take me seriously, I will be recording each and every call I have with him, for proof. Finally, you have NOT addressed my concerns about my aunt using corporal punishment on my son, or leaving him unsupervised. You have also not addressed the fact that the goal of CPS is not to facilitate bonding with MY "aunt" and my son, but to facilitate bonding and continued contact between the mother and child. I spoke with Mr. Alex Fitzstrom in Bellingham, and he agrees that the objective is to allow more visitation with me and the child and to return him to me. He said it is better to have my son moved over here to be close to me and says even if Wenatchee CPS is thinking only of transitioning after they THINK they will win a fact finding, to make that happen they would need to speak with him now so he can begin looking for a good foster care placement for my son in this area. I also spoke with Mr. Fitzstrom about having a mental health evaluation. I told him I want to schedule one through Whatcom county immediately and he said he can arrange this after YOU call him and request one of their psychiatrists. He said you would be the group paying for it at this point. So here's your chance. If I were you, I'd take it while you can. If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know. You stated you had "safety" concerns but have been unwilling to share with me what these are and what you need for reassurance that my son may be placed in my care again, without risk. I must remind you Marie, that your job is cooperate with me and repair what damages have been done which concern me and my son. Your job is not to cooperate with my aunt, or to replace me with my aunt. Your job is not to faciliate a bond between my son and my aunt, but to keep me and my son connected and bonded. I am concerned about your dismissive approach to handling my complaints as regards my son and his mental health. It is not just about a "low grade fever", and even if it were, it should tell you something that I was the one to notice something is wrong first, and to demand action be taken. However, as his mother and advocate, I can tell you I know my son, and he is not well AT HEART. He needs his mother. Please call Mr. Fitzstrom at 527-2509. You know what? If you get me in for a mental health evaluation fast enough, you may even have further ammunition to use against me in the next hearing. I'm ready. Sign me up. Cameo

----------------------------------------> Subject: RE: EMERGENCY: MY SON'S MENTAL HEALTH> Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:55:42 -0700> From: SCNL300@dshs.wa.gov> To: cameocares@live.com>>

Cameo ->>

I have talked with Holly about your concerns for Oliver crying and> fussing during your phone calls with him. It sounds like, after ten> minutes of the phone up to his ear, Oliver gets tired of it and pushes> it away. At one point, he was also frustrated with a toy he was playing> with and there were other times where he was just waking up and he was> still sleepy and hungry. These all sound like reasonable things to me> that may cause a child to be fussy and cry or whimper.>> It sounds like he really enjoys listening to you sing and if that helps> him be less fussy, then that is an excellent thing to do when you talk> to him.>> Oliver has an appointment with a pediatrician today because he has a low> grade fever. Either I or Holly will let you know how it goes.>> Other than this current fever, Oliver has been doing really well and is> healthy overall.>> Have a great day!>> Marie Scanlon> Social Worker III> Wenatchee DCFS> (509) 667-6142>>> -----Original Message-----> From: cam huegenot [mailto:cameocares@live.com]> Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 8:14 PM> To: Scanlon, Marie (DSHS/CA); Caballero, Tomas (ATG)> Subject: EMERGENCY: MY SON'S MENTAL HEALTH>