00-000730 Billie And Willie Mae Barnes vs. Department Of Children And Family Services
 Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Wednesday, December 6, 2000.


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Summary: Re-licensure of foster home would pose a relatively proscribed endangerment to children because of Petitioner foster parents` abandonment of their legally-adopted foster child. The child was left in the lobby of Respondent agency`s offices.

1STATE OF FLORIDA

4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

8BILLIE AND WILLIE MAE BARNES, )

14)

15Petitioners, )

17)

18vs. ) Case No. 00-0730

23)

24DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND )

29FAMILY SERVICES, )

32)

33Respondent. )

35________________________________)

36RECOMMENDED ORDER

38Pursuant to notice, this cause came on for final hearing

48before P. Michael Ruff, Administrative Law Judge of the Division

58of Administrative Hearings, in Ocala, Florida, on September 18,

672000.

68APPEARANCES

69For Petitioner: No appearance

73For Respondent: Ralph J. McMurphy, Esquire

79Department of Children and Family Services

851601 West Gulf Atlantic Highway

90Wildwood, Florida 34785

93STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE

97The issue to be resolved in this proceeding concerns whether

107the Petitioners' foster home license should be denied on the basis

118that the abuse registry examined during the re-licensure process

127disclosed a verified finding of abandonment of a child, recorded

137against the Petitioners as perpetrators, under authority of

145Section 409.175(8), Florida Statutes.

149PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

151This cause arose upon the denial of a re-licensure of the

162Petitioners as operators of a foster home. The denial letter is

173dated October 8, 1999. The license was denied on the basis that

185there was an intentional or negligent act materially affecting the

195health or safety of children in a foster home. Specifically, it

206is alleged that on March 26, 1999, the Petitioners, or one of

218them, left their adopted child, who had been in their care and

230custody, at the office of the Department of Children and Family

241Services in Ocala, Florida, abandoning the child with no

250provisions for the child's welfare and support. The Petitioners

259elected to formally challenge this denial and this proceeding

268ensued.

269The cause cam e on for hearing as noticed. The Petitioners

280failed to appear at hearing and the counsel for the Department of

292Children and Family Services (Department), after waiting

299approximately one-half hour for the Petitioners to appear

307proceeded to present its evidence in support of its burden of

318proof. The Department presented the testimony of

325Angela Juaristic, James Grant, and Mary Kirnes, Department

333personnel charged with foster care supervision, licensing, and

341investigation. The Respondent's Exhibits numbered one through

348three were admitted into evidence. Upon conclusion of the

357proceedings, the Department submitted a proposed recommended order

365which has been considered in the rendering of this Recommended

375Order.

376FINDINGS OF FACT

3791. Petitioners were licensed as a foster home and sometime

389in the latter part of 1999, their licensure came due for renewal.

4012. They were advised by a denial letter dated October 8,

4121999, from the Department of Children and Family Services

421(Department), that their home would not be re-licensed as a foster

432home.

4333. The initial agency decision to this effect was because

443the Petitioners, or at least Mr. Barnes, had an entry on the

455Department's abuse registry indicating a verified finding of

463abandonment against the Petitioners.

4674. The finding of abandonment involved the Petitioners'

475adopted son, D.B., being left at the office of the Department's

486foster care staff.

4895. Apparently the Barnes had had a great deal of trouble

500with D.B.'s behavior and had been unable to constructively

509discipline him and improve his behavior. This apparently made

518them very frustrated such that on March 26, 1999, Mr. Barnes

529called the Department regarding D.B., to inform the Department

538that they were simply unable to handle the child. Mr. Barnes

549talked to James Grant, supervisor of the foster care unit in the

561Department's Ocala office, and a witness for the Department in

571this case.

5736. Mr. Grant offered to provide assistance to the family to

584help resolve the issues between the Petitioners and their child.

594That offer of assistance was refused, however.

6017. Later that day, Mr. Barnes took D.B. to the Ocala offices

613of the Department's foster care unit and apparently left him

623sitting in the lobby of the building which houses the foster care

635staff.

