Harlem mothers express concerns about inconsistent ACS case management
BEW YORK (PIX11) – Octavia, who declined to show her face on camera due to her recent ACS case, shared her experience with the agency's caseworkers.
When asked how many times she had visited this apartment since the first visit, she responded, "About six."
But it's so far unclear if that kind of scrutiny and oversight was present five floors up inside the Harlem building where officials say 4-year-old Jahmeik Modlin died of malnutrition and suffered, along with his three surviving siblings, from deep neglect.
Our patchwork of conversations with several different mothers Tuesday in Harlem—on and off camera—all of whom have either past or present ACS cases reveals an apparent inconsistency in case management, especially when it comes to follow-up.
Erica also lives on the first floor of little Jahmeik's building.
“They was coming out, like every week, at first, but then we didn’t see them no more," said Erica.
Cornelia Tarleton, a mother of four, says she's dealt with various ACS caseworkers since 2017. Each is equipped with a varying degree of attentiveness and competence, she says.
"Ya'll always at the wrong place, at the wrong time. As far as the check goes, wake up the baby. She's breathing? Ok, well, I'll see you again in, like, another month."
Their opinions are just that personal and subjective insights into ACS boots on the ground case management.
But Cornelia's observation of ACS's reputation in many Black and brown neighborhoods is something we've heard on the street—anecdotally—for years. A family's hesitance to ask the agency for help is often rooted in fear.
"ACS? It's a scary word. No parent wants to hear that. People hear ACS, and they get scared because now they're gonna take my kids. They make it harder for you to wanna ask for help. Because once you ask for help, you're deemed an unfit parent," said Cornelia.
Regarding caseworker protocols, an ACS spokesperson released a statement that reads in part:
"They are required to see the parents and children within 24-48 hours, conduct a detailed safety assessment within seven days, work with the family to develop a safety plan if needed, and conduct at least bi-weekly casework contacts after the safety assessment..."
"We maintain caseloads well below national standards so that our staff have the time they need to work with each individual family."