Miss. Code. tit. 18, pt. 6, ch. 1, 18-6-1-D, 18-6-1-D-XII, app 18-6-1-D-XII-L
These are the rights and responsibilities for youth fourteen (14) and older 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 at 1-800-222-8000.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
1. Know why you are in foster care and how we will meet your needs.
2. Know what progress your family will have to make before you may return home.
3. Visit with your family unless the youth court judge says that you cannot.
4. Know your social worker, to know his/her supervisor, to know their office phone numbers and addresses, and to know how to get help from your social worker.
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. Expect a safe and healthy place to stay while you are away from your home and to know all the rules and regulations of your placement.
10. Take part in decisions made about you, to attend court hearings unless the youth court judge says you cannot, to attend foster care review conferences and to participate in designing your Family Service Plan (FSP).
11. An advocate who represents your best interests in court (Guardian Ad Litem) and to have contact information for him/her and the right to counsel.
12. Know when your placement 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.)
13. Participate in Independent Living activities such as skills groups and retreats to help prepare you to live on your own if you cannot return home.
14. 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:
1. Let someone know if you feel you have been treated unfairly by:
* Talking with your social worker about the problem.
* If the problem is not resolved, asking your social worker or another worker to arrange for you to talk with the ASWS.
* If the problem is still not resolved, asking the ASWS to let you talk with the RD.
* If there is still a problem, calling the state complaint/grievance unit at 1 -601-359-4330.
2. Participate in Independent Living activities such as skills groups and retreats to help prepare you to live on your own if you cannot return home.
3. Obey the rules and regulations of your placement and know what the consequences will be if you do not.
4. Understand that your behavior can disrupt your placement causing unnecessary moves.
5. Treat others with dignity and respect without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or political affiliation.
____________________ _____________________
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-L