Alabama Department Of Human Resources / Dhr.Alabama.gov
reviews and complaints

First of all, I live in Montgomery County but they send a child complaint over to Lee County, Alabama. Please share with me the specifics of how my family never lived in Lee County can cross jurisdictions to pursue a case from Montgomery. On top of that, the so-call professional LIARS won't be truthful in their job descriptions! I have sent multiple appeal letters to each of these two counties but yet no adequate response! I wish those more educated professionals who sit behind desks with large paychecks do their jobs. Meaning their is so much corruption within DHR Agencies but no one actually oversees these people.

Very curious how some of these individuals get jobs at DHR! You might want to investigate from time to time your own agency. Destroying families, children and everybody lives should not be your Motto.

Your DHR office in Cherokee County Alabama I know you’ve got this guy name Cedric running it is the supervisor you really need to check into him because he refuses to do his job he’s owed me over $2000 for a good six months now that he’s yet to send out and will not return phone calls him and the whole staff need to be reviewed and replaced. He doesn’t want to help anyone or do his job.

they have no evidence no proof of any neglect or child abuse and have falsefiedhair follicle test urine screens but cant present any evidenceor proof of neglect or abuse me and my children have been kept awy from eachother for almost three years we cant get that time back they saidni failed hair follicle back in april and lied and said it was possitive found out at our hearing last week valley screening the company they use to do lab drugs screen said then it was possitive now they says its negative i even went to rehab to satisfy them. i paid and spent my money and gas to go do groups individual sessions and meetings all without them offering me any resources. three years my kids have been taken put in a home where the dad sold and did drugs and all kinds of people in and out all hours of the night. i told dhr they let them stay anyways. now the dads incarcerated for 15 years and a day and they are still there, i get to see them one hour a week everything they have said or told lies to judge are all lies no proof or evidence. they even did home visit they said it was possitive shelter for me to have them. with theirdads mom all sorts of people on drugs stay there and get take and come and go with my children and i cant even be alone with them they have violated my constitutional and civil rights defimation o fcharacter and i still dont have my babies back. this is wrokng and unjustice they dont even have their own beds or rooms its two bedroom one bath trailer and 10 people live there i want justice and something done please give me my kids back

First off this has to be the most frustrating thing I have ever been through. My oldest is 29 and my youngest is 14 and I’ve been receiving TANF and Food stamps for just this long. I haven’t had 1 chance to get into Family Court to get Child Support for either father of my kids. I don’t know if they are okay with just giving me the amount that’s required for 1 child (14) with TANF and Food stamps or they don’t want to help me get child support from my 14 year old father.. in which who has a dare good job. I’m disabled so TANF and Food stamps helps out a lot but I need Birmingham All DHR to stop throwing my paperwork to the side and help me get Child support. The father signed the birth certificate so what’s the problem. Court! But they will not give me a court date. And I’m lost and confused. Is it just they (DHR) wants to keep people on child support to be nosey. Or to just have another person coming to the office to get be certified again Every year. To have and keep a job. Someone please help me. Get Child Support. I’ve had 5 kids to receive TANF and food stamps and not 1 has had luck to get into the court house for. Good support. What a shame

