The Virginian-Pilot
©
I wouldn't want Bob Morin's job.
He directs Virginia Beach's Human Services Department, which handles some of the most troubled and vulnerable people in the community: children in foster care, teenagers in the Juvenile Detention Center, and adults suffering from drug abuse and mental health problems.
"My job has never been an easy one," he told me Monday.
The department serves 123,000 people annually - some are counted twice if they're in more than one of the agency's 58 programs.
Now Morin is fighting a scandal - and trying to cling to his $120,822-a-year post.
He and his staff have come under fire in the February 2010 killing of an infant at the hands of his foster mother. Braxton Taylor, just 10 months old, was shaken to death. A court document said his testicles had been crushed and his stomach, groin and ear were bruised.
His foster mom pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and in November was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Within days of that horrific case, Morin changed several procedures affecting foster children. For example, before Braxton's death, case workers visited children monthly who weren't in day care or school, which Morin said was the national standard. That's been revised to weekly visits.
Now, all marks or bruises on children automatically are reported to investigators with Child Protective Services; previously, that wasn't the practice.
More steps may be needed, but w
hat Morin and the agency don't need is grandstanding by the City Council.
Several sources told The Pilot last week that Morin is being pressured to resign. Council members held a closed session last week to discuss a lawsuit stemming from the infant's slaying.
The council's thrust is wrong for a couple of reasons.
One, City Manager Jim Spore is entrusted to make that decision - not the council. As the day-to-day administrator, he likely knows more about the intricacies of the case.
Second, council members seem to be embarrassed by recent news reports on the 2-year-old case. Morin admitted this month that the agency should have done more to prevent Braxton's killing.
Council members have a right to be alarmed. They don't have a right to substitute their opinion for Spore's or to demand someone's head on a platter.
Nor should they punish Morin for telling the truth in public, no matter how many emails or calls they get from angry residents.
Morin and his department aren't blameless. The social worker assigned to Braxton should've recognized signs of abuse in the days leading up to his death. The infant's biological mother, Kristen Wall, said she noticed numerous bruises on his head and back during a supervised visit, but "the social worker brushed me off."
On Monday, Morin wouldn't tell me the status of that social worker, calling it a personnel matter.
The city of Virginia Beach now girds itself against a $3.46 million lawsuit by Braxton's biological parents. Here's why the infant was in foster care: Wall had used narcotics during her pregnancy, and she faced numerous drug-related charges at the time of Braxton's birth.
The city stepped in because it was the protector of last resort.
The state will review the actions of the Human Services Department.
Before resignations are demanded, let's wait for the results.
Roger Chesley, 757-446-2329, roger.chesley@pilotonline.com, pilotonline.com/chesley
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Never enough money?
All gov'ts say there is never enough money up front, but there will always be money to fix the problems. And it always appears that it is too late after the horse is out of the barn
It should not be the responsiblity of the city Manager, but one of the council members should oversee the department.
I expect more
I expect more from State Officals when it comes to my tax dollars. I'm tired of everyone complaining about funding whenever something goes wrong. They honestly get enough funding as is, and that excuse is tired and old. The man in charge, needs to answer for his failures with either a jail term, or the umemployment line, and a label that will follow him for life. He delegated his authority and his overall fault and responsibilty. The social worker failed, he/she didn't pay enough attention to the situation, the foster mother is a complete failure as a human being, and should be tortured for the rest of her life in prison in solitary confinement. She should have her food pushed through a slot in the door, and let out an hour a day.
" my job has never been an easy one "
Of course your job isn't easy. That's why we pay you 120k a year!
Roger's right...
...the official should not be fired for rendering his opinion, he should be fired for admittingly running a department that should have done more to save this child. If this were a public corporation (bank, manufacturer, defense contractor), Roger would write about CEO accountability. Where's the parity with public services?
It's also this man's duty to refrain from exposing the city to risk, especially litigation. Nobody is asking him to lie; rather he should use good judgement when making public statements and saying nothing would have been better in this case. A person in his position should know better. To me, he doesn't seem to possess the common sense required of a high profile job.
common sense and govt /city service......
That is why we hire consultants,we need to start electing them and save money!!
We are all part of the problem
I am shocked by those willing to attack the Social Services Dept and the foster care program without even knowing the details. We don't know the details because of litigation not because the dept is trying to hide something. I have had the pleasure of getting to know the department's administrative leadership and they care deeply about these children. They place and supervise hundreds of children every year, protecting them against unimaginable abuse sometimes. While some are busy criticizing them, the General Assembly is busy cutting their funding. The voting public needs to understand that when funding is cut, we leave less staff to provide the needed protections and oversight. So we should look in the mirror first.
This has nothing to do with funding.
The child was in foster care because of the mother's drug problem. Foster care is paid for with state and federal funds.
The biological mother reportedly made the assigned social worker aware of the baby's bruises. It would have cost no additional funds to investigate the matter more thoroughly. That was part of the social worker's job, for which she is paid a salary, and for which the city receives state and federal funding.
We do not know from the reported facts whether a suitable relative was available, such as a grandparent, to care for the baby. If so, that would have saved the expense of foster care, and might have saved this child's life.
The problem here is lack of honesty, competence, and accountability, not inadequate funding.
All the money in the world wouldn't make a difference
The government could and would out grow it.
When you want more funding provided to you by the taxpayers, you are requesting that someone take the food out of their childrens mouths to give to you.
Economic hardship on an already strained family can cause more abusive situations.
We are all part of the problem
I am shocked by those willing to attack the Social Services Dept and the foster care program without even knowing the details. We don't know the details because of litigation not because the dept is trying to hide something. I have had the pleasure of getting to know the department's administrative leadership and they care deeply about these children. They place and supervise hundreds of children every year, protecting them against unimaginable abuse sometimes. While some are busy criticizing them, the General Assembly is busy cutting their funding. The voting public needs to understand that when funding is cut, we leave less staff to provide the needed protections and oversight. So we should look in the mirror first.
WE ARE ALL PART OF THE PROBLEM
to WE ARE ALL PART OF THE PROBLEM
Trust me ... if only you knew. The voting public needs get more involved. There are problems within. I would suggest a focus group to identify the communication problems with Social Services, Foster Care, the residents of Virginia Beach and the families this department is suppose to assist. There seems to be a misconception about the focus of this division of government. You will here more about my story soon.