LETTERS: CHILDREN OF ADDICTS

It was with pain that I read your Nov. 1617 articles about children of
addicted parents. What is really sad is that reporting these matters to
authorities does little good and often makes the problem worse. As a
grandparent involved in court battles with an addicted parent, I can say
that until our California laws are amended to put the welfare of the child
over the welfare of a parent, little can be done. Our laws in California
place reuniting a parent and a child over the priority of the safety of a
child.

Although the children mentioned in these article were removed to foster
homes, all the parent has to do is pass a couple of drug tests, make some
gesture at attending a drug rehab program and the child is returned and the
cycle starts anew. Children of drug parents play in the street while Mom or
Dad are sleeping off a fiveday high, they are moved from one apartment or
boyfriend's house to another each month to dodge the landlord and our
courts look the other way. We as citizens must insist that our
representatives create laws that protect our children.
KATHLEEN HALL Palos Verdes

Although all children in your series deserve much more than the crumbs of
affection they are doled out by their "parents," I must admit that none of
them affected me as much as Tamika Triggs. The first question that came to
mind as soon as I saw your frontpage photo was, if your staff writers
could find these monsters, why is social services turning a blind eye? Yes,
Tamika was removed once your article hit the paper, but is it too late to
stop her from walking in her mother's footsteps? I hope not.
DIANE DIOTTE Redondo Beach

The Times' Nov. 18 editorial informs us that little Tamika is "safe today"
because "L.A. County social workers tracked down Tamika on Sunday after she
was featured in a Times series" and then provides information about
identifying and protecting children in similar circumstances. What did your
reporter, photographer and editors do when they found these children? Did
they contact the authorities at the time these children were found? If I'm
reading the editorial and side article in Monday's paper correctly,
apparently nothing was done to assist these children until the social
workers learned about it at the same time as the rest of uson Sunday. Is
this The Times' contribution to "finding and protecting these children"
that it editorializes about?
BETTY ANN DOWNING Long Beach

The article on drugaddicted parents is chilling, but as a property manager
of apartments in lowerincome areas I found it compellingly accurate. I
have seen firsthand the gaps our system lets these innocent children fall
through. I have found our Department of Children's Services quick to
respond to these children when I call them. The important thing is for
people to call and call and call.

I do want to point out that most of these drugaddicted moms and dads
collect welfare checks for these children and use the cash for their next
high. I feel all welfare applicants should have to take a mandatory drug
test and if they are on drugs, then they lose the right to parent until
clean.
CYNDI VODHANEL Los Angeles

One's emotions cannot help but be aroused by Sonia Nazario's article. There
is a feeling of anger over these parents who expose their children to their
vicious acts, deprive them of food when they are hungry and most of all,
use them to beg for more drug money. It is extremely pathetic to read how
these children cried out for anyone who was nice to them to adopt them. Why
can't these parents be punished and these child victims be taken care of by
our social services?
ELOISA L. SAN MIGUEL Hacienda Heights

Flawed as it may be, our child welfare system is the first point of contact
for many families. Tragically, social workers are crippled by exceedingly
high caseloads rife with requirements to write court reports and homevisit
logs as a priority over brokering resources for families. I know this
firsthand, as I am one of the over 2,000 child welfare workers employed by
the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services. L.A. County
child welfare workers struggle with the highest caseloads in all of
California, which makes helping families a near impossibility. What it
means to have a caseload of 65 (often higher) is that social workers have
time only to do the bare minimum instead of helping families access
solutions that would be longerlasting and preventionoriented.

The group of people with whom I work are among the most dedicated,
passionate and childfocused people imaginable. I dare say not a one does
not feel confused and frustrated that the Board of Supervisors and other
decisionmakers in the child welfare community have not demonstrated
serious consideration of implications for children when caseloads are
skyhigh. The desperation that drove 99% of us to strike for three days in
October was clearly not enough for them to take serious notice.

The issues at stake have perhaps been made more clear, and more human, via
this series of articles and pictures, which could not help but capture any
reader. Thank you for the attention, and believe that each of us "on the
line" is out there every day trying to improve the lives of children who
live in a city that is home to many "orphans" who remain unseen and unheard.
RHONA GARDNER Los Angeles

Teaching recovering drugaddicted women how to be mothers is admirable
(Nov. 17), but I hope equal time is spent teaching them how not to become
mothers.
BOBBIE CORBETT Garden Grove

As a child/parent consultant for Prototypes Women's Center, I have the
privilege of observing recovering women addicts along with their children
learn to bond with each other and with their community. Rather than
separating mothers from their children, they provide a living family
environment while offering handson parenting training, counseling,
vocational and living skills. Places like Keith Village and Prototypes
Women's Centers should be provided in every city in the area. For more
information regarding Prototypes call: (909) 6241233 or (310) 6417795.
ELISE ASCH Manhattan Beach

At first glance I thought I was looking at a knockoff of the Mary Cassatt
painting, "Mother About to Wash Her Sleepy Child." Then I saw the truth in
Clarence Williams' photo of mother and child accompanying "Orphans of
Addiction." The differences are startling .J.J. the similarities just as
startling.
JOAN MARTIN Woodland Hills

This compelling and heartbreaking story shows how out of touch our leaders
are. Democrats and Republicans are outraged over Chinese human rights
abuses when in their own backyard these atrocities are being committed
against American children. Where is our leadership, the Department of
Children's Services and the police?

Why does it take a news story to uncover what is only the tip of a
widespread problem. I am sure that officials will scramble to help the kids
profiled in your story but what about the thousands of others whose voices
we do not hear or whose pictures do not cry out for help.
LINDA MITCHELL Pasadena

Copyright Los Angeles Times