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Suit challenges legal process of Arizona administrative hearings
A Washington, D.C. organization is challenging the ability of the heads of state agencies in Arizona to discard the conclusions of independent hearing officers.
Ninth Circuit allows lawsuit against DCS to proceed as class-action
The state Department of Child Safety has to defend how it handles the more than 14,000 children in foster care now and all those who will be there in the future.
Lawmaker seeks more oversight of Southwest Key
A Republican lawmaker wants the state to have greater oversight of Southwest Key facilities after the shelters for migrant children were thrust into the national spotlight following reports of sexual abuse at some Arizona shelters.
Ducey proposes pay raises for nearly half of state employees in $11.4 billion budget
Gov. Doug Ducey wants to grant pay raises to nearly half of all state employees, with an emphasis on boosting salaries for law enforcement and corrections officers.
Ducey to keep troops at border despite Trump’s family separation policy
Gov. Doug Ducey won't withdraw National Guard troops from the border even though he objects to President Trump's policy of separating children from their families.
Agencies make case for new spending, but most requests likely doomed
Gov. Doug Ducey is looking for good policies and savings. But requests for money from the general fund, the state’s all-purpose kitty, are tougher to justify than those that come from other sources, like grants and fees.
Foster child who suffered horrific ordeal sues state
The court-appointed guardian of a 6-year-old foster child is suing two state agencies, several adoption entities and two sets of foster and adoptive parents, claiming the child suffered a horrific ordeal while in foster care.
Arizona Supreme Court limits right of tribes to intercede in adoption cases
In a unanimous decision, the justices rejected arguments by the Gila River Indian Community that Arizona court must transfer such cases to tribal courts. Writing for the court Chief Justice Scott Bales said while such transfer is permissive, it is not a right.
Arizona child safety unit looking at new regulations
Arizona's Department of Child Safety is putting together a team to explore whether investigators should have to get a court order before removing children from unsafe homes.
Auditor: Admin staffing in child-safety agency reasonable
State auditors are giving a thumbs-up to the amount of administrative staffing in a high-profile social service agency.
5 states struggle with surging numbers of foster children
The number of U.S. children in foster care is climbing after a sustained decline, but just five states account for nearly two-thirds of the recent increase. Reasons range from creation of a new child-abuse hotline to widespread outrage over the deaths of children who'd been repeatedly abused. Addictions among parents are another major factor.
Court to hear arguments in appeal by fired state workers
Appellate judges will hear arguments Oct. 20 in an appeal by five former state child welfare employees who contend they were wrongly fired in 2014 amid an agency scandal.
