IS CPS GOING TO KIDNAP MY CHILD?

[Emily_Rugburn]

I was served court orders today.

[Emily_Rugburn]

I received their affidavit, and it doesn't say anything about anything on the web. Also, my real name and real locations are not in here.

[Marina]

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One idea would be to delete the above comments.

Parents come onto this forum all the time saying something like they:

complied with all services,
passed all substance tests,
took a psychological evaluation
cooperated with counseling
took a parenting class
took anger management classes
never missed a child visitation
gave the children presents at visitation
got a car
got a job
got married
got a house
have money saved in the bank

and Child Welfare STILL terminated their parental rights and adopted the kids out to strangers.

Substance abuse cases are easy pickings for Child Welfare. They sail right on through court, drag on and on for as long as they can, give you false hope all along, and 2 days before the child is supposed to come home, they accuse their father of molestation and they accuse the mother for 'failure to protect.'


You have a long ways to go. Tell them what they want to hear. Don't paint a target all over your back. Social workers come onto this forum all the time and they would love to get a court order to investigate a comment like you just made. This is not a private forum. You might as well take out an ad in the NY Times.

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[Momoffor]

having marijuana in your system does not make you a bad parent, and that it doesn't prove that I am a drug addict, as is what they are accusing me of, right?

I am going to go out on a limb here and say something. You had asked us not to say anything or judge you on the marijuana use. But I think at some point you are going to find out that super hard way, the more that you downplay that use to CPS, the more they are going to be a living hell for you. They will say that you are refusing to admit that you have a problem, therefore cannot get help for the problem and so on. Meanwhile, they will be dangling your child like a carrot in front of you.

It doesnt matter what anyone here thinks of your usage, whether they are on the same page as you or not, its what CPS thinks about the situation. Just as others have said: It IS a BIG deal. And it IS a BIG deal to CPS and the courts.

I am not telling you to bow down and roll over for CPS, but you need to stop downplaying the substance abuse. (I use that term lightly).

I would take marinas advice and delete the majority of the above comments

[Momoffor]

I received their affidavit, and it doesn't say anything about anything on the web. Also, my real name and real locations are not in here.

They arent going to show your their hand of cards. They are going to show the judge. Its happened here before.

[LindaJM]

So true - CPS workers will use every dirty trick they can come up with to frame parents. You're welcome to delete any information here that could seem self-incriminatory in any way.

Don't try to be a hero by changing the system. Just do what you need to do to keep your child safe from this evil system. Later when you're feeling safe again, please join us in activism. I've always thought that my activism was a way to protect my children, and indeed, after our first scrape with CPS in 1989 I never had a child taken by them again... though I was harassed for a while!

[Emily_Rugburn]

I'm wondering if anyone can clarify something for me...

One of the things they are asking the judge to order says I must allow the child to remain in a safety plan placement with no unsupervised contact by the mother until further notice from the department.

It does not say who should supervise. Does this mean they are asking the judge to remove my child from my home?

Another thing...

The judge we are going to is probably the same judge they always have with their cases. Even the judges coordinator refused to speak to me. Does this mean they are in cahoots? Will the judge listen to me at all? I know they have to let me speak, but if the judge is in a habit of ruling for the cps, then won't they just ignore everything I have to say? Does the dirty drug test mean they will take my child no matter what I say? And what if I bring in my own drug test, even a hair follicle, will it be approved by the judge? It just seems to me that they are going to make sure I have to do all these classes and they will try and keep me from being able to work. If I'm going to lose my son, wouldn't it be best to give him away now? so that I can choose who his new parents will be... Then when we go to court, they will have to close the case because I no longer have custody. I have a feeling if I let a judge that is friends with cps rule this case, I will lose him to strangers no matter what I say or do. I have a feeling that I am going to lose him, because no matter what really happened, the judge is probably going to ignore everything I say. This service plan they want is meant to give them enough time to prove I'm unfit. If I were to miss an appointment with cps, they will take him. So I'm not going to be able to work. If I can't work, I can't afford health care, and if I can't work, I will not be allowed to keep his medicaid. These are going to be requirements from cps. If I don't have health insurance, they will take him. So they are going to take my son. No matter what. They are going to take him. That's why I think it would be a good idea to give up custody now, so I can make sure he's with someone that loves him. Then they will have to drop the case and I could get him back later. And next time, I will be able to make sure they never get in our lives again.

[Marina]

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It is good to have a family member lined up who can take custody rather than facing foster care. A Safety Plan placement means something like relative care. Do you have a relative who is suitable and can pass a background check, etc? Or a friend? If not, your child is headed for foster care, if they are talking about "placement." Placement means removal.