Hi. I have tried to contact my case worker Mr. Walker from the financial assistance department and have not been able to reach him. I have called the front office and have left several messages and I am not getting a response. I also spoke with the case worker for the workforce program who mentioned her office is across the hall from him but still nothing. This is regarding my case for financial assistance. I was approved back in June but was not able to receive the information along with the funds due to not being able to receive my mail from the previous address on file. I spoke to Mr. Walker about it, and he mentioned changing the address to the address at the Department of Human Services. I have been trying to contact him to see if I should come there to pick it up or to give him an updated address. Also, he mentioned a new EBT card which I still have my card from Mississippi but he made changes so without the new EBT card I am not able to receive my benefits. I applied for EBT services here, but I was told I had to wait for benefits to end in Mississippi before applying here but my case worker made that change. My children and I are staying in a hotel because all the shelters are full, and believe me I have called these places every day and have had referrals reach out and they have no availability for me and my children. I have been trying to make ends meet with the room fee and my vehicle is not working anymore so I have to find other ways of receiving the funds for repairs and for room fee. I was using my vehicle to work but it is not working anymore. It is now August and I have not received the assistance or any help for housing or any funds. I'm not sure why I am not receiving a call back but this has literally put me and my children in a bind. I'm not sure why no contact. I came to the Department of Human Services for help so my children and I could be safe and have a means of support, but it is being held back from June until now August. I have been threatened by one of the workers there whom my case worker reached out to. He was suppose to reach out for help on finding housing for me and my children but I was contacted by a lady that threatened my motherhood due to something that is completely out of my control and was told to go back to a volatile situation. That situation led me here to Alabama where my kids and I were suppose to be safe and stable but since I've been here I have been given resources that led me and my children no where. Seems as if I am purposely being placed in a terrible situation. So much has happened the past 2 in a half years and I have received no justice but have been put in bad situations due to the abuse I have endured. Are you guys going to help? Do not make promises and disappear. I refuse to be threatened and at the same time put in the position to be attacked or set up to be attacked.

In late December 2021. I learned that I have a grandchild in foster care in Bibb County Alabama. In January 2022 I reached out to social worker in charge of case. I left three messages via voicemail and never got a response.

I reached out again in February 2022. This time demanding to speak with supervisor. I explained who I was. That my son KL has a baby TL in foster care.

Also explained that I the paternal grandparent would like to keep, care and provide for the baby TL. That’s when I was told that baby is being adopted out.

That my son KL is a drug dealer and has fourteen children in the foster care system. I asked for a date for ISP and the name number for GAL. That information was refused to me. The supervisor also ask why do want to take this baby away from foster mom who has bonded with baby.

I was deterred from seeking custody. There was no resources offered to me as the pater grandmother, blood relative. I was told by supervisor that I was too old to raise this baby. I was told at that time there was another child in foster system that was approximately five years. The supervisor asked me if I was willing to take the five year old that I just learned of. I was treated with sarcasm, misinformation, disrespect, anger and made to feel devalued.

I was informed that my son’s KL Parental rights would be terminated and there wasn’t anything That I could do about it. She the supervisor also gave me unsolicited legal advice of Alabama law. I live in Tennessee.

This is an injustice to remove this child from her blood relatives, siblings, heritage. Depriving the child of love and affection from grandmother.

It is not in the best interest of my grandchild to be raised by strangers.

What happened to Reunification? I am qualified, willing and able to provide for TL. My grandchild civil rights to be removed from her blood relative is a travesty.

I’m filing a Federal civil rights violation for age description and denying me the opportunity to visit, be part of the ISP and not recognizing me as a blood relative.

My name is Alexis Garrett I have a case with Talladega county dhr I have been battling this case for a month now and haven’t had any communication with my case worker Samantha Williams I have not started parenting classes she never calls she never answers I just want my kids back please if there’s any way to help please I’m willing to take classes but no one has called me it’s zero communication my number [protected]

They told me and my wife we faild for meth and then denied to send the test off or to retest I know for a fact we passed that drug test they wouldn't let me pick who I chose for a safety plan I named 20 people and they made up charges even on my grandmother then they told all my friends in the neighborhood why they where there and destroyed my immage in society

