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Friday, March 10, 2017

NorCo Gov't Finally Demonstrates Transparency in Packer Case

I've been highly critical of the way that Executive John Brown and NorCo Council have responded to Sara Packer, the ex-adoption supervisor accused in the rape, murder and dismemberment of her own adopted daughter. Packer at one time worked for a placement agency called the Impact Project, and had also fostered at least 30 children. How many had she abused? What role, if any, did Children Youth and Families (CYF) play? Could this be part of a bigger problem? Did she use her connections in what appears to be a foster child industry to prey upon innocents? Instead of addressing these issues, Northampton County buried its head in the sand. It ignored calls from NBC-10 reporter Deanna Durante, and even actively misled her. HR Director Amy Trapp temporarily cut off Controller Steve Barron's access to computer records because he was the only one willing to speak publicly. Council refused to bring CYF to a Council meeting and answer at least some questions that would both reassure the public and give CYF an opportunity to explain that what happened is an anomaly. Things came to a head when Durante came to a Council meeting and confronted both them and Brown.

It was an amazing display of bad government. Fortunately, there has since been an equally amazingly display of good government. It's what can happen when government actually listens to someone like Durante instead of hiding from her.

Durante has continued digging into this story, speaking to foster children placed with Sarah Packer. She spoke to a foster child who now is herself a caseworker. When she was a child, she had been placed with the Packers, courtesy of the Impact Project. This child,like another child,reported abuse at the Packer household to the Impact Project, and claims she was ignored.

Barron was aware that NorCo is one of several counties using the Impact Project.He knew that the County had just mailed the Impact Project $37,147.92. Here's part of Barron's email to CYF and Brown.
It is important to note that this was Sara Packer's place of employment prior to coming to work for Northampton County, and there is a possibility she continued to moonlight with them after she began working with us. She clearly received foster children from the agency on an ongoing basis until her husband was accused of abuse which led to Ms. Packer's termination from Northampton County.

This information is troubling and makes me question whether or not it is a good idea to continue to engage with the Impact Project until the investigation is over. We now have two people who have come forward about abuse that was not follow up on or reported by the Impact Project. While these children were not Northampton County Children, can we continue to roll the dice. I believe that Pinebrook and other agencies provide this service (which is part of a project I am looking at for a larger audit in the future) so I don't think suspending the use of Impact would hurt the county and prevent services from being provided. I just don't think we can take a chance on this agency knowing what we have heard about in news reports.It is important to note that this was Sara Packer's place of employment prior to coming to work for Northampton County, and there is a possibility she continued to moonlight with them after she began working with us. She clearly received foster children from the agency on an ongoing basis until her husband was accused of abuse which led to Ms. Packer's termination from Northampton County.
Instead of cutting off Barron's access again, the County actually listened. Human Services Director Allison Frantz issued a news release. (She failed to send me a copy, but it's the thought that counts). In this news release, Frantz says,
A procedure is in place to investigate allegations of abuse. When foster parents are involved, the Pennsylvania Office of Children, Youth and Families, specifically the Regional Division, is in charge of investigating those allegations.

Northampton County continues to engage in the proper investigatory procedures. The county is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the children placed through Northampton County, including those placed through The Impact Project, are not subject to abuse. Northampton County has used the Impact Project as a foster care provider. However, referrals to The Impact Project have been suspended.
Since that time, several other counties have followed suit.Better safe than sorry.

That's how government should work.It's called transparency. Is that so hard?
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 10, 2017 at 12:46 AM

    Her first paragraph could have been provided a month ago. What is with all the secrecy?

    ReplyDelete
  2. XMarch 10, 2017 at 12:21 PM

    Bernie,
    I am pricey to there underhanded typeZ that are for the most part the underacheiverZ of these entities locally. Yet the percentage of them that collude with the soul sale sector is low they are still under the umbrella and employees. I am very sure some even go up to but are not limited to the state level and under the umbrella of state jurisdiction?

    Most though are there for the children butt can only do what they are told to do by those above! This ties the ones in the feildZ hands with there already overburdening case loadZ loaded upon supportive staffs shoulderZ!
    The designZ and there factorZ are catching on to the voiceless!
    Sad, that a young life was lost not to mention the soul that was stole in this process and from looking at the picture one would not even guess. The spirit in that young lady must have been a reckoning one for her to have suffered such tragedies and still be able to smile!
    REpublican redd
    humanist by design

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 10, 2017 at 4:55 PM

    REpublican redd, can you even think coherently? i am having trouble reading your nonsense all the time, can you phrase a sentence in english?

    ReplyDelete
  4. XMarch 10, 2017 at 9:05 PM

    My name is above if you c ognazantly claim ignorance in your complicity, as Bernie would say posters that don't tag there work with there reel name they don't count. I am very sure you know who I am and were I can be found, so that said lehighcounty is trying to wipe there hands of there subset and connections to the innocent indigent children's children soul sale sectors subdiversionary toolS and there employment thereof.
    Here is a quick one man gets caught in sexual acts with clients and is let go seillently to continue to offend in other venueZ at the county carnival level because itS a performer in the pyrotecniqs crew that threatens national sicurity as well as still under local employ yet residing in another part of the country. I personally call this like what the current mayor is hoping to get to a Snuka? Now how high and how low has this corruption been in the works before currently about to pop like I have explained humorous TimeZ before and how large is this criminal corporation infecting the public and private sectorS colluding together to collude destroy and discourage!
    REpublican redd
    humanist by design

    ReplyDelete

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