Sometimes they will allow you to live in the same home with the child, but in other cases they don't allow that.

In some states where a relative has custody or guardianship of a child, they will close the Child Welfare case. But in other states, they will still have a Service Plan and force the issue of "Permanency" on the child. That means they will try to get the relative to become a permanent guardian or adopt the child. This is a huge responsibility. This is a serious situation which you can't take lightly.

In some states, they must favor relatives for foster care, but when it comes time for adoption - and they will always force the issue - the state laws don't favor relatives, and they can adopt the child out to strangers anyway, after 2-3 years of legal custody by a relative.

That is why you have to take this seriously, because you love your child and want what is best. Nobody can love their child like the parent. You can do the service plan, others have done it. It is hard, but you have to try and you can do it. You are young.

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[Emily_Rugburn]

Another plan could be to give his father full custody. In other words, give up all parental rights to him. If I do this, they will be forced to close the case against me. If there is no case against me, they will not be able to force any safety plans or service plans that mean I have to be supervised with him. They will be out of his life immediately and it will end the suffering he's going through now. Then of course, I could remarry his father after a few years, and we could be a family again. Then what can they do? Not only that, we do not have to stay here where they are this corrupt. And now that we know our rights, we can make sure they do not get into our lives again in the future. I see no laws broken here. While I will have no parental rights to my son, I could have a POA over him to be able to put him in school, ect., after we are remarried. I honestly believe that if I had never divorced his father, this never would have happened. So in order to fix it, I must take it back. But not until the case is closed. It will be ok for them to investigate his father. But I don't see how they can go knock on his door with no reports made against him in the first place, and even if someone does, out of spite, for example, then he can allow them to. They will not find anything. Does this make sense?

edit:
His father has assaulted me before and I filed charges. The police are dismissing the charges because I didn't follow up. If I give him full custody, will they open a case on him and make him do the service plan? They don't have a case open on him, only on me. He has no prior allegations or reports of child abuse or neglect.

[LindaJM]

They will use the assault charge against him, and if you give your child to him they will call you neglectful. A lot of domestic violence victims have lost their kids. I was one of them. I lost my child for eight months because her father hit me when I was pregnant and I didn't leave him right away. That's what got me started with this site.

I think it might be a better idea to give guardianship to your mom. Have you considered that route?

[Emily_Rugburn]

if I give up my rights, they can call me anything they want. This is not a way to win the case. It's a way to get them out of my child's life right now. Will the judge order that my ex has to do the things they are wanting me to do? they are not suing him, they're suing me. Wouldn't that mean that after I give up my rights and they close the case, that they will have to start a brand new case on my ex? And they will not get the chance to. We've learned how to prevent it, at this point.

I have read the things on the site. The horror stories of children being abused and molested in foster care. The government can do what they do, but they will not do it to us. I've heard the stories of parents following the service plans and yet still never getting their kids back. I refuse to let them do this to us. We do not deserve to be terrorized for years on end just to find out it was for nothing. There is one way to get CPS out of your life immediately, and it's to give up your parental rights. They cannot keep a case open on someone who does not have a child. I'd rather be without him than to have him go through this. They talk about emotional abuse... They don't call what they are doing emotional abuse? My son has had nightmares since this started. But of course... It's not how they abuse your kids, it's about how you do. Therefore I refuse to let them get another dime of federal funding from harassing my family. CASE CLOSED!

[Marina]

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The case goes with the child, not the caregiver. The money follows the child.

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[Emily_Rugburn]

So basically, what you're saying is that they will not let me give him to his daddy? He is not being accused of abuse or neglect. He can pass any drug test they throw at him. If I give him full custody, will they show up at his door to remove our child? How can they? Will they be able to get a warrant? And on what grounds can they get a warrant? My sister had a problem when she was getting divorced. her ex called cps on her a couple times. Both times, when the social worker knocked on her door she told them the child lives with his father now. They closed the case. They didn't go knock on the father's door. They closed the case. So how can they force themselves into my exhusband's home to investigate? There is no law against moving. There is no law against changing your number. Anyway, so what if they did open the case on him. Are they going to lie and make up a reason to open the case on him? If the child is not in any risk of abuse or neglect, what can they do? I don't see them being able to get a warrant and take our child if all they have on him is an assault charge that has been dismissed.

The parents who got their kids taken away because of false allegations made the mistake of speaking to the social workers. Then the social workers twisted their words and used it to get a warrant. If they don't get any words to twist, what will they be able to do?

