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* WICS TV…
A total of 98 children died last year in cases involving the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, according to the Office of the Inspector General.
This more than 200-page report documents almost 100 children who died after some kind of connection to DCFS. […]
Of the 98 deaths, 18 were ruled homicides, 26 undetermined, 27 accidents, and 27 natural causes.
Of the 18 homicides, eight from blunt force trauma, six from a gunshot wound, one from stab wounds, one from blunt trauma due to a vehicle striking a bicyclist, and two from dehydration and starvation, similar to Ta’Naja Barnes’ case.
Each of these cases involves children whose families were involved in the child welfare system in the preceding 12 months.
The full report is here.
* Claire Stewart, Staff Counsel at the ACLU of Illinois…
This report makes clear one thing - DCFS is broken. The past administration believed that problems in the agency could be covered by platitudes and public relation stunts. All the while, DCFS was failing at its core mission to protect children in our state.
There can be no more time wasted. We need new leadership in the Department, leadership that is unafraid of doing the hard work and taking advice from experts to avoid a full collapse by this agency.
Nearly 100 children died who were somehow connected to DCFS – nearly 100. This is not tolerable and must be fixed.
* Meanwhile…
Pritzker asked the General Assembly to give DCFS an extra $73 million.
Roughly $11 million of that would go toward hiring 126 additional DCFS service staff.
That would include child protection and welfare specialists as well.
He also proposed $10.5 million for foster home care - that’s due to caseload growth.
* Related…
* Police: Mother left 2-year-old daughter to starve and freeze to death in Decatur home: Police accuse a Decatur mother, Twanka L. Davis, of leaving her 2-year-old daughter to starve and freeze to death amid filthy, rodent-infested conditions in their home, according to a sworn affidavit. The affidavit states that Davis was arrested Wednesday afternoon and booked on preliminary charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter and endangering the life and health of a child. Preliminary charges are subject to review by the Macon County State Attorney’s Office. The child was taken from her mother in 2018 during an investigation of child abuse and placed in foster care, police said. She was returned to her mother in August.
* DCFS takes custody of second child after toddler’s death: Davis and her boyfriend allowed police to search the two-story home. The home had a strong smell of urine and rotten garbage and signs of rodent and insect infestation. The plumbing under the sink was not connected and the water main to the home was shut off from the inside. In the bathroom, they reported finding a toilet filled to the brim. In the bathtub, they found a box filled with liquid and debris. In the child’s room, they found only a toddler bed with no sheets or blankets, empty bottles, debris apparently chewed by rodents and feces.
* Lawmakers react to DCFS’s twisted timeline of Ta’Naja’s death: So we called DCFS spokesperson Jimmie Whitelow back on Tuesday, February 19 and asked if the timeline they had given was accurate. He responded by saying they don’t get into case specifics. Which is different from what he said when we spoke to him on Friday, February 15 and he was giving us specific information.
* What happens to the DCFS report related to child deaths after it’s filed: “Since 2003, DCFS has changed directors eight different times and each of the directors has had a different vision. So, because of this, the core mission of this agency got lost,” Feigenholtz said. In fact, the current interim director, Debra Dyer Webster, has been on the job less than two weeks.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 11:48 am
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Completely agree that DCFS needs a major overhaul. I do think the ACLU would have had a stronger and more effective statement by acknowledging that DCFS has had these issues a lot longer than the last 4 years. This is one area that we need to quit the partisan non-sense and work together to find solutions. Hopefully hiring more workers will help.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 11:53 am
It is a tragedy anytime a child dies from abuse or neglect but it’s not fair to put all the blame on DCFS
Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 11:56 am
Rauner brought in two clueless Directors from out of state. Perhaps they should start promoting from within like J.B. just did with IDOT.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:00 pm
This goes against how I view most issues with the government to be a large degree, but this is an issue that needs to have money thrown at it.
We need to spend more and hire more people and pay them more, processes and systems are great but this sort of work requires people, the right people in the right places.
You want to tax something I use and love to pay for this, I am cool with that.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:00 pm
–Pritzker asked the General Assembly to give DCFS an extra $73 million.
Roughly $11 million of that would go toward hiring 126 additional DCFS service staff.–
Sounds like a start. But it’s a long hard road from the willful neglect of “squeeze the beast.”
