Napa County CWS Accountability Project
Napa County CWS: A History of Failing Children
- Napa County CWS is failing to protect the children they are responsible for.
- Instead of improving outcomes, they are destroying families without giving them a fair chance to stay together or reunify.
- Parents who are model clients face insurmountable obstacles and bullying.
- Court-appointed family defense attorneys often provide ineffective assistance, and in many cases, work against their clients' best interests.
- Children are frequently removed in warrantless seizures without probable cause, even when the criteria for exigent circumstances are not met.
- Restraining orders are often misused in custody cases.
- Parents are held to a double standard that does not apply to caseworkers or foster parents.
- In one case, a mother lost custody without reasonable efforts made to keep the family together, leading to her child being raped and molested in foster care. No one has been held accountable for this.
- In another case, a parent alleges that Napa CWS covered up his ex-wife's ongoing alcoholism, felony DUI, drug trafficking arrests, and cartel affiliations, targeting him instead with an investigation and restraining order.
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Demands to Napa County authorities:
We, the concerned citizens, parents, and advocates for justice, demand the immediate revocation of all improper restraining orders and criminal charges that have been unjustly weaponized against parents in our community. It is deeply troubling that legal measures meant to protect are being misused to silence and harm parents who are fighting for their rights and the well-being of their children.
We call on the county authorities to:
- Conduct a thorough review of all restraining orders and criminal charges issued against parents to ensure they are based on legitimate grounds and not used as tools of intimidation.
- Implement safeguards to prevent the misuse of restraining orders and criminal charges in the future, including better oversight and accountability measures.
- Provide support and resources to parents who have been wrongfully targeted, including legal assistance and counseling services.
- Ensure timely family reunification for families separated due to unjust actions, prioritizing the best interests of the children and their parents.
- Implement trauma-informed practices in the courts and Child Welfare Services (CWS), promoting more kindness and less judgment towards impacted families.
- Increase foster care accountability by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting all physical and sexual abuse, as well as child deaths in foster care.
- Offer second chances for families the agency has written off, giving them the opportunity to rebuild and reunite.
Case Highlight:
Michelle's children are now in foster care, where they have experienced further trauma. One of Michelle’s children was allegedly molested, and the agency has yet to take adequate steps to hold the foster parents accountable or to make things right with the family. This is a stark reminder of the urgent need for accountability and justice within the foster care system.
Parents should not live in fear of retribution for standing up for their children's best interests. We urge the county to take immediate action to correct these injustices and restore trust in our legal system.
Call To Action
CALL TO ACTION
A small effort on your part can make a major impact on children and families that have been unfairly and unnecessarily destroyed by misuse of improper restraining orders and criminal charges. These mis-uses of law are often a form of retaliation against parents who speak out against injustice.
Ways to Give
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THE INJUSTICE
- False Allegations: One parent may falsely accuse the other of abuse to obtain a restraining order and gain temporary custody of the child.
- Impact on Custody Decisions: A restraining order can significantly affect custody arrangements, often resulting in the accused parent losing custody or having limited visitation rights.
- Difficulty in Co-Parenting: Restraining orders can complicate co-parenting arrangements, especially if there is a no-contact order in place.
- Emotional Impact on Children: Children can be emotionally affected by the conflict between their parents and the restrictions imposed by restraining orders.
- There is too much judicial discretion when it comes to restraining orders: They can be issued based on allegations alone, for offenses that do not rise to the level of domestic violence. Restraining orders too often name children in the orders in cases that do not involve the children in any way. And there is too little recourse once a restraining order is in place.
- Restraining orders are a violation of due process rights: They are often issued based on allegations alone and without evidence, and in ex parte hearings in which the restrained party is not given proper notice.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
- Please contact the Napa County Board of Supervisors and the Napa County Courturge them to revoke all unlawful restraining orders and criminal charges that have been misused against parents. You can include this URL or webpage in your letters to emphasize the importance of this issue.
- Belia Ramos: 7072598277Bela Ramos: belia.ramos@countyofnapa.org;
- And call the Napa County criminal and juvenile courts and demand fairness and justice for families.