CPS Caseworker Ryan Headon: First Contact
You speak with Ryan Headon on the phone. Ryan got the case from the CPS investigator last month. Ryan tells you what the school nurse said when she called in the report. He also tells you that: Their son Marky doesn’t seem developmentally disabled, but he is enrolled in special ed at school. “I’ve asked for intensive in-home family services, and I think we might get lucky on that. Monica Morales just closed a case so she’s available.” Judy has worked in the past but is currently unemployed. The family lives in that funky trailer park out on the edge of town called Falk’s Family Park. The investigator found their trailer very unkempt, with clothes all over the place, empty food cartons with fruit flies circling, etc. He said the place was dirty as well as messy and there was no food in the fridge or anywhere else. He interviewed Marky on the spot and felt that the child was under a great deal of stress. Marky actually said, “I’m so tired! I need a break.” “Apparently, the parents did not react well to CPS being there. I heard that Judy yelled a lot and only quieted down when they threatened to take Marky into foster care. It’s a borderline case, you know. We may still have to remove him from the home.” Ryan tells you that he did a combined records search and found the Greene’s had a CPS case three years ago. When it was time for Marky to go to school, they had no proof of inoculations for him and they refused to cooperate with the school system. The Greene’s said he’d had his shots but would not give the name of the doctor or clinic. CPS was called. Marky had to have his shots again; problem solved, case closed. He also found reference to the fact that the Greene’s had been on food stamps for six months about a year ago. CPS has processed an emergency pharmacy voucher so the family could get Marky treated for head lice.
- What are the issues in this case?
- What are your follow-up questions, and to whom do you wish to direct them?