Gov. Rick Perry has arranged to have one of his budget aides, Alfonso Royal, named chief of staff of the Texas Youth Commission. It’s an odd appointment given that, despite his position on the governor’s staff at the time, Royal had little or nothing to do with uncovering last year’s scandal at the commission.
Royal was one of several gubernatorial aides who oversee various state agencies, acting as the governor’s eyes and ears. One of his agencies was the Texas Youth Commission.
In late October 2006, Royal was given graphic reports of sexual abuse by two administrators at a commission facility, the West Texas State School in Pyote. The two men had left the school, but they remained free, and the Texas Ranger who had investigated the abuse had been trying for a year to get the local prosecutor to act. A legislative aide who learned of the Ranger’s frustration told Royal of the problem on Oct. 30.
Records indicate that over the next month, Royal spent 12½ minutes on seven phone calls to the local prosecutor and the Ranger about the case. Just this week, a spokesman for the governor said Royal did all that could be expected, especially given that the two administrators already had left.
But the governor’s eyes and ears apparently were blind and deaf to the depth of rot at the commission hinted at by the Ranger’s reports. Or maybe Royal did not want to disturb the governor in the last days of his political campaign before that year’s election, on Nov. 7, against Chris Bell, a Democrat, and two high-profile independents, Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman. (Perry won, with 39 percent of the vote.)
At any rate, when the reports of sexual abuse of inmates and other problems at the commission finally broke statewide in February 2007, Perry said the first he knew of the Ranger’s frustration in getting the cases prosecuted was when he read a story in The Dallas Morning News.
News of just how bad things were at the Youth Commission - abuse of inmates, the hiring of guards and supervisors with questionable records in their own past, internal efforts to hush up reports of abuse - exploded, thanks to the media and the fact that the Legislature happened to be in session. ...
But Royal had seen nothing, heard nothing, reported nothing to the governor.
The governor, however, is pleased with Royal’s performance, said a spokesman. And it’s not just talk: Royal’s salary has jumped from the $70,000 a year he was paid on the governor’s staff to $109,950 a year at the Youth Commission.
It doesn’t make sense to us.
It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, either.
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98 comments:
What else would anyone expect? Royal is perfect for the job. The blind and deaf are the most rewarded state employees. It woold be strange if Perry had appointed a person with integrity and fortitude to the head position.
Surely all of you know this is nothing but a game of smoke and mirrors
Reading the Ranger's report was not the first time Royal had received reports about the alleged abuse. I have a printed a copy of an e-mail from the DMN web site. It was sent from Joy Anderson (TYC Chief of Staff for Harris) to Alfonso Royal on Friday, March 4, 2005 -- not 2006. The subject is: West Texas State School. It has an attached file (that can't be opened from the PDF version) named "WTSS board update 030405.doc." It reads, "Alfonso, This recaps our briefing with you today. We just learned a few minutes ago that an arrest warrant is expected today for Mr. Brookins. Let us know if you need anything else. Law enforcement officials have requested that we not provide any of these confidential details to the public or media due to the ongoing investigation."
Alfonso knew exactly what was going on at WTX in March 2005. If he didn't inform the governor in 2005, he should have. If he did tell the governor and is not being truthful about that now, he should not have a position of trust in TYC. I have very little confidence in him at this point.
Again, I say the original allegations are not what destroyed TYC, but the appearance of cover-up, and Royal may be better at that game than anyone. I worked up my courage and sent this message to the Governor via his web site, but he'll never hear it, and this train will probably never be backed up.
This really isn't hard to understand, Perry and his little band of flying monkeys have been keeping the truth from Texas for too long. No Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore. People are so afraid to speak out about the abuses that are going on on every level, because there will be retribution. This won't end until the investigations start on many issues. Slimy underbelly doesn't even come close to description of this!
I'm imagining the first conversation between Royal and Perry after the media broke the story: "Oh, yeah, Mr. Perry. I had been meaning to tell you about that. It slipped my mind for the last 24 months."
It was all over the local news when the incident occurred. If the sexual abuse was such a big deal, why did it take the mainstream media two years to finally run with the story? Why does everyone get the blame but the media? It seems to me that is where most of the incompetence lies. They called it a cover-up, but they were just covering up the fact that they were so late running the story. Odessa and Midland television was all over it, back when it happened. It wouldn't have required Sherlock Holmes to find out about it.
