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Child safety director rejects much of auditor general’s critique
Inadequate reports and failure to attend some hearings by the Department of Child Safety may be delaying some Arizona children getting permanent placement, according to a new report on the agency.
Judge holds agency in contempt for handling of disabled kid
A Maricopa County Juvenile Court judge has found the Arizona Department of Child Safety in contempt for failing to provide needed services to a family.
Department of Child Safety – Struggling or successful?
Arizona’s child welfare system, which indeed has long been troubled, will not improve as long as DCS continues to use outdated, ineffective and costly practices; and a lack of political will to recognize when something is not working and make the necessary changes.
Lawmakers boost money for child safety agency, but with strings attached
Showing a commitment to improving outcomes for Arizona children in the state’s care, lawmakers made child welfare one of the greatest beneficiaries of the $9.6 billion budget adopted earlier this month.
Bill limits child abuse investigations from hotline calls
The House has passed a bill that would cut the number of child abuse hotline calls that require full investigations to focus child safety workers on cases that actually involve abuse and neglect.
From X-rays to highways, backlogs affect several state agencies
The term “backlog” has become synonymous with the Department of Child Safety, but agencies throughout the state are facing their own workload difficulties and some historically fall behind in their work.
Panel advances bill to ease child safety caseloads
A House panel advanced a bill that would exempt the Department of Child Safety from investigating certain non-criminal reports of abuse or neglect.
Child Safety agency pushes for new way of measuring case backlog
The Department of Child Safety has been judged since its creation by the number of cases it has left behind, but now agency leaders are asking to be monitored by a new metric.
Exodus from Child Safety agency continues despite new spending
In fiscal year 2015, about one-fourth of people who worked at the Department of Child Safety left their jobs. And most of them quit. Turnover at the beleaguered agency is one of the highest within state government at 24.5 percent.
Woman locks herself to Capitol doors in child custody dispute
A Phoenix mother locked herself to doors at the historic Capitol building Tuesday afternoon to protest the Department of Child Safety, which she claims wrongfully took custody of her son.
JLBC members question McKay’s absence
Joint Legislative Budget Committee members questioned why they were hearing from Michael Dellner, operations chief at the Department of Child Safety, rather than Greg McKay, the agency’s director, since the Dec. 15 meeting had been on the calendar for weeks.
