PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Pedro Gonzalez, Father of Children in Foster Care System
2:49:17
ยท
149 sec
Pedro Gonzalez, a father with children in the foster care system, provides testimony on his six-year experience with ACS. He acknowledges improvements in the foster care process, including streamlined visitations and better communication, while also expressing gratitude to ACS and the Children's Aid Society for their support during a personal loss.
- Gonzalez notes that ACS has been pushing more for family reunification, though he suggests this may not always be the best outcome for children.
- He mentions that his case is progressing well, heading towards post-disposition.
- Gonzalez raises concerns about potential future investigations due to past ACS involvement and suggests improvements for ACS moving forward.
Pedro Gonzalez
2:49:17
Good afternoon, councilwoman Althea Stevens, and to everyone in the committee.
2:49:22
My name is Pedro Gonzalez.
2:49:24
I'm a father of Hope Fella Marie Gonzalez and Sofia Milagros Gonzalez.
2:49:28
Subsequently, I have had experience with ACS now for six years.
2:49:35
I do wanna note to Jess Van Hauser and to the ACS team that the processes between the foster agency and ACS have streamlined, and it's been more smooth.
2:49:46
Visitation has been much more streamlined.
2:49:49
There hasn't been any concerns with that.
2:49:52
And as far as the communication goes, there's been very some tough conversations that were had to have but were necessary to drive the case forward.
2:50:00
It seems that the family does recognize that the courts as well played a vital role in keeping reunification, which is something that, you know, I've previously discussed with your office.
2:50:12
I wanna do recognize that ACS has been pushing more for reunification with families, and maybe in certain cases, it's not the best outcome for the children.
2:50:21
It just varies by a case by case basis.
2:50:24
But I do wanna note that ACS in the twenty twenty four year has improved, and I also wanna thank the foster agency as well, Children's Aid Society for being there during my time of need and grieving.
2:50:36
I recently lost my mother, I wanna say, on December 29.
2:50:41
She was laid to rest on January 8.
2:50:43
Yes.
2:50:44
One of the biggest parts of the conversation that I had with her prior to her passing was about, you know, parenting and what's in the best interest of the children and, you know, driving the reunification process forward.
2:50:58
Obviously, I have miss Kimonis here with me as well if she wanted to say a few words.
2:51:02
But as far as it goes, right now, it's looking like the case is headed to a right direction.
2:51:10
We're about to go post disposition on the case.
2:51:14
I would like to make a few suggestions for ACS.
2:51:16
Moving forward, one of the concerns is because of the family's past history with ACS involvement,
Everson Ladson
2:51:20
that would
Pedro Gonzalez
2:51:21
be a trigger for possible investigations being opened in the future.
2:51:27
We do recognize that the processes have been much more streamlined and much more proficient as far as the latest allegations have gone.
2:51:34
They were unfounded.
2:51:35
So I do wanna thank, the office of special investigations as well as OC Fest and, the child protection office for ACS.
2:51:44
It seems to me that