Royal isn't at TYC as a reward, he's there to make sure no attention will be focused on the Goodhair. He is no different than any of the other coverup artists who knew what was happening in Pyote and chose to do nothing. They remain safe and unpunished, like Chip Harrison and Ayo, while loyal, caring and experienced juvenile corrections professionals had their careers and lives destroyed by Jay Kimbrough and his band of TDCJ thugs, whose claim to fame was squandering the money earmarked for hiring more JCO's on such necessities as $600 chairs and $250 Tiffany paper weights. And now the new regime is bringing in Assistant Superintendents (Victory Field) at a higher pay grade (B15) than the existing A/Supe's (B14) are getting, and with absolutely no TYC experience. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Perhaps the only thing that can save us now is the DOJ.
I am beginning to think this entire state is deaf and blind when it comes to criminal justice whether at the juvenile level or the adult level. Poor behavior usually is followed with a promotion in TDCJ. Good old boy wardens and their plantation mentality continue on a routine basis and if they screw up at one unit they are then moved to another unit. Some wardens are so bad they are made Regional Directors. I have to wonder if these good old boy wardens have so much knowledge of the dirt and corruption that firing them is impossible. Keep giving them a paycheck and let them retire quietly because in this state shit rolls uphill, not down. Kind of makes you wonder how high the pile of shit is at the Governor's mansion....
I find it odd that Royal would be put out there like this by the paper but little is said about a Program Administrator who was actually aware of what Ray Brookins was doing and did nothing.
If this PA would have said something other than "He is the Assistant Superintendent, he can do what he wants" (referring to Brookins mid-night escapades) we would not be talking about Royal or Perry, and now this same PA has moved far up the Administrative chain.
Right, 3:50 p.m. And if it was such a big deal, why didn't the ranger arrest the two alleged perpetrators then and there?
Wonder if Nedelkoff is aware of how the Regional Supt (west region) helped coverup for Brookins and Harrison! Wonder what kind of lies he's told central office? Wonder, wonder and we are all still wondering how he got to be a regional! He's the Royal of WTSS. We'll have to wait for the trials and see if he lies under oath!
I'm with 3:50 and 5:16, how can there be a cover if it was out in media and the folks in the Austin media never pick up on it? Hell the March 4th briefing that 3:04 references was merly a briefing of the investigation up to that point. That same briefing was given to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Im sure Royal pass it on to the powers to be...but hey we are talking about a single indicent at the time. Shit happens and just needs to be dealt with. The two individuals were SUPPOSE TO BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED ( I guess Royal and the Governor were suppose to arrest them)
Where did the failure really occur? Ward County DA who refused to take the case. The Ranger kept asking him and he did nothing. The Ranger asked the Attorney General to get involved they could not because the law requires the local DA to request assistance. The Ranger asked the US Attorney General to get involved they said no because the state charges would be greater (sounded like a bunch of crap). The fact is the DA of Ward County did nothing.
I'm giving this Royal guy the benefit of doubt. Sounds to me like the media is Perry bashing. Get to his people since they can't get to him. Funny how the call came just before the election of November 2006. But Royal acted immediately. Called and made contact with DA, offered financial support to take the case, and provide him with right contacts and process to engaged the State Attorney General. AND AGAIN THE WARD DA DID NOTHING. Only when the Media starting asking questions did the Ward DA send a letter requesting assistance.
Check out the Austin Statesmans timeline on all this. If it is reporting the phone records of Royal showed he made the calls to the DA and Ranger. And the Ranger testimony confirms this What the f$%k is the problem?
Why does TYC have to wait until the trial, read the Rangers report. You will see who knew what and then the question should be why did the one time Program Administrator move all the way up to where he is today? Until TYC rids itself of all these staff involved in the WTSS scandal it will continue to linger.
10:19 that has been the TYC way.
Anybody know What the protocal is for a Texas Ranger investigation? Howard? I'm wondering why this guy after he was done with his investigation why did he not send his report up the chain of command inside DPS? Does a Ranger have that much authority to continue to get a case prosecuted or is there job investigation? Once contact was made to the OAG and they said they could not get involved, why didnt those state attorneys communicate to General Abbott? At what point is this really in the hand of the Governor?
