Saturday, Apr. 24, 2010
Social worker files 'whistleblower' suit against state
state employee files 'whistle-blower' suit
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears - vhoneycutt@herald-leader.com
A state social worker filed a "whistle-blower" lawsuit Friday alleging that Kentucky officials disciplined him because he reported violations by fellow social workers, including the placement of children in the homes of registered sex offenders.
In the suit, filed in Franklin Circuit Court against the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Clay Clement said that in September he complained to the cabinet's inspector general about two cases in which children younger than 4 were placed in the care of registered sex offenders without the cabinet taking any safety precautions or notifying law enforcement.
Clement, who lives and works in Madison County, also alleged in the lawsuit that social work managers changed documents "to justify this dangerous placement of children."
The lawsuit does not provide specifics about the registered sex offenders.
Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokeswoman Vikki Franklin said the cabinet does not comment on pending litigation.
In January, Clement was given a five-day suspension for "a lack of good behavior" and unsatisfactory performance of his duties, according to the lawsuit.
The suspension was in violation of the Kentucky Whistleblower Act, the lawsuit says.
Clement said he told the inspector general that he was removed from a case in August after he criticized managers who forced a parent to put her children in the care of a neighbor who she thought was abusing and neglecting them.
In the lawsuit, Clement said that he also told the inspector general that a cabinet supervisor gave false testimony about the case and withheld critical information from the court.
Clement said he was retaliated against because in March 2009 he gave a deposition in another whistle-blower lawsuit filed by a state social worker. In that deposition, he said managers were falsifying documents and placing children at risk, according to the lawsuit.
"It's a continued pattern. Practices of the cabinet are placing kids at risk, and those who do the right thing and come forward are punished," Shane Sidebottom, a Northern Kentucky attorney who represents Clement, said Friday.
Reach Valarie Honeycutt Spears at (859) 231-3409 or 1-800-950-6397, ext. 3409.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/24/1237346/social-worker-files-whistleblower.html#ixzz0m78RO3cK
Hello I'm going through the same with my children and this state social worker system. they removed my children from my grandmothers home after I voluntarly let them go there for a couple weeks then my sons dad called and just ade one accusation about my grandmother who is 60 years old and loves her great grandchildren as well as our whole faily they removed them based on my sons dad who beat on me all the time and has a mile long record of drugs. i have no record and never did anything to my kids except care for them and love them. I need help trying to see if I can do something about this they placed my 5 lil girls and my son with a family who had two sexually abused boys in the home then the foster parents didn't even take care of them so they had to remove them once again and split them up. This has been the most devistating thing that has happened to my children and I. They have ripped my family apart and caused so much pain and suffering for my whole family especially my childrn. if anyone could help me do something please email me at jwaltersbbdol@yahoo.com or call me at 859-556-3787 I will be glad to tell you anything you need to know to help me. Thank you God Bless
ReplyDeleteBrittany