Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Question of the day
Next Post: Reader comments closed for the weekend
Posted in:
* I wish Director Calica nothing but the best, even though things look really grim right now. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Richard Calica will resign due to serious illness. Director Calica has been diagnosed with cancer and today informed the Governor of his medical condition.
Calica has served as Director of DCFS since December 2011, leading an overhaul and major reorganization of the agency at a time of major budget challenges. DCFS Chief of Staff Denise Gonzales will become Acting Director effective immediately.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve under Governor Quinn,” Director Calica said. “This has been the most exciting and rewarding time of my career in child welfare. The reforms that we’ve put in place will maximize this agency’s ability to ensure the safety of children who are at risk of abuse and neglect for years to come.”
“My prayers are with Director Calica and his family during this very difficult time,” Governor Quinn said. “Director Calica has taken this agency in the right direction and he always put the safety of our most vulnerable children first. We are deeply grateful for his dedicated public service, which has saved countless lives.”
Under Director Calica’s leadership, DCFS has added 138 new investigators to the frontlines, reducing caseloads from as high as 20 to nine per investigator. Director Calica streamlined the department’s operations to focus resources on front line case workers while eliminating an entire layer of middle management. He also eliminated the backlog he inherited of more than 2,500 overdue investigations.
The director also established a new system of performance measures across the agency to increase accountability, and modernized the agency’s 30-year-old hotline system, which has led to 40 percent increase in the volume of callers who immediately reach a child protection specialist.
Director Calica will work with agency leadership to transition over the coming days.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 2:30 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Question of the day
Next Post: Reader comments closed for the weekend
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Good luck in your fight against the cancer.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 2:40 pm
I want to wish Richard Calica only the best and he will be in my thoughts.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 4:10 pm
==the timing of the Announcement is interesting in that it obviously evokes sympathy for the departing Director and somewhat deflects attention to some real, lingering problems there. ==
You know somebody had to go there. Can we not just wish the man well in his battle and leave this sort of nonsense out of it for once???
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 4:20 pm
This sort of accusation is really insensitive. According to the Tribune his condition is terminal and the doctor gives him 6 months. Let’s respect the man for his service and wish him well.
“==the timing of the Announcement is interesting in that it obviously evokes sympathy for the departing Director and somewhat deflects attention to some real, lingering problems there. ==”
Comment by AFSCME Steward Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 4:23 pm
AFSCME Steward, I just read the Tribune article. That quote isn’t there anymore. Perhaps they reconsidered leaving it in……?
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 4:47 pm
The quote was in a comment that was removed.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 15, 13 @ 5:24 pm