Rick Perry is the best governor that money can buy. Who among us could believe Rick Perry would not rush to help sodomize young people held in TYC. I must admit I do find it very troubling even as far back as 2004 people inside of TYC were trying to get something done about the sexual predators running West Texas State School. Lydia Barnard, who is an old friend of Rick Perry, investigated the sexual assaults and found them to be without basis. I am sure Lydia Barnard told her old friend the Governor it was all unfounded until after the election. What is more bothering is how state officials who covered up the sexual assault of several minors have never been charged with a crime. I forgot they are closely tied to Rick Perry, what was I thinking! Royal is not the only person to be rewarded for supporting the Governor during this time of hardship at TYC.
It will be interesting to see if either of the two perverts go to trial. I am thinking it will never come to a full trial where people will be put on the stand under oath. Speaking of being under oath, the people bringing legal actions against TYC may have some embarrassing questions for several current and past state officials during depositions. Those pesky fired TYC employees could have lawyers that ask awkward questions many people in Austin would rather not have asked and answered under oath. This messy TYC affair could keep going until some measure of truth sneaks out!
I also received emails in 2005 about the situation in WTSS. The situation was highly publicized in the Odessa Alien and the Midland Reppeater Telegram, yet only a few third page stories showed up in the DaMN.
Our lege has a history of doing everything in off election years, in hopes that the voters are too stupid to remember how stupid they are. Gov Goodhair is no different.
Stupidity runs rampant in Texas, because Texans would vote for a three legged rat as long as he will run as a Republican.
I'll swear that you perpetual bitchers make my hair hurt. I'd take an unpaid special assignment for TYC to come in, find you, and fire your asses.
Plato
Plato,
A large number of us have already left.
Plato (play-dough), speaking of bitchers and whiners!!
I guess we should all play fair since the majority of us that survived are not playing by your rules. TYC is now ran by staff from outside the state and did I fail to mention TYC still does not have a treatment plan. TYC still treats it's employees with impunity, TYC cannot hire enough JCO staff to run it's facilities. This dialogue can go on and on, but wait, let's play nice the checks in the mail. Wake up, if we have not been able to fix the problems in the past 9 months why believe the next 9 months will be any better?
Who is taking Billy Humphreys old job, Paul Bartush?
Who are the Regional Directors over corrections, it was Ayo, Martinez, and Bartush.
Been out of the loop for awhile and have been told bits and pieces and some of it makes me sick, just want to see what the bloggers have to say.
Blow me Plato. - Ray Brookins
What Brookins and Hernandez did to WTSS will never die down because those of us who lived it know what went on. Ayo was the PA who would not report the allegations to higher ups nor would he admit it was going on. Bloggers can't possibly be more clear folks. Ayo has always been a "yes boss" man and will never change. He has never stood up for anything or anyone. When they made him Stupid-intendent and then a Regional, it was and continues to be the laughing stock of WTSS. He is as much to blame for the coverup as his mentor Chip Harrison. Ayo is a legend in his own mind and has never been for the employees. He has always been the suck up to the administration. It was sickening to watch the many times he left early and came to work late all in the name of his title, PA. He had staff written up for being late or leaving early. His family and his needs have always been more important than those of any employee. Yep, the man is all for himself, what a self-centered, pompous horse's behind he is and always will be. "Poor African just trying to make it" at the expense of anyone he could step on. May he meet them all on the way down and may they shut the door on his pompous @S$. Like they did on Pope & the Humpster. They promoted him after being a an assistant stupid-intendent for a few months and to stupid-intendent and to a regional after only one month. Someone let me know how the heck he's managed to hang on and not be found out?? He aided and abeted the sex scandal and lost no sleep over it.
The "TYC Scandal was not created because someone was covering up anything but because certain politicians wanted their 15 minutes of fame. If it were about resolving the problem, the DA who just got re-elected would have have been forced to resign or criminally investigated and the news media would have to explain why it took two years to realize that they should have started asking questions. Instead it turned into a scandal of giving out jobs and fat contracts to political hacks with little done to prosecute two sexual perverts. Why does it take so long to get a criminal trial in Ward County, where a part time prosecutor is the norm? Surely the AG could have gotten a trial by now if he really pushed it.
I remember the day Dwight Harris was named Ex. Dir. at TYC. Some of we old timers (who knew him well) were sitting around drinking that night and predicted he'd run the agency into the ground being that he'd never been a success at any TYC job he ever held. He'd just be promoted from one level to another (they were always moving him up right before things collapsed at his then current job). Well, it took several years and the agency imploded. Now you chronic complainers want things "fixed" right now. Well - let me tell you, it took years for the implosion and will take years to bring it back where it should be. Now - shut up and get to work.