On october 13th or 14th, geneva county dhr removed 3 of my children from our care, while they were at school. I was currently in journey (a detox part of the hospital here in geneva, al, per my choice, to stop drinking.) that afternoon, when it was time for the school bus to run, my fiancee waited and waited, school bus came, no kids got off. He had to call the school to see where the kids were, and was informed that dhr had taken them. The oldest (levi) was sent to his father's house in defuniak springs, fl. The two girls that we share in common, were sent to a foster home. Our first court date (while I was still in the hospital) was thursday, october 14th (I think, but it might have been friday) and I participated over the telephone. Tony (my fiancee) was at the courthouse in person, with his lawyer whom he had gotten that same morning. The allegations were drug use, domestic violence, child neglect, no water, no electric, inadequate care for my kids. Nobody still has come to my house to investigate anything. We had water, and lights, and my house was clean. There has never been domestic violence in my home. Tony even took a video of the house, which was used in court, but still ignored. He failed a drug test for thc, and cocaine (he admitted to the thc usage, and eventually was told by the gentleman that we were renting to at that time, that he had laced a blunt with cocaine and smoked it with tony without tony knowing about it.) I was never given a drug test, as I was in the hospital. Either way, my children were taken on allegations that were never verified. I have an audio file saved on my pc where we called the dhr investigation supervisor, and was told that they didn't have to investigate anything because we had already had prior engagements with dhr. I could go into plenty of detail about each and every one of them, if needed. The first time was when my daughter got caught having sex in my shower while tony and I were both at work (my dad was supposed to be watching them) and rather than accept the consequences of her actions (going to the health department and having her tested to see if she was still a virgin) she lied to the nurse at school and said that tony was "sexually suggestive" with her. Even jaymee will tell you that she misconstrued what tony was saying when he was explaining how a doctor could tell if or if not she was sexually active. Dhr came out and tried to take the kids then, so I just went ahead and signed custody of her over to her father (which is what she wanted in the first place... She is 17 and doesn't like to follow rules) the second time (after seeing how well it worked for jaymee) my son called dhr because I threw an empty bug juice bottle at levi (we were throwing it back and forth at eachother, just being goofy, and yes, levi will tell you the same) so automatically, I was put on the child abuser list for the next 5 years. The next time, the elementary school called dhr and said that my kids always came to school dirty, and that they had head lice. Kids are kids. Kids get dirty. I am sorry that I don't make millions and can't afford to buy them new clothes every week. Yes, they had headlice, that is a constant battle in this elementary school. We get them cleared, send them to school and within 3 days they have head lice again. So we were constantly fighting that battle as well. Back to the present case... Nobody came to my house to verify if we did or did not have lights, water, clean clothes, etc. The supervisor said that they didn't have to investigate, that the failed drug test was enough to take the kids. Why did they not come give me one, then? I went into the hospital willingly, and could have left just as easily to keep my kids home. So now here we are 4 months later, no more drinking, no more marijuana, but the store now sells cbd flower (0.8%thc) which we started buying. Then were told that we couldn't smoke that either, because we were still failing a drug test. If it is sold legally in the state of alabama, and is legal on a federal level, how can we be told that it is illegal? We have done aa meetings, parenting classes, signed up for the focus group to come into the home... We have cooperated in every way. Now our girls are on their way to the 3rd foster home since they left, because tony is still failing drug tests for thc. Meanwhile, the neighbor, who also had his daughter removed from home for meth, cocaine, thc, and opiets has been allowed for his daughter to come back into the same home, and is now 16 and pregnant... But I can't get my kids back? It just doesn't make any sense. The system is broken and biased, and it needs fixed. I just wish court appointed lawyers gave a crap about their job and I wish that dhr's investigators would do their job like they are supposed to.

The Calera, Alabama police responded to a wellness check call, broke into our loved one’s home, spit in her face, caused her to vomit, made the children dance, and called the Shelby County DHR, literally because they claimed there were “… crumbs on the floor”. Frenique Bell was the initial contact. She lied to the children falsely representing herself as a “friend” to them, she tried to sleep with their dad, and she promised to wait for the relatives to get there; but instead, conspired with Ahzshaka Johnson a.k. a Apokiko Johnson to put the children into foster care that very same evening. They are both sick, demented, and twisted. Frenique Bell called the police back out misusing 911 with false claims of “being threatened”. A few days later, in the wee hours of the morning, Frenique Bell returned to the home unannounced, and without an appointment knowing that the mother was still in the hospital. It was clear that her intention was to sexually harass the father again with lewd sex acts apparently in return for returning the children. According to Frenique Bell, DHR is “above the law”, and as really big as she is, she believes that she is “whole”. Brandi Curtis Welton and Ebony Foster also lied on the other relatives, stole their keys, keyed their vehicles, and made false claims to the court with the GAL Jill Karle in an attempt to give Judge James Raymond Kramer more ammunition to continue the madness by “vesting the children to the Shelby County DHR as well as placing the grandmother in jail for almost two months on a Contempt of court charge. These lawbreakers are the worse eugenic offenders, child abusers, child kidnappers, baby snatchers, and poor excuses for humans ever. We want Attorney Jennifer Neuman, Frenique Bell, Ahzshaka Johnson, Brandi Curtis Welton, Ebony Foster, Kim W. Mashego, to be fired, and to never work with children again. All of their files should be investigated, and the families they destroyed should be compensated.

