COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS & LINKAGES: REACHING OUT TO WORK TOGETHER — HANDOUT AND TRANSPARENCY 2.6
Gabriella Sanchez is a single mom of two children, ages 6 (Luna) and 8 (Emillio). She is Latino, HIV positive, and a current client of DSS due to a report of supervisional neglect. The children were left alone on a Saturday morning when she was scheduled to work and couldn't find a babysitter. Emillio found some matches and lit the wood play set in the yard on fire. No one was hurt but the Fire Department called DSS. She acquired HIV from her ex-husband who was an intravenous drug-user. He died two years ago from complications due to AIDS. Gabriella has had her own problems with substance abuse in the past and finds it to be an on-going struggle to stay clean. She works at the Holiday Inn in the Housekeeping Department. Emillio has asthma and severe allergies. Luna is having problems in school and does not yet know her ABC's, numbers, or even colors. She is currently living in a dilapidated townhouse as she waits for public housing to become available. Public transportation is their main mode of transportation.
Florence Banks thought she'd raised her children but now she finds she is caring for her three grandchildren because her son, Roger, a single parent, was arrested on drug charges. Roger's ex-wife and the children's mother is currently incarcerated on check forgery charges with an expected release date six months from now. The children, Apollo (21 months), Venus (4 years-old), and Roger Jr. (5 years-old), have been living there for one month, and so far, it is not going well. Florence is overwhelmed: Roger has been released but is not visiting or following the treatment plan, and the children are, not unexpectedly, wild. Florence is an active member of the AME Riverside Methodist Church but hasn't even been able to attend her regular activities there because she can't find anyone to watch the children. She lives on a fixed income and is finding it difficult to keep her pantry and refrigerator filled. Due to a bout of meningitis as a baby, Venus is now deaf and requires intensive speech therapy. Florence's brother, Howard has a car and occasionally drives her to her appointments, otherwise she uses public transportation.
The Hunt family was reported to DSS when 14 year-old daughter, Brandi, disclosed to a friend that her step dad, Wayne, had sexually abused her since she was nine and was now afraid it was happening to her younger sister, Chastity, age 10. A subsequent investigation with law enforcement substantiated the reports and Wayne was arrested and put in jail. He bonded out and is no longer living in the home. Mother, Regina Hunt, was quite afraid of her husband and disclosed to the worker that he had often physically abused her and threatened to kill her if she had ever left. Because of the restraining order, she is trying to keep Wayne away but doesn't think she can make it on her own and recently told the worker that he's cured now that he's going back to their Pentecostal church. Brandi is having all kinds of behavior issues at school and was suspended last week for fighting. Chastity was diagnosed years ago with learning disabilities and continues to have problems with school. Both girls need therapy to address the sexual abuse they experienced. Mom works as a receptionist at an insurance agency.
Immigrants from Syria, the Shivaras came to the United States seven years ago. They have four children, all born in the United States, ages 6, 4, 3, and 4 months. Only the oldest, Farhad attends school at the local elementary school. The family came to the attention of DSS when Neda was diagnosed with post-partum psychosis and spent a week in the hospital to address the acute psychosis and adjust her medications. Father, Arya, works in a print shop, is quite religious, and practices at a local mosque. The infant, Avisa, has been difficult and was recently diagnosed with reflux causing her to frequently vomit during feedings. Neda's sister and Arya's brother both live in town and have helped out during this time of crisis. The family has few financial resources, speaks limited English, and is distrustful of your agency.