Plato
Plato the systemic disease allowed to fester in TYC for years, which you were a part of, was not the for the lege's 15 minutes of fame. The cover exsisted and we all know it. What part did you have in it? TYC was always run by unethical characters, just shy of criminal charges. Employees have always known that and employees could not get any change done because of the superintendent on up. At least now we have this blog where we can expose lies and tell it like it is. What's your beef? You sound a bigger whiner than the rest of us and you were probably in a position to make a difference old timer. Why didn't you? You should quit complaining and if you haven't left TYC, you should. Something tells me you are still hanging on the vine trying to infect the system once again. Surely someone will cut that vine up and send you packing. I resent your statement to shut-up and go back to work, that's the system TYC had in place before the implosion and it won't work any longer! Now you shut up or put up!Chronic complainers, pleeez!!!
10:49 a.m. and I suppose because they wanted 15 minutes of fame, it exonerates Ayo, Brookins, Hernandez, Barnard, Harrison, Harris and Clay (& all others involved) from the coverup that you say never exsisted? What a tragedy. I can't tell you why it took so long for someone/anyone to act on the case but the ball was dropped by many and many managed to hang on to their jobs and are still at it!! Don't be so condescending and judgemental. None of know the reason why?? We can venture guesses based on what we know, especially if we were in Pyote at the time.
I would still like to know who has Humphreys job, and did the Regionals stay the same?
10:49 is telling the truth. There was never any cover up. All the politicians knew about it, it was in the media. Just because you didn't know doesn't mean it was covered up.
I agree with that comment. There really wasn't a cover up. The evidence suggest otherwise. There was no doubt a failure to respond more swiftly and demand someone force the Ward County DA to do something, and that all fell on Dwight Harris. He should have went crazy when the case stalled. He should have been more vocal with our displeasure regarding the lack of prosecution. But there was no cover-up.
Alan Walters got Humphries job after Paul Bartush filled in as an acting role. The regionals have stayed the same - for now. That is, Ayo, Paul, and Sylvia are still in there post.
Speaking of cover ups, wasn't Owens named in the suit/settlement at TDCJ for covering up sexual harassment? Clearly the perfect man to name as ED and then Conservator; makes as much sense as Royal.
"There really wasn't a cover up."
Perhaps, but when Dwight Harris left the agency before he could be questioned in public about it, it sure felt like he had something to hide.
Similarly, the fact that the incident was reported in the Midland paper doesn't excuse Royal from reporting what was happening to his superiors in the Governor's Criminal Justice Division. His responsibility to report upstream may be evaluated independently of whether there was a "cover up" as it's being defined here, IMO.
As for Owens, your memory is correct.
Royal may do a great job at TYC, but on its face the appointment appears to reward someone who dropped the ball in the past.
Harris had intended to retire in May of 2007, anyway, after the legislative session. According to his farewell message, when it became clear that his presence would be a distraction, he left two months early. I believe he was hoping that the lightning would dissipate, and not strike TYC. He underestimated Whitmire,though.
I won't gather any fans by defending Dwight Harris, but I think he did believe prosecutions were proceeding. I think he said as much in one of the hearings. We have seen how slowly the wheels of justice turn. I also know from personal experience how hard it is to get small-town law enforcement and DAs interested in TYC matters. They don't have the resources or manpower, which is why they are all so happy now that TYC has a special prosecutor system.
No matter how upset Harris might have been, I don't think he could have persuaded Reynolds to move on the two alleged perpetrators. After all, the state attorney general and the US justice department were talking to Reynolds about it, too, and still nothing was done. And since Reynolds is an elected official, Harris was probably loathe to step on his toes about an issue that was not flattering to TYC in the first place.
I still believe, though, that if the Ranger had made arrests, Reynolds would have had to do something.
A Texas Ranger cannot make an arrest of a ranking state official without approval from Austin regardless of what they may want to do. The top man over the Texas Rangers is Rick Perry. Are things starting to clear up a little regarding the arrests that took so long. A reliable person told me a Texas Ranger out of Waco was contacted regarding a matter at the Mart Unit near Waco and his response was he did not have time to look into it. In another case an investigation that would have eventually involved the governor was killed by the Texas Rangers. If the truth ever comes out about all of the underhanded BS related to TYC it will be national bad news for Texas. There are actually several layers to the cover up. Drugs , prostitution, stealing state property, money laundering, and human trafficking are all parts to the puzzle that hold all the players together in the sordid affair.
