DCF policies and procedures play a significant role in the DCF investigation process. Parents should also be aware of the DCF appeal process in case they feel their rights have been violated. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 15,446 people in the United States died from a heroin overdose in 2016, out of a total of 64,070.
In Massachusetts specifically, according to Mass.gov, 1,874 people have died from overdosing on opioids. Heroin can kill people and it can also destroy families due to its addictive properties. Many people don’t understand the pain associated with losing a loved one to a heroin overdose, but Caleb Wilde, a Funeral Home Director, wrote the following, “An open letter to Heroin from a Funeral Director,” outlining the terrifying pain associated with heroin related deaths.
My prayers to those that are suffering, FU.. Heroin. FU.. IT.
That’s what I want to say when I get a phone call from a crying son, daughter, husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend telling me their loved one has died from an overdose. But I don’t say that.
I refrain from saying it, as professionalism demands sensitivity to your grief during bereavement. But, “I’m sorry for your loss” and “my deepest condolences” just don’t work when a 19-year-old daughter was found in the basement of her friend’s house after two stints in rehab and five months clean. This was supposed to be the beginning of her life, not the horrible end.
Sure, I’ll call you as soon as we reach the funeral home,” I reassured my sixteen-year-old son.
Or, what do I say to the 30-year-old wife with three kids and no income, little support and now she has no husband.
F… it. FU.. HEROIN. That’s what I want to say.
How about the parents who tell me, “I’m glad it’s over. For years, I struggled to find sleep due to worry, but last night was different. I peacefully drifted into slumber, knowing that he wasn’t out there causing harm to himself or others. Or the parents who tell me with blank expressions that they had absolutely no idea their daughter was using.
She excelled in college, maintained a steady relationship, worked part-time, and tragically ended up on our morgue table.
What do I say to the young husband who tells me, “We don’t have any money for a funeral, she blew our savings and her life on this relapse.”
How should I react when that same young husband proceeds to ask, ‘Furthermore, how can I effectively articulate this to my children? Additionally, should I consider their emotional well-being in the process? Moreover, is there a way to ensure they understand the situation without causing unnecessary distress?'”
In this version, I’ve added transition words like “Additionally,” “Moreover,” and Furthermore” to make the sentence flow more smoothly and enhance coherence. In this version, I’ve included the transition words “how,” “proceeds to,” and “Moreover” to enhance the flow of the sentence.
Additionally, there are instances when the body has been forsaken in a desolate place by purported friends, and it’s beginning to undergo decomposition. “May I have the opportunity to catch one last glimpse of my father?” inquires the young man. To which I respond, “Certainly, you may,” but I caution, “However, the visage before you may not resemble the man you once knew.” The son then calmly asserts, “That’s acceptable. I haven’t laid eyes on him in the past five years, so I hold no preconceived notions or expectations.”
I’m fed up with HEROIN. I’m tired of dealing with these stories. I’m weary of performing the difficult task of unstitching and embalming bodies that addiction has left discolored and broken down. I can’t stand hearing the empty cries of “My baby, my baby! How did this happen?” and “How did we reach this point?” when a grieving mother sees her son in a casket. It’s exhausting to witness children asking, “What happened to mommy?” and “When will she wake up?” during funerals.
I’m getting tired of these stories. I know addiction is a disease. I understand that shame is never the path to healing. There’s no shame here towards the addict. The enemy is very clear. We can all agree that this particular disease, this particular addiction is worthy of our most harsh, most striking, most caustic curse words we can find.
For all the fatherless and motherless children I’ve served …
For all the widows and widowers I’ve walked with through the valley …
For all the bereaved parents now childless …
For all the individual lives you’ve stolen, all the futures you’ve killed, and all the love you’ve grieved …
I raise my middle finger to you, heroin.”By Caleb Wilde, Funeral Home Director (www.calebwilde.com).
It’s not just the people who die from Heroin that devastate families. According to an article by Katharine Seelye, written on January 21, 2018 in the New York Times, a family in New Hampshire had a son who was struggling with a Heroin addiction. The son, Patrick, had been addicted to Heroin for twenty (20) years, and he believes he has overdosed around thirty (30) times. He even overdosed four (4) times in one day and had to be brought back to consciousness each time. After getting out of the hospital from these four (4) overdoses, he immediately started using again. When Patrick was eventually sent to prison, he finally got clean. While he has been clean since then, his story sheds light on the fact that “…most drug users don’t die. Far more, like Patrick, are snared for years in a consuming, grinding, unending cycle of addiction.” (www.nytimes.com).
If you or someone you know has a Heroin addiction, we suggest taking the following steps. This begins by entering into a rehab facility. The one I highly suggest is the “Spectrum House” in Worcester. (The “Spectrum House” can be found in Worcester at 585 Lincoln Street, and can be reached at (800) 464-9555 for intake services, and (508) 854-3320 for their direct line. They can also be found at 105 Merrick Street, and can be contacted at (800) 464-9555 for their intake line, and (508) 797-6100 for their direct line. Their final Worcester location is at 25 Pleasant Street, and their phone number for their intake line is (508) 799-6221.
Yeah, a rehab to combat this awful thing called death! Then place your children in the custody of a grandparent, parent, family member, friend or neighbor while you get “clean”. Do NOT wait for DCF to take your children into DCF custody and then perhaps into foster care. NO, NO, NO, act NOW!!! If not for you then your innocent children. Revised Content: “I have represented too many who waited too long to address their issues due to their addiction and the need to fight against DCF to regain custody of their children in foster care.
Rehab. It will NOT be easy. It will take time. It will take your personal best to overcome and conquer this monster called Heroin. Good luck!
Kevin Seaver is a trusted lawyer since 1991. Recognized expert in successfully specializing in fighting the Department of Children and Families. More commonly referred to as DCF. Attorney Seaver fights DCF throughout the entire Commonwealth of MA whether in or out of court.
Need Help with DCF & Heroin Addiction? Call Attorney Seaver or Request Online A Consultation
Works Cited:
“Current Opioid Statistics.” Mass.gov, May 2018, www.mass.gov/lists/current-opioid-statistics.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Overdose Death Rates.” NIDA, 15 Sept. 2017, www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates.
Seelye, Katharine Q. “1 Son, 4 Overdoses, 6 Hours.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/21/us/opioid-addiction-treatment-families.html.
DISCLAIMER
You find yourself in this situation, it’s advisable to seek legal representation from a qualified attorney, like those at the Law Office of Kevin Seaver, who can advocate for your rights and guide you through the complex process of a DCF investigation.
Remember that the ultimate goal of DCF is to ensure the safety and well-being of children while supporting families in crisis.
Please note that this article does not create an Attorney-Client relationship between our law firm and the reader and is provided for informational purposes only. Information in this article does not apply to all readers.
Readers should not rely on this information as legal advice and should seek specific counsel from the attorney based on personal circumstances. Thank you.
Kevin Patrick Seaver is a Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer who represents parents against false child abuse allegations.
Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer Kevin Seaver has been successfully fighting false child abuse allegations since 1991.