08/20/2-021

MY son and his step father had a altercation that occured this date. no onewas hurt but, my son lied and said he was punched in the eye and was not, no physical proof, nothing, the next day dhr came to my home, and it had quickly been turned around to accusations of me not taking care of them, My husband was never interviewed by anyone to explain his side of the events. my son is 126 years old. we had a trial because I have no priors and was told I would have to pay 600 dollars a month for my husband and I to submit to drug tests. We have never been charged with anything. yet you would think we were addicts the way we were treated. it IS NOW 6 months later and they are still ordered to stay at their great grand parents, with me only seeing my kids 3 hours a week. this is ridiculous, dhr believed any lie they are told, and treats parents like they are nothing. this needs to stop, the judges are biased and there is no way to ert rfemot. a fair hearing. to this day my husband has not been questioned by a soul. I find this very troubling. Anyone who reads this should.

Upon completion of a public meeting held at the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission office at 771 South Lawrence Street, Suite 106 in Montgomery, a State employee with the title of Executive Director called me into her office, leaving the door open and accused me of lying about statements made during a conversation that the Executive Director was not a part of. There were other meeting participants in the room right outside of the office when she did this. When I informed her that the conversation did, in fact, occur and my portrayal of the conversation was accurate, she repeatedly called me a liar, then pointed to the door and loudly told me to exit the office she called me into. My complaint is about the professionalism displayed by a State employee. I do not appreciate being called a liar by a State employee who was not only on the clock in a State office, but was calling me a liar referencing information from a conversation where she was not only not a party to, but was not in the building when it occurred. I would like to request an investigation into these actions and a determination if any legal, code of conduct, or ethical violations occurred. If substantiated, I would like to request an official reprimand be given to the Executive Director of AIAC and be placed in her official record. An apology would be nice, but I am not sure if you can compel someone to apologize.

Dhr worker is brittni lewis I been asking for a new worker for over two years they want give me a new worker she had my kids placed in foster care on augest 16th 2019 for no reason. My kids have now been in foster care for two years and three months. Every time we go to court she lies to the judge. I have proof that she lies. She also told me that my kids was taken for all the phone calls that was made. Thats not a reason to take my kids. The hole time my kids have been in foster care they been abused and sexy abused. My daught chloe who is 8 years old has been raped more then one time they have not did nothing about it. She is still in that home. My boys caden, carson, conway who r ages 6, 5, 3 are being abused I have pictures of my kids from the visits. My daughter addison who is 2 years old is very under weighting for her age she is only 26 ponds. Theres alot more to this if you would like to know please give me a call at [protected] my name is tracy theroux edwards

I would like to file a complaint against a case worker named Angela Roper.
She works under social worker Stephanie Griffin. Angela Roper called my job at Colonel L. Robert Howard VA Center where I am a charge nurse and reported that I steal medication while on duty. My job allowed me to hear and record the message as evidence. I was placed on unpaid leave of absence while they conducted an investigation. It was concluded that those allegations were false. I would like for Angela Roper to be reprimanded and I would also like to file a law suit for defamation and the attempt to lose my career. I am a nurse and that is my livelihood that she lied on. I would like lost wages to be paid as well as lawyer fees. I have a it recorded but it is not in an acceptable format to be attached so I can email the recording to any corresponding email address. My contact information is Nicole Weary [protected], email address [protected]@gmail.com.

My child was forcefully removed after alleged substance abuse allegations, and after I refused to drug screen for DHR. Upon removal, there is to be a 72 hour emergency shelter care hearing but there was NOT any court hearing, until 3 months after the fact despite constant contact attempting reunification from the mother!
THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS INJUSTICE.