It is understandable how frustrated TYC staff must be because they are unaware of the true nature of what is happening around them. I have watched TYC staff twist in the wind for months hoping for a turn around that is not coming. Some have expressed the thought what is happening to TYC is a ploy to take it into contracted care. The truth of the matter is much more sinister and criminal. I wish I could help all of you but I love my family far too much to put them at risk to help you. There is too much money and power to fight here, these people are above the law. For your own sake accept the reality of TYC and move on with your lives before it drags all of you into the pit. I wish I did not know what I know about all of this. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and found out things I was never supposed to learn. I am sorry I don’t have the courage to risk everything for all of you, please for give me.
5:37, I have to believe the light of day will shine on all of this sometime. Conspiracies always have a limited shelf life and if what you say about what has happened to TYC is true, it will come out eventually, I am sure of it.
5:37, if you know all that much, you need to report what you know to law enforcement. Sitting on such information makes you an accessory to all those crimes you allege. As to fear, have you ever heard of witness protection? If they can protect Mafia hitmen, they can sure protect you.
An alternative, 5:37, is to contact a news outlet. If you really have a story, they'll protect your identity in order to get it.
Outspoken woman, don't forget the "old girl network." Alive and well at TYC too.
Had the story broke when it should have, we wouldn't be calling him Governor 39%. He would've been a zero.
Hey 5:37. Who really killed Kennedy?
Hey 9:21 PM. Blow me!
Ray Brookins
5:37, if you are playing these folks, thats wrong. If you are being truthful, then own up and do something about it. Don't ask for forgiveness from us, you have to forgive yourself. How can you sleep at night knowing what you know?????
"...doesn't excuse Royal from reporting what was happening to his superiors in the Governor's Criminal Justice Division. His responsibility to report upstream..."
Grits,
You're confusing the Governor's CJD with the Budget and Policy Division. Royal worked in the latter. CJD has little to do with B&P except for funding/not funding projects.
OMG, I don't believe you guys. Don't be so dumb and Snow White about matters. There is a cover up and the Mart Unit is at. The other writer was correct. That unit is a complete joke and the DOJ is doing nothing. TYC is not going to get better but worse. I agree, there is way too much white folks money and white folks covering up for wrong then what's going to be corrected. Royale is in place to give the governor a cover to increase the votes for next go round. Evil is what evil is and dumb, deaf, blind and abusers always go free.
When I received the emails on the Brookins-Hernandez scandal, I followed procedure. Since Marian deans was not in her office I gave the information to Jimmy Flinn. It was buried. I knew it would be. I then forwarded the emails to my self and have them saved on a couple of my home computers. I would love to share them with the press to show them how much Gov Goodhair knew and when.
Do we need more three-legged rats?
I have a three legged Donkey for sale. He has become more lame and I cannot ride him to work at the Mart Unit anymore. Ms. King offerd to buy him. I refused because she was going to use him to block the entrance to the AMP roof area basketball court. Instead I sold him to Govenor Good-hair for future hair replacements.
03/09/08 - 6:19 is correct. All of you who claim to know so much about what is/has gone on in TYC are no better than the people you are bashing. If you really care about these "youth" as you all claim to, then grow-up and take action. But, of course, that is assuming you actually know something and are not just attempting to stir the pot. And we all know what assuming does...
On another note, a comment was left that TYC was attempting to utilize contract care. TYC managed to shoot themselves in the foot on that after the lies about Coke County. Who in their right mind would contract with TYC?
Finally, I'm confused about Victory Field and Mr. Harrell. He stated that it was structurally unsafe. Does he not have the power to do something about it? If it is as he stated in his report why isn't something be done about it? Or is there?
Harrell does not have any authority to open or close a facility. That power is in Nedelkoff's hands. All the Ombudsman can really do is investigate and speak out about what his findings are.
5:37 Might be on to something. I remember several years ago the CPS computer system in Texas was being used for prostitution and drug trafficking. It got stumbled onto by some Austin vice cop. The only CPS person caught up in the scandal killed himself before he could rat out the others in the system. If I remember the operation was along the I-35 corridor. The guy got out on bond and was found dead when they went to arrest him for more charges. This would not be the first time something like this happened. Who knows what the truth is about any of this. Maybe several movies will be made about TYC and you can pick the version you like best. What is really bad is there is probably some truth in all the stories here on the blog about TYC. What a mess!
