Governor Laura Kelly Signs Proclamation Recognizing Reunification Month
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that, to recognize Kansans’ continuous efforts to strengthen families and communities, she has proclaimed June as Reunification Month in Kansas.
“All Kansas kids deserve a permanent, loving home,” Governor Kelly said. “This Reunification Month, I ask Kansans to join me in thanking our welfare agencies, courts, schools, businesses, individuals, and all those who put in the work to reunite the children in our foster care systems with their families.”
The proclamation states that reunification with their family is the preferred outcome for children placed in foster care. The care, love, security, and stability of a family unity provides a solid foundation for personal growth, development, and maturity.
From July 2020 to April 2021, 1,516 children were successfully reunified with their families in Kansas.
The proclamation reads:
“TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS, GREETINGS:
WHEREAS, reunification with family is the preferred outcome for children removed from their homes and placed in foster care; and
WHEREAS, for most children in foster care, reunification with their family is their best option for a permanent and loving home; and
WHEREAS, from July 2020 to April 2021, 1,516 children were successfully reunified with their families in Kansas; and
WHEREAS, all children need the care, love, security, and stability of family unity – including parents or guardians, siblings, grandparents, and/or other extended family members – to provide a solid foundation for personal growth, development, and maturity; and
WHEREAS, reunification takes work, commitment, and investment of time and resources by parents, family members, social workers, foster parents, service providers, attorneys, courts, and the community; and
WHEREAS, Kansas has been a leader and example in celebrating the accomplishments of families who overcome an array of challenges to reunify safely and successfully; and
WHEREAS, the State of Kansas encourages service, civic, and religious organizations as well as child welfare agencies, courts, schools, businesses, and individuals to join in commemorating Reunification Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities that recognize the importance of supporting our families and communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Laura Kelly, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF KANSAS, do hereby proclaim June 2021 as Reunification Month in Kansas and I urge all citizens to join in this observation.”
Governor Kelly, I as a Parent, Grandparent, Aunt, Friend and fellow Kansan appreciate what you were trying to accomplish here with this Proclomation but I feel the need to let you know the DCF and TFI here in Pittsburg, KS. do not exercise your way of thinking. I do not see where Reunification is done here with the Families. They refuse to see where they may have been wrong when they have taken a child and put them in the system. They have so many hoops a family has to jump through and once the Parent has completed the case plan they go to court and lie to the Courts about how a Parent is not complying, or that the Parent is argumentative. Correct me if I am wrong but they offer no help. They don’t assist with making it possible for a Parent to get the help,guidance or teaching to be able for the Parent to be a better Parent. And once a Parent does complete the case plan and they have no reason to keep the child from returning home they throw in weekly UA’s to use against the Parent. In my situation my ex husband 3 yrs. ago made false claims about me and him and a DCF worker had conspired against me and took my Grandson from me. My ex husband was calling this former DCF worker every month with some lies, for which everything was found to be UNSUBSTANTIATED but that hasn’t stopped DCF or TFI from keeping my Grandson from me. I have for the past 3 yrs. had Supervised visits one day a week with my Grandson. I have never nor would ever mistreat or hurt my Grandson. I have had my Grandson since he was 6 mo.old and he is 11 yrs. Old now. I was the only family member who stepped up and took custody of my Grandson and I Adopted him in 2013 as a single Parent. I have been raising him on my own. He is the light of my life and such a joy in my life. But since this mess started I have had to go back to work which I don’t mind at all , I will do what ever it takes to provide for my Grandson. But do to me working I have missed some UA’s and because I missed these UA’s they mark them as Positive. So out of the 80 scheduled UA’S I have completed 20 of them but this isn’t good enough for DCF OR TFI. I have court on the 6th of this month and TFI is looking to take my parenting rights away from me. I am devastated about this. This would be the worst thing they could do to my Grandson. I have been the only constant person in his life. He knows he can count on me to always be here for him, I will do anything to provide for him and I have always done this for him. They let my ex husband run the whole show. Everything is hear say but DCF AND TFI take it as factual. Please help me Governor Kelly. We have to stop DCF AND TFI from doing this stealing of our kids. I will not give up on me and my Grandson. I will fight to the death to keep him. Thank you, JoAnn Johnston.