DCF may face more legal action

DCF may face more legal action

HARTFORD (AP) -- Lawyers who sued the state Department of Children and
Families more than a decade ago say they're
considering further legal action against the department after several
reports showed major shortcomings in the child welfare system.

In the last month, a federal court monitor has issued three reports
detailing shortcomings in the child welfare agency. DCF has been
under a consent decree to improve its care of abused and neglected
children since the "Juan F." class-action lawsuit in 1989 that
alleged the state had violated federal laws by not adequately
protecting children in its care.

The monitor's reports said DCF failed to complete timely
investigations in a majority of cases and failed to substantiate abuse
or
neglect in some cases in which a child was removed from a home. The
reports said the agency also did not have enough social
workers, and that social workers were overburdened with too many
caseloads.

Ira Lustbader, associate director of Children's Rights, Inc., an
advocacy group for abused children, said the shortcomings at DCF are
too serious to ignore, and that he and other "Juan F." plaintiffs will
seek relief from federal court in the coming months.

"Children in government custody in Connecticut are being harmed in
just too many ways to not (seek) a remedy and changes,"
Lustbader said.

Gov. John G. Rowland defended the agency Saturday, saying the state
puts a lot of effort into staffing the agency and caring for
abused children.

"We're trying to hire as many (social service workers) as we can," the
governor said. "We're always looking for the best people we
can. We're constantly trying to retrain people and get people."

Rowland said the state has significantly increased the funds to DCF,
and the agency is becoming one of the state's largest.

Criticizing the system is easy, the governor said.

"It's an imperfect system because we're dealing with an imperfect
society," Rowland said. "It continues to be the toughest job in state
government. If anybody thinks a year from now it's going to be
perfect, it's not."

Lustbader said Connecticut has failed at providing basic needs for
children, such as proper medical and mental health care, even
though its funding has increased from the state.

"It's clear that the significant remaining failings are due to
failures of management," Lustbader said.

DCF Commissioner Darlene Dunbar said earlier in a prepared statement
that the agency was working toward the goals set up by the
court.

"Progress is being made for children," Dunbar said. "But we agree with
the advocates who say Connecticut should have as close to
a perfect score as possible when it comes to kids."

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