10:20, There is always some truth in the best lies.
OMG, the intricate webs and the never ending sagas!!!
Staff shortages still plague TYC from what I read on this blog. The $4 a gallon gas prices expected later this year should have a very negative impact on staff shortages at TYC since most of the TYC facilities are in far flung locations. TYC staff could easily be spending $300 to $400 per month for gas alone. Based on the current IRS mileage write off, the monthly cost for employees to drive to work could be $700 to $800 in total transportation total costs. Extreme working conditions coupled with transportation costs will drive many current TYC employees to find other jobs making the staffing problems even more critical unless TYC facilities are moved closer to metro areas where sufficient employment pools exist and the pay rate is competitive. Taking into consideration TYC is over budget and was expected to decline in the number of youth and staff during this funding period, which is not happening, leaves a less than promising outlook . Maybe the governor’s latest appointee has some magic he can work to cure all of the problems at TYC. A little magic dust, a wand, top hat, a rabbit, and generous helping of smoke and mirrors should do the trick! The Great Roy-al at your service ladies and gentlemen!
Either the gov is back in this mess or Needlekoff has made his first (my opinion) screw-up, with the govs help. Either way its a step in the wrong direction. The Gov knew and has so far dodged the bullets, but the hiring of Alfonso will focus attention back on the gov...damn and he sooooo close to being a vice presidential candidate!
We're not over our budgeted number of kids in facilities. In fact we are 42 under budgeted population as of yesterday. The numbers we're working with now are managable. We just need to balance the population because some are over populated whereas others are under because of the staff shortages. But the bottom line is we're under budgeted population overall.
As far as the Fonz goes, his hiring is keeping a TYC tradition alive. Whoever screws up the best always gets the nod. That's the way its always been. Hell, Ayo is a perfect example.
5:37...
What would JESUS do?
The Budgeted Items I am talking about, which are important are the number staff positions at TYC. The Legislature clearly, if you know where to look, intended to drastically down size TYC’s total staff numbers as well as a major reduction in the number of youth housed in TYC facilities. The additional 500 JCO staff was a short term addition which never worked out. When the cutting is done about 750 more TYC employees will be on the street according to the budget profile. The money is drying up fast. Talk to the balanced budget people right across from the Governor’s office if you want a true picture of your employment outlook at TYC. When you look at TYC from a bottom-line view point it does not look good for current employees.
The Legislature clearly didn't look at the projections either because the number of Class B and A misd. is less than 300 currently in TYC. It may even be lower than that but the population and commitments have stabilized which tells me that those judges are no longer considering plea's to downgrade, which we all expected would happen.
We were a cheap experiment for the ledge. They cannot control commitments. Special session? Who knows? Maybe we can sell Pope's carpet and furniture and buy a few more days.
Jesus would call on BATMAN! No, that's not you Ayo.
Ayo, who is Ayo?? Did you leave out "M" Mayo? Or is ths code for Brookins "Rayo"??
Whatever happened with hiring an executive director? It seems like it has become a forgotten item.
Also I was hoping that by now the consevator would had looked at the personnel (leadership) in the other departments such as HR, finance, youth rights, etc. There's significant room for upgrades here.
I know for sure that HR is a disaster zone.
You talk like you know what the leg intended. Im sure you were in the meeting...yea right. When you close a facility the positions go away. Why would the lege give TYC money for positions it has NEVER been able to fill. Guess you prolly want a reclass. What you need is a kick in your ass.
Perhaps the conservator should also look at replacing all the jco, case manager, pa, health folk also. Hell all direct staff since you think you have all the answers.
HR is run very well. Sounds like someone still have issues with where folk worked before coming to the Texas Youth Authority
If that's the case, 5:54 p.m. then why in the hell is this agency asking for projections to upgrade the staff uniform? I mean, if it were all hell and we're broke, I doubt that we'd be asking for this information.
It's people like you that like to stir the shit and generate a fear that is simply unfounded. You're not helping anyone here. You are simply trolling, so troll on...
I would pay no attention to this idiot. We know the budget...
our numbers right now are not manageable. if they are manageable why aren't they being managed?
