A brother and sister who were removed from their home due to unhealthy living conditions and abuse, will soon be reunited in a new safe environment thanks to the work and persistence of an Amerigroup Community-Based Case Manager.
Sixteen-year-old Michael and nine-year-old Samantha (note: their names have been changed for this story) were living with a single parent who was not providing them with healthy living conditions. They were frequently dirty, and it wasn't unusual to find cockroaches alongside their medications. Their situation reached a breaking point in December 2016 when there was a physical abuse incident which resulted in both children being removed from the home.
Unfortunately, Michael and Samantha were split up into a series of separate, constantly changing living conditions. They needed an advocate. And that's where Amerigroup Community-Based Case Manager Dena came into play.
Dena jumped headfirst into trying to improve the situation for Michael and Samantha. Spending significant amounts of time working directly with them, Dena knew that what mattered most to the siblings was being able to live together again. Dena dedicated herself to finding safe housing where the two could be together and flourish. She spoke with foster families and toured potential homes for Michael and Samantha.
Working with the Iowa Department of Human Services, getting updates from the social worker about numerous court hearings regarding their custody and status, and advocating for funding, Dena achieved an initial victory: securing Michael a place in a home run by a charitable organization, which enabled occasional opportunities for his sister to visit him.
But the work was only half finished. Knowing how important it was to the children to be together full-time, Dena persisted in her efforts to find a way for the siblings to live in the same house. Through her hard work and countless hours spent advocating for them, Dena succeeded in making arrangements for them to be more permanently reunited. This year, Samantha will join Michael in his home. They will live safely with two other children who reside there, and be taught skills for independence, such as cooking, cleaning, medication and money management. But most importantly to them, they will be together.
