Refugee family receives rude treatment at agency
I am writing to express my outrage at the way we were treated at the Guilford County Department of Social Services. I was helping a Montagnard refugee family apply for services a few weeks ago and we were treated with an appalling lack of respect.
We arrived at 10:15, and the family was not seen until after 4:30. I would have thought this was because the county had cut the funding for workers except that an American family arrived several hours later than we did and was seen several hours earlier than we were. I talked to them and know they did not have an appointment, and they were applying for exactly the same services.
The intake worker had a hostile attitude and was repeatedly rude to us. Even though she was angry because she had to stay late, there is no excuse for being rude to the clientele.
Joscelyn S. Nickerson
Greensboro
Comments (2)
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Probably because the Montagnard family was here legally Ms. Nickerson.
Posted on January 28, 2008 12:17 PM
I assume that this family was "eligible for services". If so, then there is no excuse for the kind of treatment you described. Every applicant should be treated with dignity.
If you (we) allow this disrespect to go on, (apparently the intake worker feels that he/she can determine the response mode), then the next time a person who dressess differently, speaks differently etc. can be treated in any manner that the intake worker chooses.
If a person/family is not eligible for services, they should still be accorded with similar dignity when being told that they are not eligible.
I hope that you pursue this up the ladder/chain of command because this editorial will not accomplish the kind of change which is needed here.
I know that it can be difficult working in social services, but if one is burnt out or has prejudices, then they ethically should change work stations or quit. I am a tax payer and I pay for human respect.
Posted on January 29, 2008 3:32 PM