On September 23, DHR sent a drug screener to my house to perform a urine drug screen. At that time I was under quarantine because my children and myself all had tested positive for Covid-19 and for the previous week we had been resting. My symptoms were worse than my children so I had been taking multiple medications to help treat my symptoms. In my attempt to provide my sample I had accidently dropped the cup into the toilet and she had to return to her car to get a "non contaminated" cup. She returned with a saliva test instead. So I finished in the restroom and followed her instructions on how to take the test. I had a very hard time getting my mouth wet enough so it took multiple attempts. The results showed positive for Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, and THC. I have a current prescription for Vyvanse which would explain the Amp. I had a tube of CBD Muscle Rub sitting at the kitchen table that I had been using on an injury I had with my wrist. I absolutely had not been using Meth. I asked to have it sent to the lab to confirm that the false positive had to have come from the medications i had been taking for Covid. She informed me it would be $50 so I made arrangements to meet her after her next screening to pay for it. I was then contacted by DHR Caseworker and told it cant be sent to the lab and that they were removing my children from my home. I asked her based on what? She said it was because of the failed test. I argued that my kids were not in any imminent danger and that i felt like that wasn't necessary. They said that was Policy which i know is not true. I agreed to do a hair follicle test the next morning to prove I had not been using. Until those results came back my kids were to remain in foster care which DHR said would take at least two weeks. Two days later DHR along with the Foster Parents withdrew my children from their school without my knowledge and enrolled them in a school nearly two counties away. The hair results were a crucial part of DHR's case to justify taking my kids. A few days before our court date October 19 she told me I had failed my hair test for Methamphetamine but she refused to send me the results or tell me what the levels were. At court of course Judge left my kids in Foster Care because at that point I appear to be actively using. Days after court DHR allows me to see my results. It just doesn't feel right though because I was certain I had not been using and also because the substance that I should have failed for that I know was in my system was my Vyvanse wasn't reflected on the results like it should have. Out of curiosity I call the lab to ask general questions about my results. The technician told me that on the particular "5 Panel" screen that was done that Methamphetamine would not even be tested for therefore should not be listed on my results. So that would mean that someone has created/altered my results to reflect a positive for Meth which would validate keeping my kids. Since they have been in foster care I went from seeing them 4 days a week and every weekend, to 2 nights a week and 1 day every other weekend, to 1 day 1 hour at DHR once a week. The reason is because the Foster Parent says she doesn't want to deal with the drama. For Thanksgiving they are not allowing my parents to pick up and transport my children because it interferes with the Foster Family's plans and they are worried about my boys feeling left out if they don't get to attend their families functions. So I get to see my kids Tuesday the 23 from 9am-11am at a local Jacks for Thanksgiving and they have to miss Thanksgiving with their actual family. I feel like DHR and the Foster Parents have a plan to do what they can so that I don't get my kids back and are paving a path to be adopted by these people. This is just one incident that I have faced with DHR. They are currently trying to convince me to drop a PFA (Protection From Abuse) order against my husband because they claim its not "fair" for it to be dangling over his head. They were the ones who forced me to get the PFA to begin with plenty of reason to feel like it was needed. It's violating my rights to protect myself by them expecting me to do that. I need help and I need it ASAP.

Yvette Johnson is a disgrace. Can never get ahold of her. When I finally do it's to late and now apparently she's made me become behind on child support because of her lack of work ethic and concern. We have court paper work that shows child support is $400 now for some unforeseen circumstances she has it to where I'm paying $500/month and has an extra $100.00 coming out. I can't not get ahold of her to see about it and I want her no longer to be my case worker or employed with the state. How many other good hard working fathers has she messed up and took advantage of. Enough is enough it's always an excuse with her. I have spoken to Jason and the state needs more employees like him. Miss Johnson is a disgrace that lies and steals and don't care about nothing and allows the mother to lie just to get what she wants. DISGRACE DISRESPECT EMBARRASSMENT is all that Miss Johnson is. Please look further into all her cases and make sure no one else is being done wrong. Paperwork may not lie but boy mine sure did. It's really shameful the state had people like her self working for them and making all the other works look bad. She doesn't deserve NOTHING.

