Why some Rochester mothers said asking for help led to Monroe County CPS investigations

Why some Rochester mothers said asking for help led to Monroe County CPS investigations Erin Mahon News10NBC Why some Rochester mothers said asking for help led to Monroe County CPS investigations ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe County has a 37% higher rate of Child Protective Services investigations than New York City, with a vast majority (76%) closed without a finding of child maltreatment according to a report from Hope585. The non-profit’s latest report, titled “Voices of Experience,” shares testimony from 21 women impacted by the child welfare system in Monroe County. News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with Dr. Ashley Cross, executive director of Hope585 and a co-author of the report, as well as Naishah Brown Ebanks, one of the women who participated in the focus groups. Testimony “Terrifying. You just never know the outcome. As much as you know you’re being a good parent, doing your best, you just never know what’s going to happen. They can take your kids at any moment. They can make you feel like you’re the worst person in the world. It’s just terrifying,” Brown Ebanks said. Hope585 is a Rochester nonprofit that helps marginalized youth and families by advocating on their behalf and providing services to help families heal. The report found a pattern of women seeking help, only to be investigated themselves. Many described how struggles with basic needs were often seen by mandated reporters as parental neglect. “There is no freedom now — especially not nowadays, to talk to people who we all know are mandated reporters. There’s no comfortability there. I’m not going to talk to my therapist, right. As much as I want to say the things — I know for a fact there’s a boundary there with my therapist when it comes to my children, because you just never know what they’re going to think is a reason to call CPS,” Brown Ebanks said. Report highlights The report highlighted a lack of transparency from mandated reporters about what could trigger an investigation. Dr. Cross said the stigma of being seen as guilty from the start adds to the lack of support mothers feel. “The first thing I would say is yes, a lot of these women were saying, ‘I was talking to someone I trusted about my issues. It escalated to its investigation. The second thing is that I 100% understand, and most people understand that CPS has a job to do, right. And if someone calls the state central registry, and they screen it and it comes in — the county, they have to investigate. That is their job,” Cross said. “How that’s being done was also one of the things that consistently the women talked about. It was, ‘I’m not actually upset that I was investigated. I know that they have a job to do. However, during that time, I would like a process that is compassionate, that is a dignifying experience that doesn’t make me feel less than that doesn’t feel like it’s full of blame and judgement about me, my parenting, my situation,” Cross said. The report found that 76% of investigations in Monroe County are closed without a finding of child maltreatment, with about 915 unfounded investigations open on any given day. The report also noted that Black children in Monroe County are 5.5 times more likely, and Hispanic children 3.5 times more likely, to enter foster care than white children. Participants described feeling powerless, isolated and afraid to seek help, fearing that asking for support could lead to investigations or family separation. Many said they were not given information about their rights or the process, and some felt their words were distorted or used against them. In addition, CPS investigations vary in terms of duration and intensity, with women reporting concern over the lasting emotional effects on their families resulting from child welfare involvement. Recommendations The report includes a legislative brief combining recommendations from participants with current and proposed legislation to improve families’ experiences in the welfare system. This includes shifting from a surveillance-based system to one that focuses on family support by supporting state legislation that increases funding for community-led supports in CPS. The report also focuses on including professionals with firsthand experience navigating the system. Their experience may better inform training initiatives and help professionals build better rapport with families. Because many women reported confusion surrounding family court and legal proceedings, another recommendation advocates for families to receive clear explanations of their rights at every step of the process. News10NBC reached out to Monroe County for comment on the report’s findings and recommendations but did not receive a response. To read the full report click here: Voices of Experience or see below. Voices-of-Experience Download