Troubleshooter investigation into complaints helps foster parent get state aid
Case worker says state ‘trying to cover their butts’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Denise Gillman runs a dance academy in Crestwood. She’s spent 23 years teaching ballet and dance with a commitment to excellence. She loves kids and her resume as a dance instructor is vast.
Her resume as a foster parent is vast, too, including extensive documentation of her complaints and responses about Kentucky’s foster care system. Most importantly, the 12- and 13-year-old siblings she cares for were falling behind and she couldn’t get any help.
“The state is responsible for providing their educational needs,” Gillman said. “Both the children have auditory processing issues, which cause the brain not to process correctly, which is probably why they are two years behind in school.”
The emails back and forth got ugly during virtual instruction.
Gillman wrote: “I am not a special education teacher so I cannot use techniques to get through to him. For the past two years, the schools have failed the children.”
A special education advocate wrote: “I have gone through this with Ms. Gillman for two years, and how she has been treated is deplorable.”
On Sept. 22 of last year, Gillman received a notice that read, “Your foster home is being closed at the request of program management due to not meeting the educational and medical requirements of children placed in your home.”
“The issues that were stated that I did, never occurred,” Gillman said. “If you’ve been a thorn in their side, they close your home down. They called me one day and said we’re picking the kids up, have them ready. That was it. After three years, that’s what you get.”
She said 65 days later, she got them back, but still with no educational help, and none of the pay they’re supposed to receive.
“I was getting about $48 per day per child and we have an account set aside for when the children turn 18,” Gillman said. “That’s their money. But they also get allowance from the state. They get that monthly. They should be getting a clothing stipend for the children. We’ve seen nothing in nine months. Now it’s gotten so bad with the state denying everything and calling you a liar, I’ve been called a liar, so now I record everything I speak to the state about.”
Gillman shared phone recordings with WAVE 3 News. FCC rules prevent them from being aired, but WAVE 3 News can report what was said.
A case worker recently told her, “They owe you around $20,000 back payment. They’re all trying to cover their butts. It’s not just the money. It’s the fact that so much was done wrong. It got to this point because of other people’s incompetence. They feel like the overt threat of losing those kids is gonna be enough to make you shut up.”
After WAVE 3 News’ repeated requests in August for a response from the state to Gillman’s complaints, a reply came on Sept. 1 that stated “The cabinet does not comment on individual cases ... The Department for Community Based Services values all foster parents ... Per diems are provided to individuals who have completed the requirements under regulation to be approved as foster parents.”
One week later, on Sept. 8, Gillman received an email from the state that read “Special expense for tutoring has been approved.” One victory in a war that wages on.
“I think they owe the children,” Gillman said. “I think they made a big mistake. I have that on recording umpteen times, and nobody wants to own it. And I never wanted it to go this far, but I know I’m not the only one in this boat.”
Copyright 2021 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.