DCF lags in probes of child deaths (Florida)

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, Jan. 01, 2004

HERALD WATCHDOG CHILDREN
DCF lags in probes of child deaths
DCF Deputy Secretary Cathleen Newbanks said April's policy change, which sharply curtailed the study of individual child deaths, was a mistake.
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
[e-mail]

State child-welfare officials are months, if not a year behind in investigating the deaths of Florida children from abuse or neglect. Of at least 36 such deaths in 2003, only three have been fully investigated, records show.

In a bid to save scant resources, Department of Children & Families administrators last April sharply curtailed the study of individual child deaths across the state, exempting some deaths from the review process. But a new child-welfare chief, in a Dec. 1 memo, called the policy change a mistake and has set tight deadlines for completing a review of all 36 deaths.

The memo, from DCF Deputy Secretary Cathleen Newbanks, says reviewing information on deaths because of abuse and neglect is ''critical'' to the department's mission of protecting children.

Added Edward Horton, who headed the DCF's West Palm Beach district from 1997 through 1999: ``Death reviews provide an opportunity to learn, to expand our knowledge and to prevent future tragedies. The idea is to learn from these very terrible and very tragic situations.''

(snip) Earlier this past year, DCF administrators in Miami scrambled to explain the deaths of four youngsters who died within a few months of one another at the hands of caregivers. The children -- Kelton Wright, Zachary Bennett, Deondre Bondieumaitre and Woyah Andressohn -- had been under the watch of the DCF when they perished.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7611403.htm

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You may remember Jeb Bush has never found a way to clean up the operation of his Department of Children and Families in Florida:

(snip) The Lost Children
Fla. Official Says Hundreds of
Foster Kids Have Been Lost



May 16 — As Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed a new law intended to protect foster children Wednesday, ABCNEWS' Good Morning America discovered there are hundreds of kids who have been lost by the state's child-welfare system.

The governor signed the bill in response to the case of 5-year-old Rilya Wilson — the foster child who was missing for more than one year before anyone noticed.

Circuit Court Judge Jeri Cohen, who testified Wednesday before governor's blue-ribbon panel examining the state's performance in Rilya's disappearance, told Good Morning America that most of the state's missing children are older than Rilya.

"The vast number, I would estimate, of those children are teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18, who chronically cycle in and out of the foster-care system," she said.

Lying and Cover-ups

New evidence of falsified reports and cover-ups within the state's Department of Children and Families was released Wednesday in videotaped depositions of current and former caseworkers.
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http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/gma020516FlaLostKids.html

[Dr.Phool]

1. It's no wonder

Bush privatized DCF. They're woefully understaffed and underpaid.

I know a few people who work for the system, and they're salaried and working 12-16 hour days and weekends for peanuts.

However, Jerry Regier, head of DCF is enlisting all kinds of churches to pray for his employees.:spank:

What a crock.

[teach1st]

2. Much of Florida's services are underfunded...

...don't want to upset the retired fat cats and businesses by asking them to pay their share. Now who could be against these tax cuts. Well, abused and poor kids, maybe, and dead kids almost certainly...but they don't vote.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/wednesday/news_f32f747885da01b500db.html

Four new laws taking effect
Palm Beach Post, 12/31/03

Tax relief to the tune of about $112 million

Jan. 1 is when the latest and biggest change to the (Florida) "intangibles" tax kicks in, even though the windfall originated in a 2001 law. Where single investors can now deduct the first $20,000 in assets, they will be able to deduct $250,000 after the New Year. Couples who file jointly and qualify for an immediate $40,000 exemption will reap a $500,000 automatic exemption under the new rules.

"Seniors and savers can look forward to keeping more of their money in 2004," Gov. Jeb Bush said in written remarks released by the state Department of Revenue. "I am delighted to see that our efforts to reduce taxes are paying off for hundreds of thousands of Floridians and businesses."

The department estimates that 186,000 couples filing jointly -- or 372,000 investors -- and 142,000 individual filers, as well as 92,000 businesses will no longer owe taxes in 2004, costing the state an estimated $112 million.