Thank goodness for the ACLU. They don’t shirk the hard tasks.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:00 pm
Does anyone know how this compares with other states? Especially comparable (population or geographically) states.
Comment by I Miss Bentohs Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:02 pm
“DCFS is broken” is an overused cliche, and don’t put much stock in young Sinclair type who got in way over their head in trying to hype this
Comment by Feeder pig Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:04 pm
I waa not able to go into detail on this but the undetermined deaths in Cook County is shockingly high. And 26 out of 98 deaths are undetermined? I’d like to know if this was between natural/accidental or in more neglectful manner.
The way some people live is appalling.
Comment by Almost the weekend Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:06 pm
==I do think the ACLU would have had a stronger and more effective statement by acknowledging that DCFS has had these issues a lot longer than the last 4 years.==
They did…in 2015…
“The ACLU also has urged DCFS to restore a vigorous, independent oversight of DCFS residential contractors, oversight conducted by knowledgeable child welfare and mental health specialists. Such oversight was an important feature of meaningful progress in reforming DCFS in the 1990s, but was scuttled by the administration of former Governors Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn.
https://www.aclu-il.org/en/press-releases/aclu-urges-federal-court-force-changes-broken-and-dangerous-dcfs
Comment by City Zen Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:06 pm
Things at DCFS went from bad to worse under Rauner. Rauner insisting to hold up a state budget until his non budgetary demands were met was the most important thing to him, including these vulnerable children. The casualty reports are still coming in from the incompetence and intentional damage from the previous administration. This is heartbreaking.
Comment by The Dude Abides Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:20 pm
100 deaths is 100 too many. Now consider the (likely) many more children that are subjected to abhorrent treatment and conditions that did not make this list. In other words, those that were fortunate enough to survive.
Comment by thechampaignlife Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:23 pm
None of the following should be construed to minimize the tragedy or sorrow of any child dying. Even so, here’s some important context.
Per page 19 of the report, the 98 deaths last year are fewer than three of the last four years and fewer than the 20-year average.
Those 98 deaths include 27 who died of natural causes (such as complications from being born premature etc), as well as others whose deaths were unconnected to why the family may have become involved with DCFS (eg killed by a drunk driver, shot while fleeing a police officer, victim of gang violence etc).
Bottom line, it is not so easy to simply say this is indicative of a DCFS problem or caused by some shortcoming of the state child welfare system. Like most things, it is complicated and requires nuance.
Comment by Reality Check Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:24 pm
Sometimes I think a well run orphanage with plenty of services might be an answer
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:24 pm
===I think a well run orphanage===
Topinka thought the same thing. Trouble is, do you think IL is capable of doing that?
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:31 pm
The report needs some clarification; 18 deaths were homicides, 26 undetermined, 27 accidents and 27 natural causes. While negligence may be an aspect, it is misleading to state all 98 were due to DCFS negligence. DCFS is a large system, and the courts are a large part of it as well. Illinois has underfunded support programs and DCFS for years. There have been too many Directors. Despite being neglected and maligned, the number of deaths have remained constant (about 100) over the past 10 years. Every year people scream the numbers are too high to make headlines, scare the system and then go back into their holes. It is easy to pick on DCFS and shake the system by writing about massive changes being needed. How about mental health services, addiction and DV services. How about addressing safety, working conditions? Something tells me this wash, rinse repeat of “nearly 100 deaths, blow up the system” will be repeated every year for the next 10.
Comment by Concerned citizen Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:36 pm
== Topinka thought the same thing. Trouble is, do you think IL is capable of doing that? ==
From what I understand some private groups in Illinois used to do an ok job at it. The question is how you do it a minimize the risk of abuse at the facilities.
I’d like to think we could if we were willing to invest to do so, otherwise, that is a human failure.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:44 pm
Fix DCFS. but I wish people would stop and think before they have children. are they capable? are they willing? do they have enough resources? we constantly talk about caring for children. some people should not have them in the first place.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:47 pm
Kids don’t vote. JB is giving out money like candy, but only to buy future votes. That is why while more Americans have been shot in Chicago since 911 than in active war zones, not one election has been decided by it. It won’t even be an issue in the Mayoral race.
When you spend money on something, you take it from something else. Remember this when you hear JBs next big idea and wonder who he is taking the money from to pay for it.
