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* AP…
Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday took aim at the state’s Department of Children and Family Services, which has been haunted for decades by deaths wrought of abuse and neglect and is in the spotlight again following the beating death of a 5-year-old suburban Chicago boy with a long history of contact with the agency.
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz stood with more than a dozen House and Senate members of a new child welfare reform caucus to propose legislation that would bolster checks and balances in the child welfare agency.
* Tribune…
On Monday, Feigenholtz filed legislation to establish a review process for cases involving abuse or neglect. The measure, which was filed as an amendment to an existing bill sitting in Feigenholtz’s committee, would require the deputy director of child protection to create a system for checking 5 percent of cases where allegations were not substantiated and the child is younger than school age, meaning they may not have come into contact with teachers, social workers or other mandated reporters.
The legislation also requires the review of cases where allegations were confirmed for older children, but the family has declined services or there are other reasons why the department is not taking protective custody. Moreover, the department would have to file semi-annual reports with the General Assembly summarizing the cases reviewed and providing recommendations for systemic reforms.
“It builds a review process that ensures that the administrative level of the department is aware and accountable for what’s going on in the field,” Feigenholtz said.
Additionally, the measure bans incentives, monetary or otherwise, from being offered to child investigators or private contractors deciding which services to offer a family or whether to close a case.
Feigenholtz said that the existing organizational structure of DCFS requires all problem reporting to go to the director of operations, a position that’s been vacant for what she said was “a very long time.”
* Related…
* ‘Disturbing’ DCFS audit shows spike in child abuse cases, swamped caseworkers: The governor’s office called the report a “disturbing illustration of both the short and long term damage from hollowing out state government and DCFS’ longstanding problems serving our most vulnerable.”
* Report On DCFS: Overburdened Case Workers, Unresponsive Hotline: “50% of the hotline calls go into voicemail and need a callback. So for emergency cases where children are really in trouble, that’s a huge problem,” said Illinois State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago.)
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 10:11 am
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You can introduce all the legislation you want, but if you don’t give DCFS the tools to do the job, i.e. staff and resources, it doesn’t mean anything.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 10:16 am
Wordslinger is exactly right. Unfunded mandates don’t solve problems. They just give the appearance that someone is doing something.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 10:28 am
Agree with Word. The legislature is great at adding new rules, regulations and red tape. Not so good with ensuring agencies have the wherewithal to comply.
Who do they think is going to do these new mandated reviews? The same staff that can’t keep up now?
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 10:32 am
Trying to correct problems at DCFS should also include holding the people who they have on contract responsible. Whoever makes home inspections must also be held responsible. Some the facts on that Decatur kid’s death don’t jive. You can’t go from neat and tidy during the inspection to the condition they found that child in a month. Something’s wrong there. I also agree with Word.
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 11:23 am
Requiring more review and a new system from the deputy director of child protection, but without more funding, has the potential for simply creating more paperwork and delay.
DCFS’ response to date has been disappointing. Bureaucratic speak of overhauling policies and procedures. I wish Marc Smith would have the courage to simply say what Wordslinger said.
Smith could be demanding part of the increased revenue found yesterday.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 12:18 pm
To the deleted anonymous commenter who is now whining about being deleted: Did you miss this at the top of the comment box? “anonymous commenters will not be tolerated and will likely result in banishment”
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 12:21 pm
We have the same problem with DHS and the CILA system. Until providers are actually held accountable, and facts aren’ts hidden, and the OIG and BQM are held accountable there will continue to be abuse, neglect, and deaths. The Auditory General’s report, and the Tribune series pointed out these abuses/neglect/deaths, but they are generally still be ignored.
Comment by Wondering Wendy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 12:29 pm
=They just give the appearance that someone is doing something.=
This seems like the case far too often.
As others have stated, laws are meaningless unless the proper tools are applied to create change.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 12:54 pm
Has anyone actually determined how much additional staff and available services will be required in order to provide adequate DCFS services, and how much the additional resources would cost? People complain about additional taxes for pensions. How about additional taxes to take care of our children?
Comment by Plants don’t talk back Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 1:25 pm