Today Hope’s day-care teacher pulled me aside to tell me that Hope talks a LOT about dying and going to be with Daddy.
Fortunately, through my tenacity and determination (pigheaded like you wouldn’t believe, damn straight), she started counseling last week. But wait–the evil forces are at it again. Hope started counseling on the expectation that she would be getting insurance–and now she hasn’t. I got the letter yesterday, she’s been denied. Seems it doesn’t matter that I have no income this month, and half my usual for last month and next. For nine months out of the year, I make $200 too much.
I called my CPS case worker. She wasn’t in, I left a message. Yesterday. Today when I hadn’t received a call by 11, I called again. And left another message. I called the lady at CPSA (I know, confusing, isn’t it?) which is the state mental health insurance that paid for all the wonderful help Chris received. She’s the one who set Hope up at the place that was expecting to be paid.
I got no answer. I left a message. I called Hope’s CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). Her phone is busy. I called the place Hope was/is supposed to be/might be receiving counseling from. And left a message.
I called the place I wanted her to go to group counseling, that said they didn’t want to accept her until it had been two months, because children supposedly aren’t ready before then. I actually talked to a human, though not the one I need. But! But this person told me, “If you haven’t heard from me or her in an hour, call me back. So by 1240, if we haven’t called you, call us.”
Wow. Someone involved in this mess of agencies, all of which are charged with some facet of child welfare, that actually cares. Someone who has confidence that they can actually do something. Someone who thinks it’s important to follow through with help promised. Am I lucky or what?