As long as the speaker is still thriving off your property taxes, we are not substantially changing the IL tax structure.
Comment by the Patriot Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:53 pm
===I wish people would stop and think before===
If wishes were fishes…
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:54 pm
==do you think IL is capable of doing that? ==
The debacle at the Quincy Veteran’s Home does not give me confidence.
Comment by OutHereInTheMiddle Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:56 pm
= I wish people would stop and think before they have children. are they capable? are they willing? do they have enough resources? we constantly talk about caring for children. some people should not have them in the first place.=
Thank You. They have a right to have children and we have the responsibility to take care of them. The dilemma is that anyone responsible enough to ask those questions might be a decent parent. The abusers are the ones that haven’t figured to ask those questions.
Comment by Blockedmore Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 12:58 pm
One of the problems is that the high positions in DCFS have been given out as political payoffs. The new Governor needs to put in quality people who know the problems. We seem to put in problem makers, and not problem solvers. It makes for great parties, and high class benefits, but the problems remain unsolved.
Comment by Retired Educator Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 1:06 pm
DCFS has problems, no question, but after having reviewed this report, I think that saying “DCFS is broken” is way over the top.
Many of these cases were included in the review because there was an report within the year prior to the death that was determined to be unfounded. So DCFS did not necessarily have any further involvement with the family.
Looking at the “undetermined” deaths, many were situations where it wasn’t clear if the death was an accident or due to underlying medical issues, or a combination of the two. Some of the children had multiple medical issues.
One thing did strike me, and that was the number of “undetermined” cases possibly related to co-sleeping.
And, as others have pointed out, DCFS can hardly be held responsible for a traffic accident, or a police or gang shooting.
Comment by JoanP Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 1:16 pm
DCFS is not easy to fix. Here are some suggestions.
Put in a management team with a mix of internal and external experience. Internal experience is needed to understand the people, style, and systems. External experience is necessary because few current DCFS managers have operated under really good management. Management has skills that are often learned by watching good managers. DCFS has not had enough good managers to spread those skills.
The union could help by making discipline faster and more effective. I don’t ask that people can be fired without cause, but the current system does not work. Also, move more supervisory positions out of the union.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 1:25 pm
==Sometimes I think a well run orphanage with plenty of services might be an answer.==
We have foster parents. How would an orphanage be better? Poor little Ta’Naja Barnes was doing well in her foster home apparently.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 1:45 pm
WICS went on to report that over 1,000 DCFS-involved kids have died over the past 10 years: https://newschannel20.com/news/local/more-than-1000-children-died-in-the-last-10-years-in-cases-involving-dcfs
Comment by Scrivenin' Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 2:09 pm
A good foster home is the preferred solution. But DCFS does not have enough good foster homes.
Well run orphanages might help. Can we do that?
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 2:40 pm
At this point, DCFS needs management stability. Would like to see a professional Director appointed to a 10 year term subject to removal only by a majority vote in the GA. It’s going to take a period like that to institutionalize the needed management changes.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 2:52 pm
While I hated it at the time, I’m glad Catholic Charities is no longer a part of the foster care business in this state.
Comment by Downstate Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 3:01 pm
RNUG. A ten year term means the next Director must be in their mid 50’s now, or younger. I know one person who could do it. Not clear they would want it.
Comment by Last Bull Moose RNUG Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:02 pm
A few folks have mentioned “well-run orphanages”. The federal Family First Act, signed into law last January, only permits federal reimbursement for the first two weeks of a child’s stay in a “congregate care” facility that does not do actual residential treatment. This, in essence, gets rid of group care that has no real purpose.
Comment by Stanley Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 4:48 pm
There were a couple of comments about the leadership being from out of state and/or political “payoffs”. If these comments were aimed at BJ Walker, they are wrong. BJ spent a large part of her career working for the State of Illinois and City of Chicago before going to Georgia. She is very competent, experienced and professional. If anyone could improve DCFS it would be BJ - if given the right support and resources. It would be interesting to see if she has any insights she could share now that she is no longer on the inside.
Comment by City Guy Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:05 pm
BJ wasn’t confirmed. Wonder why?
Comment by pawn Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 5:45 pm
== There were a couple of comments about the leadership being from out of state and/or political “payoffs”. ==
I think those were aimed a bit further south and east, like Florida.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Feb 25, 19 @ 6:01 pm