Please.
Staffing ratios are part of management. Show me one facility that is meeting the 12 to 1 (truly meeting it). Caseworkers at many facilities have 20 or more students on their caseloads. This is not manageable. This is crap. We are wasting time with youth currently in TYC custody. What chance do they have.
I don't think 5:54 is off the mark much about the reduction in facilities and staff. In the begining of the bills that were orginally written in 103 said that TYC would reduce staff (can't remember the exact number and close some faclities). You could probably go to website of the Texas Lege and find some of those documents before the bills were actually pass into law. Not trying to be a troll or say I know what they are thinking, this is just what I remember reading in them. I don't think we should all run for the hills, but they are still looking at who needs to go and who needs to stay as far as facilites go. They are visiting facilities and talking to higher ups and this is true. Happen to us.
There is a hell of lot better things that TYC CO could spend their money on than damn uniforms.
Take that money and give it to staff for a raise, or upgrade the kids clothes.
"our numbers right now are not manageable. if they are manageable why aren't they being managed?"
Idiots like you is the short answer. They drained TYC of it's experience where this was a manageable problem we dealt with daily, and replaced experienced and very well tenured staff with... well, people like you. That's the truth as bad as it hurts.
Ouch, that's the truth in more areas than one. It hit us in HR as well.
Give Co's/JCO's and Casemanagers a 5000 dollar across the board increase and make their retirement package compatiable with TDCJ/DPS's package and watch what happens. The Screwball in Houston will flip because we'd draw them back from the oil fields.
We can't compete will Texas Oil.
HA- what are you smoking???
"HR is run very well. Sounds like someone still have issues with where folk worked before coming to the Texas Youth Authority"
still have??, folk worked????? what the hell are you saying??? HR is a disaster and will be until the Mgmt is outta there. Idiots.
Case Manager's having 20+ residents on their case load is managable, if the Case Manager is competent. And 10:51 is correct, everyone with experience was pushed out.
Matthew...believe it, HR is a disaster and you are part of the problem. As previously mentioned, you have bounced from agency to agency. There's a reason for it! It looks like you have no where else to go. Sorry, your attention deficit problems are preventing you from realizing that HR is a mess.
Lucky that you found Wood the "sucker" to hire you. I think it was your impressive work history that did it-Mr. Bouncee. Maybe you can help Wood find the interview packet that that she had stolen.
Now that things are getting back to some kind of order, it is time for your useless self and Wood to go.
HR truly is a mess and Matthew truly is a joke. You people just don't know the half of it. And Wood...give me a break!
10:51,
You know nothing about me. If you think caseloads of 20+ are manageable then I would hate to see the kind of case management that is acceptable.
But i will defer to your supremacy, given the ease by which you deem people idiots, you must be right up there with the pope.
also, not everyone with experience was pushed out. There are many staff in the field who still have plenty of experience. I know plenty of competent and experienced caseworkers and PAs who would say that the only thing you can do effectively with 20 plus youth on your caseload is to push paper. That is not case management. You really think youth whose caseworker has 20 other kids really gets the treatment they need. If so then why are they shooting for 12 to 1?
I was not mind reading when I talked about Legislative intent regarding TYC staff and student levels. Over the past year I have talked directly with several members of the Texas Legislature who are primary players with the TYC legislation. By August 31 of 2009 there will many less people working for TYC unless the next session reverses the last session on TYC operation and funding. The current plan is to stabilize TYC and down size it. You can look for the next Legislative session to deal with closing the remote facilities and building or contracting much smaller regional facilities. If you will remember facilities will be limited to no more than about 100 youth when SB103 is fully implemented. How many of the current TYC facilities will meet that standard? Any modifications to current facilities will be for interim purposes only. The days of housing 300 to 400 youth in a TYC facility are becoming a thing of the past. I have heard the large TYC facilities might make nice pre-release facilities for TDCJ if they could hire staff to man them.
On another topic the old Marlin TYC building make over has been completed by TDCJ but will not be put into use for a while. The old Marlin VA Hospital building project is on hold for at least 2 years by TDCJ. I would not be surprised if the Marin TYC building is not used by TDCJ in the near future. Staffing problems are just as bad or maybe even worse at TDCJ these days so opening any new facilities will be tough. I have not heard any recent news on the San Saba building but don’t expect it is much different than Marlin.