6368. Mr. Barnes did not speak to Mr. Grant or anyone else in a

650responsible position before leaving the building and permanently

658abandoning the child. He only informed the receptionist that he

668was leaving the child.

6729. Because of the Petitioners' actions in leaving the child

682sitting in the lobby, a call was placed to the abuse hotline that

695same day. Joanne Hunter was assigned as the investigator of the

706abuse report. According to the final report of the investigation

716that was admitted into evidence, the case was closed with a

727verified indication of abandonment and neglect, the result of D.B.

737being abandoned in the Department's lobby.

74310. On March 27, 1999, a shelter hearing was held before a

755circuit judge and D.B. was placed in the custody of the Department

767due to the Petitioner's act of abandonment at the Department's

777office. Subsequently, the child was adjudicated dependent and

785placed in a long-term foster care placement.

79211. The child remained in that foster care placement at the

803time of the instant hearing. Certified copies of the judge's

813shelter order and the order of adjudication and disposition have

823been entered into evidence in this case.

83012. Prior to their adoption by the Petitioners, D.B. and his

841two siblings had been abused and neglected by their natural

851parents. They had, therefore, been placed in foster care by the

862Department. D.B.'s natural parents' parental rights had been

870terminated because of the uncorrected and continuing abuse and

879neglect of D.B. and his two siblings.

88613. The Petitioners had adopted D.B. and his two siblings.

896Children who have been abused and neglected or abandoned by their

907parents are especially vulnerable and require the greatest degree

916of stability in their home life that is possible.

925CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

92814. The Division of Administrative Hearings has jurisdiction

936over the subject matter of and the parties to this proceeding.

947Section 120.57(1), Florida Statutes, and Section 120.569, Florida

955Statutes.

95615. Section 409.175(8), Florida Statutes, provides the

963Department with authority to deny a license for an intentional or

974negligent act that materially affects the health or safety of

984children in the home. The Department may also deny re-licensure

994for the violation of the requirements of Section 409.175, Florida

1004Statutes, or the regulations adopted thereunder.

101016. The Department has adopted Chapter 65C-13, Florida

1018Administrative Code, in accordance with Section 409.175, to

1026regulate the licensure and operation of family foster homes such

1036as that of the Petitioners.

104117. Section 65C-13.010, Florida Administrative Code, sets

1048out the foster parents' responsibilities as team members with the

1058Department, the child, and the child's family. The

1066responsibilities to foster children are set out in Section 65C-

107613.010(1), Florida Administrative Code. In Section 65C-

108313.010(1)(b)5.m., Florida Administrative Code, it is provided:

1090The substitute [care parent] must not threaten

1097a child with removal or with a report to

1106authorities as punishment for behavior.

1111Threatening the child with removal plays into

1118the child's convictions that they are doomed

1125to a series of placements and rejections. The

1133counselor's first task is to identify the

1140child's specific behaviors which are causing

1146the substitute parent to request removal.

1152Once problems are identified the counselor

1158along with the substitute parents and child

1165assess ways to correct the problem. If

1172problems are not corrected and the substitute

1179family continues to request removal, a

1185conference should be held by the counselor

1192with the substitute family and the child to

1200discuss the possibility of removal and

1206replacement. Involving the child in the

1212planning may help him feel he has some control

1221of his life.

122418. Pursuant to Section 409.175(2)(f), Florida Statutes, a

1232foster home license is a public trust, not an entitlement. When

1243the Petitioners adopted D.B., the adopted created a relationship

1252between them and D.B. just as if he were their natural child. See

1265Section 63.172(1)(c), Florida Statutes. By abandoning D.B. in the

1274Department's offices and consigning him to long-term foster care

1283away from his natural siblings and adoptive family, the

1292Petitioners demonstrated callous disregard for the mental and

1300emotional health of the child. In addition, it showed disregard

1310for the emotional welfare of D.B.'s two siblings whom Petitioners

1320had also made their own through adoption. It is not significant

1331that only Billie Barnes took the child to the offices and

1342abandoned him, it was obviously the adoptive child and foster

1352child of both Petitioners; and the abandonment could not have

1362occurred without the assent and condonation of both Petitioners.

