Bush orders DCF to resume visits
The Associated Press
September 16. 2005 6:01AM
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush told the Department of Children & Families to rescind a gasoline-saving measure that temporarily suspended required monthly visits by social workers to many of the state's nearly 50,000 foster children.
The governor said Thursday he was unaware of the policy outlined in a Sept. 8 memo until hearing that The Miami Herald was writing an article about it. He then called DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi and asked her to make sure monthly visits continued despite rising fuel costs.
''We're trying to conserve energy, which is appropriate. We are the largest institution in the state. We need to lead by example,'' Bush said. ''But not to jeopardize the safety of children. I asked the secretary to rescind that requirement and that we should be vigilant to make every effort to visit foster care children once a month.''
Hadi underscored that point in a note sent to social workers later Thursday, which in part read, "I want to be entirely clear that we are committed to ensuring that each child is visited at least monthly."
(snip/)
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050916/LOCAL/50916013/1078/news