Support for Highland County Children Services
To the editor:
As a supporter and member of the Highland County Citizens for Children Services 2023 Levy Committee, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to join in and help be a champion for the children of Highland County. As I enter my 32nd year in education, I find myself realizing the more I know, the less I know.
I have served as a teacher, principal, professor and college administrator for over three decades and unfortunately have witnessed neglect and heartache experienced by too many of our youths in this county. One child who goes to bed hungry, scared, mentally/physically hurt or without love is one too many.
I recently had the opportunity to join in and listen to testimonials from parents who had to surrender their own children to protective custody, and now work as advocates for others in similar situations. I could not find a dry eye in the room. I also heard from a family who fosters child after child in need of love and care, along with caseworkers who often slept at the office to make sure children had a safe place to stay.
Like many of you, I have pointed the finger, maybe even shook it with anger, questioning the integrity, management or even care from this organization early in my career, but I remember some wise words from Judge Kevin Greer years ago when he gathered county principals to talk about budgets and services and how we need to work together to maximize our efforts.
Much like our juvenile court systems, Highland County Children Services are not extended an endless pot of money. After a transparent look into the financial reports and services provided at the levy meeting, I can say with certainty our county are good stewards of the tax dollars provided to their organization. I can say with certainty, if you reach out to Jeremy Ratcliff, Director, he would be more than happy and able to provide information around the services and procedures Highland County Children Services provides.
I truly appreciated following the money (or in this case the lack of), and how much it truly takes to place and support a child in foster care and/or protective custody. A proposed increase of approximately Four cents a day is a small price to pay for OUR children in Highland County. These are OUR children. They are OUR future. Please join me in voting YES on ISSUE 14 on November 7, 2023.
Sincerely,
J.R. Roush
Lynchburg
Comment
I bet you won't publish my comment
Are u worried ppl might see the truth behind highland cps
Highland county cps is a business
I'll be the first to say this place is a business. They take poor innocent kids to places where they get molested and beat until someone ( the highest bidder) the adopting parent can buy them. This place traumatizes these poor kids and has the community thinking they are saving lives. Some cases need help but my case wasn't like that. This place ruins lives. Rebecca southers was my so called caseoworker.If you think for a second it's not I'll tell you my story! I put my email on here.