Miss. Code. tit. 18, pt. 6, ch. 1, 18-6-1-D, 18-6-1-D-XII, app 18-6-1-D-XII-M
You have rights and responsibilities while you are involved with the DFCS of Family and Children's Services (DFCS). These are the rights and responsibilities for children thirteen and under who are in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The normal hours of operation for the DFCS are 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. In case of emergencies, contact may be made after hours, weekends, and/or on state holidays.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
1. You have the right to know why you are in foster care and how we will take care of you.
2. You have the right to visit with your family unless the youth court judge says you cannot do so.
3. You have the right to know your social worker, to know his/her boss, to know their phone numbers and to know how to get help from your social worker.
4. You have the right to expect a safe and healthy place to stay while you are away from your home and to know all the rules and regulations of the place you are staying.
5. Be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
6. To fair treatment, whatever my gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, medical problems, or sexual orientation.
7. Not receive any harsh, cruel, unusual, unnecessary, demeaning, or humiliating punishment. This includes not being shaken, hit, spanked, or threatened, forced to do unproductive work, be denied food, sleep, access to a bathroom, mail, or family visits as punishment. You will not receive remarks that make fun of you or your family or any threats of losing your placement or shelter.
8. Be disciplined in a manner that is appropriate to how mature you are, you developmental level, and your medical condition. You must be told why you were disciplined. Discipline does not include the use of restraint, seclusion, corporal punishment or threat of corporal punishment.
9. You have the right to take part in decisions made about you, to know when court hearings are held, and to ask for the help of a lawyer
10. You have the right to know when your place to stay or your visits with your family are about to change. (Your social worker will tell you as soon as they know there will be a change.)
11. You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and receive services without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or political affiliation.
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Client initialsWorker initials
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO:
Let someone know if you feel you have been treated unfairly by:
1. Talking with your social worker about the problem.
2. If the problem is not fixed, asking your social worker or someone else to arrange for you to talk with the ASWS (Area Social Worker Supervisor). This person is your social worker's boss.
3. If the problem is still not fixed, asking the ASWS to let you talk with his/her boss.
4. After all of that, if there is still a problem, calling the state complaint/grievance unit at 1-800-222-8000.
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Client initialsWorker initials
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Your family's information is confidential and private. We will not disclose any information without your parent's written permission or by order of the court. However, information may be shared with law enforcement or the Office of the District Attorney without your parent's written permission. We may contact other people to assess your safety.
Confidentiality laws limit the information we can share with you. We are not able to name the reporter in any investigation, tell you what anyone else said, or give you a copy of any investigation.
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Client initialsWorker initials
Client: _________________________Date: ___________________
Worker: _________________________ Date: ___________________
Miss. Code. tit. 18, pt. 6, ch. 1, 18-6-1-D, 18-6-1-D-XII, app 18-6-1-D-XII-M