By Abbe Gail Russell, Stevensville
My son Cody has disappeared into the depths of MT DPHHS adult foster care system. I haven’t visited with him since October 2005. He’s 41 years young and has incredible abilities and chronic disabilities. Yet he has a bright smile and laugh. He’s triumphed over deafness and severe speech disorder. For 30 years I have battled for his rights as he has been abused and neglected in this foster ‘care’ system.
Because I’ve spoken out, through getting him to therapists, police, and contacting legislators, doctors, congresswomen and Government Watch, DPHHS had a county judge sever my maternal rights in 2006.
I still speak up for children and disabled people of all ages. They do not deserve emotional, sexual, physical abuse and torture. The U.S. Constitution states that all people are created equal, so then why are Cody and others, both disabled and regular children, being abused in the DPHHS system?
I’ve been shot at, run off the road, had my home set on fire, been followed extensively by law enforcement, had police/hospital records just disappear. My constitutional rights and parental rights have been abridged. My son has been very ill, mysteriously, many times during the 30+ years of DPHHS ‘care’ – also near death. Holistic treatment and health care helped him regain health when he was put temporarily in my care. How is this possible in a civilized world?
I was trained by Canadian and American speech, language, and physical therapists, and had him evaluated by very competent pediatric (world renowned) neurologists in his infancy. His brothers and I gave him daily therapy to help him overcome physical problems. He walked at age 3 finally. I taught him sign language paired with English so he could speak/hear. I drove him to Cub Scout and church events. I took him to special therapists after his dad battered him and moved all my boys to safety away from this man.
Where was DPHHS during this time? How can they call me unfit, for I’ve also a clean bill of mental health from a MT psychologist? Where is the justice here?
Take notice, candidate Gianforte, that this DPHHS is extremely dysfunctional, needing complete reform. Without change, more children and disabled are at grave risk!