The bottom line is that TYC can not afford to be honest with its employees about the coming staffing reductions. Any such honesty could trigger the next major wave of employee departures before TYC is ready. From a business management position I can see why TYC administration would be less than open and truthful about future plans for TYC.
Not a troll, just think a lot of TYC employees are being used, abused, and lied to. I think you need to be aware things may not be what the good people n Austin would have you to believe. Don’t listen to the TYC spin doctors or take my word on the matter, do some investigation on your own and see if there is anything to what I have said. The information is out there but you will have to dig it out.
Everyone, please say hello to the newest caseworker on Mart II- freshly demoted today: WANDA KING!!!! What comes around goes around. Sweet Justice! THANK YOU CHIP WALTERS!!! This is one of the best moves yet!!!
Give me six months, three modern facilities capable of holding 200 youth each, that are close in proximity and triangular of Austin and I will clean this entire TYC mess up. If Austin and TYC executive management cannot figure out how to implement that, then find or let someone who can take control.
Chip Walters is the devil himself. Plain and simple that is! Smilin' Jack!
3:18,
what are you going to do with the other 2000 youth - turn them out on the street??? Your statement clearly indicates you have no idea of the size of TYC. I doubt you could run one modern 200 youth capacity facility much less operations involving thousands of youth.
Why don't you give us details on how you're going to do it?
Three 200 hundred bed facilities wouldn't even hold all of the kids from Harris County not to mention the kids from Dallas County.
numbers are really not going down and will likely continue to climb.
i see the benefit of small regional facilities, but I really doubt DSO's will have any part of less secure facilities.
4:49 awwwww Wanda, don't get mad because you got demoted. According to a poster on this site, you should be able to manage your 20 + youth on the dorm as a casemanager just fine.
Now you can take your "queen blackness" attitude straight to the little circle of offenders who I'm sure will love to hear your self-righteous view of life in your core group meetings. Wonder how long it will take for your mouth to lead to your assault by the youth. Get ready Wanda, reality is about to hit you square between the eyes. Now that you're power is gone, see how it feels to have to deal with the youth and not be able to do anything about their behavior. Glorious justice. What went around has now come around.
Wanda is down. Is Ayo next?
If Wanda King is so bad, why didn't they just fire her? If they had some good dirt on her they would have had enough for termination.
Come on now. We all know the answer to that. She has to be yellow 1st. They don't want to piss of a black legislator like Whitmire's compatriot from Houston do they?
Only white women with a PhD get fired. They don't play the race card. They just go get another job.
20+ youth on a caseload is not manageable, especially when you consider that case managers are being used as transporters, vistation staff, dorm staff, and assigned various other JCO duties on a regular basis. Add in the time wasted due to inefficiencies in the system, you get a situation where even the "ideal" caseload of 12-16 youth is still unmanageable in a 40 hour workweek (OT is seriously frowned upon and seldom paid for case managers).
2:11 - it is people like you who make us all look bad. No wonder the public is so eager to support Governor-to-be Whitmire. Quit whining and use your brains. I notice that you had time to read Grits and post here during work hours - you can't be too busy!
Quite a lot of assumptions don't you think?
What's wrong with posting at 2:11 pm? Don't you know that caseworkers have lunch hour(s)?
Like teachers, the good ones are worth their weight in gold, but there sure are a lot of whiners out there!
I've done an informal comparison over the last ten years with caseworkers who have Social Work degrees, and caseworkers who have degrees in other fields, or who have come up through the ranks. For the most part, the ones with Social Work degrees do the most trumpeting of their credentials, the most whining about their workloads, and the least work. Why is that?
You can tell the ones with social work degrees because they always have at least twenty letters after their name, such as BSSW, LSW, MSW, MSW-ACP. I always wonder why they are working in TYC if they have all of their fancy degrees. The more letters after the name equals more incompetence. Of course I have a BS degree and working on an MA but you don't see me putting that after my name everytime I sign something.
Social Workers = Canadian Army of the helping professions.
One Social Worker I know was honest enough to admit that she majored in Social Work because it was the easiest major she could find, and it offered her guaranteed employment on graduation. She is actually very good at what she does.
5:04,
That is because you have nothing to put after your name. You see, people who have licenses, which are what all the abbreviations that start with L are, are required to have them. It would be silly for them not to sign with them. Quit being jealous. Get your M.A. and then get a license and we will see how you start signing your name. especially when your position requires to have them.
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