Any idea that a person can think of to stop cps in their tracks is better than fighting them. You can't beat cps. All you can do is work around their tricks. I can't afford a lawyer. $1000 is not enough money. Every idea I have has already not worked for other people on this site. Their circumstances were different from mine. They cannot be compared. All they have right now is a dirty drug test. That is it. Everything I told them that day is on my sworn affidavit I handed in to the court yesterday. Their report didn't show any twisting of my words. It stated the facts. It's just the trivial question of weather one time use of marijuana is considered what the texas family code calls "current use of a controlled substance in a manner that results in emotional or physical injury to a child" And that that one time use is enough for the judge to say "we don't know how much you use drugs". Even my clean urine test doesn't prove that it didn't cause emotional or physical injury to a child. What I'm trying to prove is that nothing I do or say is going to change the judges mind or change what will happen. If I cooperate, I risk losing my child anyway, then we will have gone through years of torment for nothing. If I fight them, they will force me to cooperate, if I give up my rights completely before court, the judge cannot order any of the things they are asking. And the only way they will get in on my exhusband's case is if he speaks to them. I will instruct him not to say anything in court. I will bring a document to show I gave up my rights. He has joint custody, so this will just make it full custody. The judge is not going to listen to a word I say. It doesn't matter what did or didn't happen. What matters now is that we don't allow cps to harass my son's father. If he is already in his daddy's custody before we go to court, then they have taken to court a person who is not a legal mother. They can call me neglectful all they want. This is the best idea I've had yet. I know you all are thinking of ways this is a bad idea, but when it comes to cps, there are no good ideas. This is the best one I've had yet.

[LindaJM]

Emily, it is a fact that every CPS case is different and that social workers are unpredictable. There's no way for us to know what they'll do next. It is possible that they'll drop the case if you no longer have custody of your child. Or, they might decide to investigate your ex. I can't tell you they won't and given my experience with having a DV - CPS case, I tend to think that this might not work out well for you.

On the other hand, I've heard of many cases where women complained that they gave their children to a batterer. Some people say they always choose the worst parent to give the kids to. I wouldn't say that as when I separated from my batterer I got the baby back... not that it was an easy journey. The caseworker watched me closely to make sure the separation was permanent. Battered woman CPS cases are very common. They say the batterer is too violent and the woman is crazy to want to stay with him, and neglectful of the kids. Battered women's syndrome is considered a mental problem by CPS workers.

You're going to have to go with your gut feeling and do what you believe is best for your child. I believe a mother's intuitions about what's good for her child are usually best.

[Emily_Rugburn]

Linda,

Thank you so much for giving me a positive reply. I have felt so discouraged and getting nothing but no no no from everyone I confide in for advice. But I do feel that I have the right idea this time. I'm afraid I cannot allow anyone else to guide me because as you can see from this entire thread, I have a hard time with advice I don't agree with. Although I have appreciated the views of everyone who has posted in this thread, and have taken everything into consideration, and have made a decision. The fact is that no matter what I do, there is always some chance they will get what they want anyway.

I am positive that my ex will be able to keep them away much better than I can. Trust me, I fought the man for 2 years for custody. He is tough. In the end, I got custody because I sweet talked him into it. He still loves me and always will and will probably never let me go completely. And I promised my son I would keep him safe and never abandon him. Keeping him safe includes keeping him away from CPS. Never abandoning him is not going to be as hard as most people think it will be. I may be poor, but his daddy will provide a good life for him, and I have the physical ability to stay close enough to see my baby every day. This may sound hard, having to live like a fugitive, but that is much better than trying to get him out of foster care, and risk him being abused in foster care, and possibly ruin his innocence and/or his life. He has assured me that if cps does get a warrant that it will be okay, and that they will not be able to get any reason to take my baby. I trust him. He is a good father.

[Momoffor]

I wouldnt give up full custody and give up all rights. This can be used against you now, and later down the road. They can intervene also. If in the future you decide to have another child ...viola ...CPS shows up at the hospital and says that you are unfit ect and takes it stating that you had a tpr, (on your own or not, CPS will use it against you)

Just do the service plan and be done. As I stated before, dont bow to every whim, but within reason. Go have a substance abuse eval done on your own (NOT the one CPS sends you to) to show that you dont have a problem. With the working and medical situation, explain to the judge that this is unreasonable and impossible. Perhaps he will listen.

