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.
Governor asks for nearly $60 million to help solve child welfare problems
Gov. Jan Brewer is asking for nearly $60 million in a special session to begin May 27 to overhaul the state’s child-welfare agency and to close out a backlog of 14,777 abuse and neglect cases.
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.
Judge rules that senator’s hearings must be closed to public
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Cari A. Harrison denied the Arizona Capitol Times’ request that hearings regarding allegations of child abuse against Sen. Rick Murphy be opened to the public.
Team poring over uninvestigated CPS cases finds most are routine
The team assigned to check on the safety of children associated with abuse calls that went without investigation has found no “significant’’ cases after seeing more than 2,000 children in the first month of work.
Child abuse records found near dumpster unrelated to larger CPS investigation
Thousands of pages of confidential records of child abuse cases found last month outside a dumpster are unrelated to the discovery that more than 6,500 complaints went uninvestigated, the head of the Department of Economic Security said Monday.
Governor says she expects to learn soon who is to blame for latest CPS crisis
Gov. Jan Brewer is willing to give Clarence Carter the benefit of the doubt about his culpability in more than 6,500 uninvestigated complaints of child abuse -- at least for the time being.
Arizona clarifies rule on foster family vaccinations
Arizona officials now say parents seeking to care for foster children don't automatically have to have their own children vaccinated.
CPS official wants to close gaps endangering kids
The head of the new investigations unit of Arizona's Child Protective Services wants to fill in cracks that he says can be deadly for children and haunting for those trying — but failing — to protect them.