Today my husband and I. The maternal grandparents attended an ISP meeting regarding my granddaughter being placed in foster care. Decatur, Al
Present was Aleesa Long, Recci?. No one was wearing a name badge.
This matter of agreement of placing child in foster care was not objected to.
It was my understanding that this is a confidential process and only a few could attend. I objected to the supervisor with my concerns of the two outside children being present while we discussed the importance, seriousness and confidentiality of said this meeting.
A MS. Alenna Long, (not sure on spelling) immediately overruled my objection. Stating in a disrespectful tone "I don't think a twelve year old boy will be telling anyone about what is said". Ms. Long cut me off before I could explain to her that an allegation of sexual misconduct. Inappropriate touching the child's private area has been made by the child against the twelve year old boy present.
The nineteen year old sister of FC child is present with a toddler. The baby was crying was sitting directly behind me screaming and crying into my left ear. It was difficult for me to hear the speakers. In an effort to shut the baby up. The mom gave the child a set of auto keys to bang against the table.
Becoming frustrated I kept leaning in to hear the speaker. A know the behavior of a toddler and when they are moody. Not much you can do. Except leave the room with them. Clearly the child was interruption the ISP.
Ms. Long only recognized me as a support person because I am the stepmother and not kinship. Which I feel was inappropriate to single me out. Then in the next question she looks directly at me. Asking me what the child's mental health diagnosis is. I explained to that I don't have the paperwork with me on exact diagnosis. For some are written in acronyms.
Ms. Long then stated to me"that most parents know what their Child has been diagnosed with." First of all I'm not the parent. Second Ms. Long made it clear that I was a non blood relative. How dare she be so unprofessional.
I begin to try and recall what the acronyms stood for. One was FAS, Fetal alcohol syndrome. In which the biomother interrupted me and began to sling mud at me. She was allowed to go on. When I tried to reply I was chastised by Ms. Long, who stated the mental illness came from all the bickering from the parents and grandparents. Highly inappropriate statement. Ms. Long is not qualified to diagnose a Childs mental disorders. Unless she holds a degree in childhood psychiatric medicine. I believe the Head of childhood psychiatric medicine at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital would not Ms. Long to second guess his diagnosis per the DSM. I take great offense that that. Ms. Long did not take control of the mouthing going on until I defended a false statement made to me by the biomom. Ms. Long proceeded to reprimand me. Very unprofessional and appeared to have bias against my husband and I from the get go. Ms. Long informed the non custodial biomom the name of the school the child is attended. Ms. Long obviously has not read the case file. The bio mom has a history of mental illness, child abuse and neglect and is a risk for parental kidnaping.
The bio mom was informed that she could have a visit with the child after the meeting. The mom brought five other people with her and was told by Ms. Long that the child need to visit with mom only the first visit. It was later learned that all five people were allowed to visit the child.
Ms. Long explained that the visits would have to be flexible to accommodate the parties involved.
Why state the rules if you going to bend them as you go.
Ms. Long is a disgrace to the DHR system. Needs to not judge by what she hears and too lazy to read the file. If she is the best you got. You got nothing. Ms. Long is no asset to DHR. The worse experience I've ever had with the DHR system. We the grandparents simply intervened when the meth mom locked the 4yo in a storage building in the middle of July. With temperatures over 100*. This was a concluded investigation by DHR. Then DHR ask the grandparents to take child to keep out of foster care.
Then to be treated this way is disgraceful. Hurtful, humiliating and unacceptable.
Regards
Fred and Kimberly M.

A DHR complaint was made by my neighbor because my grandson had gotten in his yard along with our dog next door. Though I was the one responsible for watching him because my daughter was at work that day they worker or the police officer that came out never spoke to me until weeks later but placed my grandson with family members now he isn't with family he is with family friends. It's been months and now they are saying it's because my daughter has mental health issues but she has never been diagnosed and she has to have supervision while with him and she would never hurt him please help us please. I feel like it's my fault she doesn't do any drugs and she is a great mother