137119. The Department, thus, had cause to deny re-licensure of

1381the Petitioners as a licensed family foster home. The sanction of

1392denial of re-licensure, as opposed to a suspension or lesser

1402sanction is justified by the serious nature of the Petitioners'

1412conduct and breach of their legal duty and public trust. If

1423Petitioners show no more regard for the welfare of foster children

1434than they did in this instance, the Department cannot in good

1445faith place vulnerable foster children in their home to run the

1456risk of being rejected in the same way.

146420. Further, since the Petitioners failed to appear at the

1474hearing or offer any justification for their failure to appear,

1484there was no evidence produced on their behalf which shows

1494mitigation or explanation concerning the cause for the violation

1503in question or the sanctions sought to be imposed by the

1514Department.

1515RECOMMENDATION

1516Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of

1526Law set forth herein, it is

1532RECOMMENDED that a final order be entered by the Department

1542of Children and Family Services denying the re-licensure of the

1552Petitioners as a licensed family foster home.

1559DONE AND ENTERED this 6th day of December, 2000, in

1569Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

1573P. MICHAEL RUFF

1576Administrative Law Judge

1579Division of Administrative Hearings

1583The DeSoto Building

15861230 Apalachee Parkway

1589Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060

1592(850) 488-9675 SUNCOM 278-9675

1596Fax Filing (850) 921-6847

1600www.doah.state.fl.us

1601Filed with the Clerk of the

1607Division of Administrative Hearings

1611this 6th day of December, 2000.

1617COPIES FURNISHED:

1619Billie and Willie Mae Barnes

162415606 Southwest 27th Avenue Road

1629Ocala, Florida 34473

1632Ralph J. McMurphy, Esquire

1636Department of Children and Family Services

16421601 West Gulf Atlantic Highway

1647Wildwood, Florida 43785

1650Virginia A. Daire, Agency Clerk

1655Department of Children and Family Services

16611317 Winewood Boulevard

1664Building 2, Room 204B

1668Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700

1671Josie Tomayo, General Counsel

1675Department of Children and Family Services

16811317 Winewood Boulevard

1684Building 2, Room 204

1688Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700

1691NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS

1697All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within

170715 days from the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions

1718to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that

1729will issue the Final Order in this case.

Select the PDF icon to view the document.
PDF
Date
Proceedings
PDF:
Date: 12/21/2000
Proceedings: Final Order Adopting Recommended Order and Denying Renewal of Foster Home Care Licensure filed.
PDF:
Date: 12/19/2000
Proceedings: Agency Final Order
PDF:
Date: 12/06/2000
Proceedings: Recommended Order
Date: 12/06/2000
Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying hearing record referred to the Agency sent out.
PDF:
Date: 12/06/2000
Proceedings: Recommended Order issued (hearing held September 18, 2000) CASE CLOSED.
PDF:
Date: 10/03/2000
Proceedings: Respondent`s Proposed Findings and Conclusions (filed via facsimile).
Date: 09/14/2000
Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held; see case file for applicable time frames.
PDF:
Date: 07/19/2000
Proceedings: Re-Notice of Hearing sent out. (hearing set for 09/18/00:2:00 P.M.: Ocala)
PDF:
Date: 03/29/2000
Proceedings: Notice of Hearing sent out. (hearing set for May 25, 2000; 9:30 a.m.; Ocala, FL)
Date: 02/18/2000
Proceedings: Initial Order issued.
PDF:
Date: 02/15/2000
Proceedings: Agency Action Letter filed.
PDF:
Date: 02/15/2000
Proceedings: Order to Show Cause Why Petitioner`s Request for Hearing Should not Be Dismissed Pursuant to Section 120.569(2)(C), Florida Statutes filed.
PDF:
Date: 02/15/2000
Proceedings: Request for Hearing, Letter Form filed.
PDF:
Date: 02/15/2000
Proceedings: Notice filed.

Case Information

Judge:
P. MICHAEL RUFF
Date Filed:
02/15/2000
Date Assignment:
02/18/2000
Last Docket Entry:
12/21/2000
Location:
Ocala, Florida
District:
Northern
Agency:
ADOPTED IN TOTO
 

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