Several years ago, I was required to go to parenting classes by CPS while I was waiting for the appeal process for the founding of neglect level 3 (Extreme danger to my children). I was threatened that since it was a lvl 3, if I didnt go, my kids would be removed asap ...appeal or no appeal, so I went. While there, I learned about Jesus (Im Jewish), and I also learned that if I just applied myself and got a GED, I would be a better parent. (I have a HS diploma and a BA) I was the only one there that did not have my kids removed for beating them. The social workers that ran the sessions didnt understand why I was there. BUT, to get those whores off my back and to leave my family alone, (I got them on tape saying they would close the case after I went to those classes) I went. It sucked rocks in the worst way, and I was so pissed at the ignorance I heard, and the ignorance of the parents there on some topics, but damnit I did ...for my CHILDREN to not have to go through anymore CPS shit.

Just suck it up and do it. The more you resist, the more they think you have something to hide. Before you even consider giving up your parental rights, talk to a lawyer. We cant give you legal advice, and what you are suggesting is a VERY serious and VERY permanent thing and a VERY bad idea imo.

[Emily_Rugburn]

ok, so I took the advice I received on this post.. thanks all of you for your input. Here's an update:

My son and I moved in with my exhusband. This was only for about a week or so before the court hearing. Sometime last week, my social worker called my ex asking if she could come and inspect his home. He didn't ask any questions, just told her, sure, why not? So the morning before she was to come, I cleaned the apartment to perfection, and set up the house to look like it was only the two of them living here. I also made sure there were outlet covers and cabinet locks, oven lock, fridge lock, and a lock on the pantry. Then I left the apartment early that morning and took a walk till my ex called and said she was gone. While she was here, she looked around and gave my ex a drug test (which is cool, he's clean). My son was asleep the whole time she was here, she came really early. So didn't have to worry about him talking to her. My ex has good eyes, and saw that she wrote everything down, the child safety things, the cleanliness, 2 beds, food in the pantry, ect. He said nothing she wrote down was bad. She told him everything was fine. A couple days later, called him and said he passed the drug drug test. The next afternoon, he got a call from the local cps where his apt is saying they received an anonymous report that there was drug use in the home!!! Completely Absurd!! We knew it was the social worker that called. He told her she could come over if she wanted to, and he would do a drug test for her, even though he just took one and passed. She said ok. Then we went to court yesterday. Before the judge heard our case, I told the social workers that my son was living with his daddy, and that I planned to give him primary custody. She said, let me talk to my supervisor, we night ask the judge for an extension and we might just dismiss your case. She came back and talked to my ex in private, telling him that they couldn't let him have our son because he has a pending cps investigation in his county. hmmmm... makes you wonder who called cps, doesn't it? So we watched all the other cases before ours. The only people in that courtroom that won a case all day were the social workers. So I decided to tell them I would cooperate. They turned down every person I gave them that could take our son. They used excuses like, one of them had a dwi from 20 years ago. Another one wasn't good enough because they'd been investigated by cps before (although the case was closed due to unfounded allegation). They wouldn't let my mom do it because she was busted for pot 35 years ago. They tried their asses off to put my son in foster care. Finally we gave them a name they couldn't turn down. Never been busted, never had a cps case, never even a traffic violation. So within 3 minutes of time to be heard by the judge, they approved her. It was a race against time. They tried to drag it out, saying if we didn't find someone by time to have our case heard, they would have to motion for removal. It was a scare tactic, which, against what they hoped, scared us into finding someone really fast. See, all of our family from both sides are from other cities, and they said we needed to find someone local (knowing of course that both of us have lived here a short time and didn't know enough people). Fortunately, my ex's girlfriend was the one that came through. It couldn't be someone from out of town because they needed to inspect the person's home first, and it takes too long, blah blah blah... they let her do it without an inspection! It was just a reason to make it harder for us to find someone. But we prevailed... Then today, I gave them my ex's parent's number after making sure they would do it. They called them. Both clean records, and we know their house is spotless, mother-in-law is a clean freak. So they passed background checks and will be coming to get our son monday morning. As of now, our son is staying with the girlfriend, and I'm staying with my ex. BTW: before our hearing, cps' attorney penned my ex's name on the affidavit above mine to add him to the docket. That was a way to make sure she couldn't just give him custody, because then not only was the case against me, but him as well. So now he has to do the "services" also. We have to do all the crap they want us to do. I just hope that between now and our next hearing, we'll be able to complete all of it.. not impossible if we schedule all of the things ourselves and hire our own psychologist, and do the hair follicle test on our own dime, without telling them it's for cps. The judge told me herself that we did not have to use cps contractors, that we could hire our own. So we will. And as the above advice, I will be sure to record them saying they will give us our child back after we complete the service plan. I'm headed out to radio shack right now to buy a tape recorder. But how can I get her to say it if she knows she's being recorded? Cuz I have to tell her, by law. She might stumble around saying it. I'm afraid it will screw it all up.

