x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by sc.lmhostediq.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Wed, 29 Jun 2016 08:46:01 -0400 thread-index: AdHSBDDPRyE0Q245QUOMQIvmXX4tag== Thread-Topic: Response via eform 100002 - Help with a State Agency From: To: Subject: Response via eform 100002 - Help with a State Agency Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2016 08:46:01 -0400 Message-ID: <2EC88FD8F569449ABA297A490337A496@IQ12> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 29 Jun 2016 12:46:01.0308 (UTC) FILETIME=[30EE49C0:01D1D204] WORKFLOW 344 Dr Robert M Hoeller 4382 Roswell Dr Martinez GA 30907 bob.hoeller@gmail.com NA 706-627-7675 Governor Haley, For your information, I have also sent this letter to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. I am writing you today to tell you about a wonderful girl, who is currently a ward of the state of South Carolina, due to circumstances out of her control. Her name is Samantha Norris, or Sammie as she likes to be called. Sammie is living in a group home in Aiken, SC called Helping Hands. Sammie would like to be living with us, and we would like that as well. Sammie will be 17 in August, and there is little time left before she becomes a legal adult, and we would rather it not be while she is in a group home setting. I am writing to you because of an injustice that is being committed. This injustice does not stem from any person, but rather the system itself. We are in the lengthy process of fostering, and hopefully finally adopting Sammie. The problem is that we live just across the river in GA, which doesn't seem like a problem, but when dealing with a minor child in the system we might as well live in another country. My wife LaDonna and I have gone through the background checks in SC and can sign Sammie out for visits, even overnight visits. I find it utterly frustrating that we can sign her out, drive her hundreds of miles away in SC for a weekend overnight, but we cannot drive her 30 miles to our home where she could have a family environment, home cooked meals, interaction with our grown children and grandchildren, and Sunday church worship. Every visit we have with her now includes long drives, purchased meals, paid events, etc. We don't mind spending the money, but I am not sure this is the right message to convey, where we are always shopping every time we get together. All of this because of a technicality that keeps her in SC. Now I know that this isn't always true. In the past, her Case Worker was able to authorize her to take trips to North Carolina and Florida for events that were associated with her work and school. We cannot even begin the process of having Sammie in our home until we take GA IMPACT classes in August, when she will turn 17. And after that, we may have additional requirements from SC, taking months to be resolved. What I am asking for is selfish, I know that. I want a waiver of sorts. It may be that this has never been done, but that is not a reason to not consider it now. I want to be able to take Sammie to our home for visits in Augusta, GA to spend time with family. I want to give her something she has never had in her life, a stable family with a loving mother and father figure. These short few years she has left before becoming an adult are incredibly important, and I believe every moment she has in a stable environment will only help her become a productive part of society, and a confident woman. I could write pages about how we love Sammie, and how much she means to us and our family. I can tell you terrible stories of her childhood and how, in spite of that, she is still a caring and loving person. But I am really only asking for one thing in this letter. I want your compassion to override the slow grinding wheels of bureaucracy. We understand that there is a process to adoption, and we of course, would like that to be as fast as possible too. But for now, the visitation across state lines would satisfy the immediate concern. I want to be sure that I stress that it is the system that is failing us here, not the people. Everyone we have met along the way feels the way we do about helping Sammie as quickly as possible. We have met some wonderful and helpful people along the way in GA and SC. Her Case Officer, Felicia McCreary, Christina Wright, from SC DSS, Ms. Avenger, from SC Adoption section of DSS. In GA there was Jan Bruce in the Governor's Office, Rachel Davidson from GA DHS, and Hope Williams from Columbia County DFCS, who quickly set up our home inspections. I am sending this letter to both the Governors of SC and GA to ensure we reach all integral parties. Thank you for giving my petition your attention. I am sending this to both Governor's offices to ensure maximum help from both states. I look forward to hearing from you or your representative to address this as soon as possible. Robert M. Hoeller Ph.D. 706-627-7675 bob.hoeller@gmail.com 4382 Roswell Drive, Martinez GA, 30907 147.51.86.101