In February 2025, my life took an unexpected turn when my son Brentley Vinson who has Cerebal Palsy was removed from my home under allegations of violating a safety plan concerning a past relationship. Despite the end of that relationship a month after his removal, I have striven to meet every requirement put forth by the Washington County Department of Social Services, and yet, my son remains separated from our family. Keep in mind Brentley never failed to thrive and there were no allegations of abuse or neglect of him. 

Since February 2025, I have maintained clean drug screenings (I already had almost two years clean at removal) continued mental health treatment, completed all requisite programs, and ensured that I remained incident-free with no police involvement or criminal charges. Furthermore, I have continued to successfully secure and care for my other children, demonstrating my capability as a responsible and caring parent. Despite meeting these requirements, I am still fighting to reunite my son with our family.

This experience is not unique to my family. There are countless others facing similar plights across Washington County, where children are being unnecessarily removed from loving homes, causing irreparable trauma to both the children and their families. The lack of transparency, oversight, and accountability within the Washington County Department of Social Services makes it difficult for families to navigate these challenging times and fight for their rights.

Our families deserve better support and fair treatment. Therefore, we are calling for increased oversight, transparency, and accountability within the Washington County Department of Social Services regarding family separation and placement decisions. This includes implementing processes that allow parents to easily navigate cases involving their children, ensuring that the primary goal is always the reunification of families whenever safely possible.

Additionally, we demand regular reviews and audits of department procedures and decisions, greater accessibility to caseworkers and legal representation for families, and the establishment of a clear outline of family rights and recourse in cases of separation. Increased transparency into the decision-making process is vital to preventing unnecessary family separations.

Your signature on this petition can help bring much-needed reforms to the system, protect families from unjust separations, and support parents striving to be reunited with their children. Stand with us in advocating for a fair, transparent system that upholds family unity and ensures the best interests of the children are at the forefront.

Please sign the petition to demand accountability and transparency in family separation and placement decisions within the Washington County Department of Social Services. Together, we can bring change and hope to countless families affected by these unjust practices.