[Momoffor]

recording them makes them play straight (sometimes) often times they dont like it and as long as you are following the states recording laws there isnt a damn thing they can do about it, but they will try. Recording is to prevent them from lying and making up crap, and to also catch them in lies. I got the social worker on tape saying she was going to close the case and hand it over along with her recs to military family services. Military family services didnt take her advice, and closed the case with no services needed. She then tried to reopen the case so that she could make us do what she wanted.

They will also always give you the line along with recording that they are uncomfortable with that, or that they will have to check with their supervisor before they can allow it to continue. (I heard the latter myself, but busted her lying rear end the same day anyhow because the idiot liked to hear herself talk) Also got her on tape refusing to leave my house when I told her to get out and threatening to take my kids.

Taping is a VERY useful tool for you!

[Emily_Rugburn]

UPDATE:

The social worker called me today. She said she could not get ahold of my my ex or his girlfriend. She said if she did not speak to one of them in the next 30 minutes, she was going to inform her attorney that we were not cooperating. Seriously? Well my ex was out of minutes on his phone and his girlfriend doesn't answer the phone when she doesn't know who it is. Are either of these things a crime? And even if they are, why is that my fault? Why is she being such a bitch to ME when I didn't know anything about it?

The fact that they keep telling us we're breaking rules when we are following the service plan correctly is very frustrating. I think I should speak to her about this, and say in the nicest tone, I have read the service plan over and over, and I have read the safety plan over and over, and as far as I can see, we haven't broken any rules. Would you mind giving me an explicit outline on what we are required to do so that I will no longer make you angry with me? I wonder how I can word it. I'll also be sure to record this conversation. OOHHHH!! GUESS WHAT! I CAN LEGALLY RECORD THEM WITHOUT TELLING THEM... found that out earlier.

[LindaJM]

Emily, though recording is a good thing, some things should be put into writing. Your statement that you're following the service plan and that you're not breaking any rules, and your understanding of the telephone conversation between the two of you can be put into a letter format and sent to the social worker. You can tell her in the letter that she needs to respond in writing to the letter within ten days if anything isn't accurate.

Also, every visit your have with your child can be similarly documented. NEVER miss a visit! If you do they will use that against you in court.

[Frustrated]

I agree with Linda, stop talking to the Caseworker, the less you say anything, the better so she can't use anything against you. Go through everything with your Lawyer and do everything by the books. use anything you can against back to them, which is by the books, document everything even record everything. Ihttp://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide ... ording-law

bring a legal pad or sprial book with you, so the caseworker knows you are documenting everything and recording everything. and tell her you have a Lawyer now and that you can't talk to her anymore, and refer her to your Lawyer. Period. Write down word for word what she said and make her wait until you are finished writing. If possible, bring a witness with you to witness beside you to witness what she said to you. That can be used for Court purposes and you can call the witness to the stand if possible to differianate to what this caseworker said.
Have everything in Writing. If she said you must be accompanied with your mother to supervise you and the kid, have that in writing. ie: safety plan. Get a copy of the saftey plan and save everything (documents) and put in your Files labelled CPS Agents/Files and leave it by the door so she knows you are documenting everything but be sure you have 2nd copies of everything and store them somewhere else, perferabbly not at the house, but maybe at your bank saftey box or at another relatives, or even at the storage place where you can rent. because it was known to some families, that CPS seized all the evidence from the house, including audio tapes, etc....etc....

the more knowledge and the more educated you get, the better. CPS don't like it when Families are more educated about this topic. Most of all, be sure to remain calm, polite, and smile...and say nothing. just say yes or no. that's it. do not give her more information that can be used against you.

[Frustrated]

once she calls you, record that telephone conversation. and save the tapes for Court. record all of her "threats" and save everything you can and put in files. save 2nd copies just in case if she tries to seize them and put them somewhere else. Say littlest as much as possible and if she threatens you, don't attack back to her, just be calm and polite. and don't show her any of your denials. She will see your denials as uncopperative. She might use your denials against you. be careful what you say to her at all times. think before you say anything.

