DCF is the Reason I Resigned as an EMT
Experiencing domestic violence is something I would never wish on anyone. The same tactics that my abuser used, I was subjected to by Connecticut DCF workers. DCF also lied about me in court and disparaged me — causing debilitating trauma and damage to my mental health.
This is the shortest version of a year of terror by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and trust me, I am the first person that will say I wish I had something positive to say. But I don’t have anything good to say about the Connecticut Department of Children and Families.
Getting to know that insider view of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families was one of the worst experiences of my life and not because of the outcome. In the middle of the case, I made the decision that I was not going to work as a CT EMT in the future, or as a mandated reporter of any kind. I couldn’t, in good faith, be an EMT and be the person that decides whether or not to call the CT Department of Children and Families.
Child protective services are support to prevent and hold jurisdiction over child abuse and neglect. This social service, unfortunately, has been problematic in the state of Connecticut for many years. Over the years, the state Department of Children and Families has been sued a number of times and fallen under federal investigation — and I can see why.
You cannot compromise your ethics and morals for a job.
There was this lesson I learned a long time ago: love what you do and money will come, don’t ever chase money. Along the same journey, I learned that you cannot compromise your own ethics and morals for a job — it’ll never end well.
So when I realized it’s literally impossible to file a complaint against a CT DCF worker, despite evidence and documentation, recordings and witnesses, as well as that workers can literally do whatever they want without consequence, I recognized I could no longer be a mandated reporter.
Finding out I wasn’t alone.
Before my journey with Connecticut DCF, I was about to become a paramedic. I had finished the testing, worked a ton as an EMT, I was totally ready for this next chapter in my career. But as I looked back at the times I had called DCF because I suspected child abuse, I wondered how that had turned out for the family involved.
As I continued on with CT DCF, I met many mothers who had experienced similar disgusting treatment, and discrimination, and learned how not unique my case was. It gave me my voice back, allowed me to step back into my power, and out of the destruction to my self-worth that CT DCF caused.
This isn’t a problem with the integrity of individual workers. This is a problem with the system as a whole. There is no accountability, being burnt out is acceptable, messing up on a case is also acceptable (because you can blame it on being burnt out). These are three significant issues in any field, but when lives are literally at stake, this is a blatant catastrophic issue.
The Problem with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families
Sitting in a room with my son, two advocates from two different organizations, I was screamed at by a Connecticut DCF worker. Her supervisor was there as well, and I had to FIGHT to never be exposed to her and I never received an apology — something I requested as part of the complaint that I attempted to file.
I honestly wonder what happened to that complaint. I still don’t have any acknowledgment from DCF workers that it was even filed, many future workers and supervisors would make fun of me for even alleging that it happened — despite there being documentation from two outside witnesses that it did. This complaint I pushed to the federal court hoping for anything, and there was no record of the complaint.
Accountability needs to be present in any organization — it doesn’t matter what other problems a department like DCF has. If there is no accountability for mistakes, there is no way to grow and develop a better way of doing things. So although CT DCF lacks significant training for domestic violence and domestic abuse, that won’t matter until the fact that there’s no accountability is addressed.
As the lack of accountability became more apparent and more obviously problematic, it was clear to me that this department couldn’t do justice or help the children and families I may need to send there. As an EMT, we have to make mandated reports when we suspect abuse or neglect. It’s an obligation to our patients and our community. But what happens when the Department you have to call for a mandated report, is also a place that just doesn’t work?
