St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services has come under recent scrutiny. There are rising concerns for obvious conflict of interest issues over CPS/DSS caseworkers serving as foster homes as well. 

CHILD organizations (Community Helping Individuals Living in Distress) has collectively brought grievances forward. These grievances are very serious and have directly impacted children negatively. They also bring concerns that there may be monetary value associated with DSS employee's taking children into foster care.

One member of CHILD, Dottie Spears is the biological grandmother of a child placed with a DSS employee. Dottie has been petitioning for placement of her grandson without success. Why would CPS not place a child with a competent and capable family member?

Also the state report released in Nov. 2020 raised some concerns in this area, siting a foster home that had 8 children, exceeding regulatory capacity.

By signing this petition, I am stating I am in support of NO NEW foster care placements into the foster homes of St. Lawrence County CPS/DSS employees until litigation and further exploration of the concerns brought forward to the SLC Board of Legislators by CHILD and other members in the community is properly assessed. If employees of SLC DSS desire to continue to foster, they can proceed by fostering in the adjacent counties in the meantime.