If possible, you are alllowed to get 2nd opinion, get your own professionals, get your own psch. doctors/ go to the doctor for physcals, anything to use to help yourself and for your family protection. get your own assessments. so it will be so different from her assessments. CPS don't like 2nd opinions out there. they want only their own. Use the 2nd opinion results for Court. If the Doctors say you and the child are healthy, and everything's fine. If the psch. Doctor say there is nothing wrong. save all the reports and put in your files. CPS Workers are known to threaten telling families don't go for 2nd opinions because they know they want only one assessement which is their own and stay by it. If the child goes to school, get all the school records for your files. If you have a family doctor, ask for any reports that states that the child is up to date, everything with shots, and states that the child is perfectly healthy. Use any reports and get copies as much as you can. Every time the child sees some professionals, get those copies and save them all for your files. CPS Worker probably will find out and threaten you, and will tell you don't get reports or get help outside the CPS organization. Do it anyway for your protection.

[Emily_Rugburn]

well, luckily, while we were still in court, I asked the judge if I were allowed to use my own psychologist for the psych eval, and she said I was def. allowed to do so. I'm a poor person. My ex and I are barely getting by, although I haven't let cps know that. Since I just moved here, I don't have a job yet, but I do have an interview next week at a grocery store (I don't qualify for more than min. wage) and I have also placed an ad for construction work (my ex and I are exp. at construction work). since our child is not with us, we do not have to hire a sitter, or stay home, so we are both capable of working 2 jobs. We'll have our night jobs, and work construction jobs together during the day, self employed, that way we will be able to cooperate with cps during the day when we need to. My point is, my ex's night job (manager at a pizza place) pays the bills, the other jobs are solely for the purpose of getting my child back. I do not have a lawyer... can't afford one, and honestly, after talking to a dozen of them, and they think I'm an abuser, I'd rather defend myself. I've spent every waking hour studying how to do this, and I'm not quite prepared yet, but getting smarter every day.

As for court... I think I need to motion for a new hearing because at the last hearing, they talked us into settling, and then changed the petition without telling us, we agreed to something we didn't know we were agreeing to. And they are taking their time anyway, at least I'd have a better chance of winning after having the time to study more, and the time to have the court order them to release their evidence (if at all possible). I feel like we should have fought them instead of settling, even if we had lost, at least they wouldn't have been able to change the petition without our knowledge. And then always the small possibility that we would have won, but still, if we had lost, our kid would be with strangers rather than with his grandparents, and they would be even closer to screwing us.

So just so you guys know, I'm not talking to them, only when they call me and force me to with their threats. I don't volunteer information to them, only information I'm required to give them, such as the fact that I moved in with the ex (told them I moved in yesterday after our son left for his grandparents' house). I have a meeting with my new caseworker on tuesday. I'm going to donate plasma tomorrow, and start doing that twice a week. Yep, I have to sell my body to get my son back... and this is only so I can afford to print stuff and make copies at the library... how lame, I know, but I can't buy a printer just yet. Hopefully my first paycheck at the store will be enough to get my car fixed so I can make the 4 hour drive to visit my son, but I don't see printer money coming out that first check... but if i'm going to do everything by paper, I have to do this.

So I'm going to create a document that basically will make my caseworker promise to give me my son at a certain time, as long as all requirements are met (complete the service plan, and stay drug free) and I'll work that out with her when I meet with her. I am still pondering on a way to ask her without pissing her off... And I'm going to send a letter to their office telling them that my cell phone is unreliable and I will require all requests to be mailed to me in writing. I will send it certified mail. That way they can't deny they received it. This will save my butt if they try to force me to be in two places at once, I will have their requests in writing to prove that I was not being uncooperative. I will always use certified mail when i contact them to answer any of their questions. What do yall think? any of this sound stupid?

[Dazeemay]

Here is a link to a "free cell phone." https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enroll ... /home.aspx

They don't give very many minutes; you would have to see if your state has that service and you can check this on the link. I think the limit is 68 mins. per month. I don't know if you can add mins to it but, it might be worth checking into.

[Emily_Rugburn]

thank you... however my cell phone is not unreliable, it's actually pretty awesome and my parents pay for it. I'm just going to tell them that so that they cannot say I'm uncooperative if I don't answer the phone... but this is just so I won't be forced to talk to them on the phone. Like I said earlier, my caseworker got furious when she couldn't reach my ex or his girlfriend on their cell phones, and this way she won't be able to use it against me if I simply choose not to answer the phone, or if the battery dies, or I drop it in water, ect.

but that is a good link, you should share that with more people, I'm sure lots of ppl could use it