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Cleaning house: DES director fires 72 for being ‘bullies,’ but did he go too far?
Department of Economic Security Director Tim Jeffries has canned 168 employees since he was appointed department head in February, a pace of more than four firings a week. A spokeswoman for the agency could not say how many of those former employees were considered bullies and liars as well.
DES hires former legislator to state agency position
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has appointed a former Democratic leader in the Arizona Legislature to a top position in the Department of Economic Security.
Greg McKay confirmed as new Child Safety director
The state Senate confirmed Greg McKay as the new director of the Department of Child Safety despite objections from some legislators who say they lacked all the necessary information to vet Gov. Doug Ducey’s appointee.
Over objections, Senate gives preliminary approval to new Department of Child Safety
The Senate gave preliminary approval to Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to create a new child safety department over objections from some Republican lawmakers who were outraged by the level of new spending being appropriated without the accountability measures they desired.
Brewer modest but successful in last session
Gov. Jan Brewer’s agenda in her final regular legislative session lacked the blockbuster policies, drag-out fights and frayed nerves of 2013. Instead, the governor proposed a far more modest agenda in 2014. Relatively small spending increases in a few key areas, two low-profile economic development bills and legislation strengthening the state’s human trafficking laws were among the biggest po[...]
Overwhelmed child abuse specialists relinquish cases to less-skilled workers
Child welfare investigators specializing in cases of sexual and physical abuse are relinquishing thousands of cases to ordinary caseworkers, who are already overburdened, a practice that is possibly in violation of the law.
State has boosted CPS budget by more than $240 million in six years
Lawmakers anxious about the prospect of spending tens of millions of dollars or more on child safety in an upcoming special session have their doubts — for a reason.
As neglect reports rise, agency plans to push for more child-care funding
Dana Naimark, the leader of the Children’s Action Alliance, is going to push for increased funding for child-care subsidies in the upcoming special session by trying to dispel the notion that subsidies are a form of welfare.
Child welfare work group poised to pitch ideas for new agency
A small group of lawmakers and Capitol staffers will begin making their pitch for a new child safety organization to the Legislature next week.
House approves plan for external child welfare audit
The House gave preliminary approval Monday to a measure that would require an external audit of the maligned department of Child Protective Services.
Attention turns back to child welfare reforms
The Capitol community’s attention is turning to the work of a small group of lawmakers and Capitol staffers drafting legislation to create a new child safety and welfare agency,... […]
State’s next crisis could be backlog of adult abuse cases
While all eyes are on the reconstruction of the state’s child-welfare agency, a growing backlog of abuse and neglect cases involving adults who can’t care for themselves threatens to become the next big crisis.
