Petition Tag - social workers

In 2004, New York State enacted the social work licensing statute. Due to the complexities and administrative burdens of the new requirements, the law contained an exemption from licensure for individuals employed in programs operated and /or funded by several government agencies including; the Office of Mental Health, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Children and Family Services, and local social service and mental hygiene districts. This extension is set to expire on June 1, 2010.

Impacted agencies have consistently reported that an additional extension is necessary due to the fact that much of the workforce is not compliance ready. The Social Work Licensure Alliance has been working with other stakeholders across the state in an effort to secure such an extension. In the context of this year’s budget process, we have continued to engage key members of the legislature, the governor’s staff, the Division of Budget, and impacted agencies, as well as other stakeholders.

The Governor’s 2010-11 budget proposal contains language extending the exemption for an additional four years. The Senate has also included a similar extension in its budget resolution with provisions for temporarily exempting additional agencies and requiring an annual report on progress toward compliance with licensing requirements. We are urging the State Assembly to do the same.

If an extension of the exemption is not dealt with in the budget, thousands of social workers across New York State are in danger of losing their jobs which will undoubtedly result in huge service delivery disruption throughout state agencies.

We need your help to spread the word and prevent these job losses and protect vital services for New York residents.

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I am asking people to sign this petition to help those residents who have had their Children taken from their care in an unjustified manner without being given the opportunity and help to stay living as a families if possible.

Too many children are been taken from Vulnerable Mothers and Fathers and the complaints procedure with which Social Services operate protects them from being complained about during the course of court cases until after the final hearings, which means that if you have evidence that the Involved Social Workers have for example 'LIED' to the courts, they have legal security that your children's rights will be taken to court without a fair hearing with them to be seen as 'Independent' and 'Professional' by the court and so are seen to be telling the truth even if they are not.

This is not Justice.

Social services are also able to Emotionally Abuse your children Legally. For example, one 8 year old boy was taken aside by social workers during the School day to be told that he would be going into care 'to a house with a doggy' and was told that his Grandma, with whom he had been living for 18 months was not to be trusted by the services. The Family had no idea this had been said to this 8 year old boy until a few days later, when he had been asked why he was feeling sick every morning and he told his family, 'they have been to see me and told me i was going to care. The family had not been told a visit had been arranged, that social workers were telling this little boy whilst he was isolated in a room at school that he was going to care, there was no support given to this child as the family had no idea. The court had not even been made aware of this case by this time. This child had the weight of the world on his shoulders and the Mother who still had PR was not even aware it had occurred.

Please sign this petition if you truly believe that more could be done to protect our children and stop the 'legal bullying' that is happening to hundreds of families every day.

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