West Virginia’s foster care ombudsman wrote in her resignation letter that she is departing the role with mixed feelings.
Pamela Woodman-Kaehler wrote that serving in the advocacy role for foster children and families has been an honor, but that she is pursuing other career possibilities.
“Serving West Virginia’s citizens as the state’s inaugural, independent, impartial, confidential Foster Care Ombudsman has been the highlight of my career,” Woodman-Kaehler wrote in the resignation letter provided by the state Department of Health. “It is said that what is right is rarely easy, and with that in mind, I can confidently say that child welfare is not easy, and ombudsman work is not easy. Combining the two is surely not easy.
“But I did not sign up for easy — I signed up for innovation and impact. I offer my sincere thanks and gratitude for the opportunity to serve in this capacity. It has been an honor and pleasure to be trusted for this duty and supported in growing this unique utility for our citizens and systems.”
Woodman-Kaehler was named the state’s first official advocate for foster children and families in 2019.
The ombudsman position is meant to support the needs of the many West Virginia families taking in children. A dashboard for West Virginia’s child welfare system shows that more than 6,000 children are in state custody.
Woodman-Kaehler’s resignation will take effect June 6. Elizabeth Hardy will serve as the acting office director for the foster care ombudsman in her place.
The Department of Health confirmed Woodman-Kahler’s resignation after reporters asked about it on Tuesday. The statement from the agency that day, May 28, made reference to submission of a letter of resignation from the ombudsman.
After MetroNews requested a copy of the correspondence, the agency the next day provided a resignation letter dated May 29.
Asked about the discrepancy with the dates, the Department of Health responded that the agency received informal notification of Woodman-Kaehler’s resignation via email previously and then received the formal notification on May 29.
“I am exploring a different opportunity, but would always consider and recommend to others, service in state government generally and child welfare specifically,” Woodman-Kahler wrote.
“I’ve been surrounded by a workforce, contractors and community partners that are passionate about quality in human services, particularly when they are for the benefit of children.”
Her resignation drew praise from close observers for her work at the center of heartbreaking situations and sensitive circumstances — and her departure also raised concerns about whether the ombudsman has had full autonomy to perform that work without undue interference.
“Do I think Pamela left simply because she got another job? No, I don’t. Around four years ago, Pam told legislators that around 90% of the people who contacted her office lived in fear of retaliation by the state system. Fear of retaliation, and prevalent transparency issues, would lead any government personnel to leave quietly, and I don’t blame her,” said Kelli Caseman, executive director of Think Kids WV.
The state’s human services agency is being sued over the state’s handling of children in foster care. The foster care lawsuit was filed in 2019, the same year the ombudsman position was created.
A recently-released transcript of a deposition of Jeremiah Samples, former deputy director of the Department of Health and Human Resources and now senior adviser for the West Virginia Legislature, spotlighted questions about whether the ombudsman has been able to fulfill that advocacy work without interference.
Gov. Jim Justice this week praised the ombudsman’s work and dismissed concerns about her resignation.
“She got a better job guys. I mean, that’s all there is to it,” Justice said. “This business of attacking people and everything and, you know, just digging into everything coming and going — if she’s telling us she got a better job, why don’t we celebrate that?”