THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, December 4, 1994               TAG: 9412020270
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON    PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   40 lines

DEPARTMENT'S DECISIONS `NOT MADE IN A VACUUM'

We appreciate your editorial ``Living with decisions'' (Beacon, Nov. 20) about the difficult decisions that Social Services must

make, especially in the area of foster care. There are never any crystal balls, litmus tests or magic wands that we can access to help us make the hard choices. We have to rely on the word of other professionals, our own assessment skills and, above all, the legal mandates that govern the program.

We appreciate your fairness and your willingness to look objectively at the broader issues that exist. To us, this is an example of responsible journalism. This is also refreshing because recently our department has been depicted as incom-petent and inept by some of the media, despite our past record of serving and supporting thousands of families in this city.

In the most recent case in the media, little mention was made of the fact that we removed and hospitalized the child and then placed the child in foster care. We also provided intensive counseling and supportive services to the family in an effort to teach and prepare them for their parental duty.

It is important that the public know that the Department of Social Services does not make decisions in a vacuum nor are the decisions made arbitrarily and capriciously. Our decisions are based on federal and state laws and mandates. We also consult with experienced and trained public and private professionals, and most decisions must be subjected to a judicial review.

Daniel M. Stone

Director,

Department of Social Services

Virginia Beach

KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SOCIAL SERVICES by CNB