Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn has appointed an advisory committee to review the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, which has been plagued by issues while serving some of the state’s most vulnerable kids.
For years, families and advocates have reported issues with DCS. The goal of the new committee is to assess the department’s operations, structure and existing challenges, according to an announcement from Blackburn’s transition committee.
“We have a responsibility to ensure the department is operating as effectively as possible,” Blackburn said.
She named Jim Henry to chair the new advisory committee. Henry previously served as head of DCS under former Gov. Bill Haslam.
“Our goal will be to gather meaningful insights, review the facts, and provide thoughtful recommendations to Governor-elect Blackburn as she considers the future of DCS,” Henry said in a statement.
Blackburn also named Cameron Smith, Cleo Griffin and Maggie McNally Kimball to the committee.
DCS has struggled for years
An audit last year noted some improvements, but also highlighted serious, wide-ranging problems at the department. Among the findings were:
- insufficient and untimely investigations of child abuse and neglect
- delayed reporting of child fatalities and near fatalities
- continued reliance on temporary housing for extended periods of time, especially for hard-to-place children
- delayed medical and dental screenings for children in DCS care
- inadequate oversight of residential facilities and youth detention centers
WPLN and ProPublica have published multiple investigations relating to child welfare and juvenile justice in Tennessee. A recent investigation found a youth prison company licensed by DCS failed to report suspected abuse to the state as is required.
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