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Critical cuts at DCF
Critical cuts at DCF
A Times Editorial © St. Petersburg Times published June 23, 2003 It would be hard to imagine a worse time for the hefty layoffs recently ordered at the Department of Children and Families. A year after Florida earned national scorn for losing Miami's Rilya Wilson, hundreds of foster children are still missing; some are dying, including three South Florida toddlers, within weeks of each other, following mistakes by DCF; and caseloads and backlogs remain dangerously high. DCF Secretary Jerry Regier can downplay their significance all he likes, but the personnel cuts are bound to make it that much harder for the struggling agency to get back on track - and children to get back to safety. Regier announced last week the elimination of 163 positions, 85 of them currently filled. While front-line caseworkers are to be spared, the cuts will affect managers and office personnel, many of whom support the workers making life-or-death decisions. Regier says he is mostly "identifying efficiencies and reducing overhead," but even his spokesman admits that the cuts will be felt. Ten of the positions will come from the Sun Coast Region, which covers the Tampa Bay area. The personnel cuts, mandated in part by lawmakers, are an alarming epilogue to a disappointing legislative session. Lawmakers gave DCF some extra money for child safety, but an amount far less than what even Regier and Gov. Jeb Bush had said was needed. "It appears that promises made during the campaign season are promises broken when budgets are passed. Florida's reputation as a dangerous place to be a child at-risk is not helped with these cuts to management," said Jack Levine, president of the Tallahassee-based Voices for Florida's Children. Florida's children will not be helped by Regier's attempt to gloss over the cuts or the system failures they stand to exacerbate. Florida still has 340 missing foster children, mostly teen runaways and toddlers snatched by parents, despite the greater search efforts since the disclosure of Rilya's disappearance in April 2002. While Regier has made headway in reducing the huge backlogs and caseloads, caseworkers are still overworked and inadequately supervised, as evidenced by their continuing - and deadly - mistakes. Even as DCF turns over more duties to local agencies under privatization, state supervisors are needed to monitor contracts and quality. One of Regier's early strengths was his willingness to be straight with Bush and lawmakers about DCF's critical needs. This is no time to be whitewashing the truth. The cuts are moving Florida in the wrong direction. The agency needs more supervisors of front-line workers, not fewer. http://www.sptimes.com/2003/06/23/Op...s_at_DCF.shtml |
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Critical cuts at DCF
While front-line caseworkers are to be
spared, the cuts will affect managers and office personnel, many of whom support the workers making life-or-death decisions. Regier says he is mostly "identifying efficiencies and reducing overhead," Well, there were at least 2 supervisors who should have been terminated. Rilya's supervisor and the gal on the WC. Even the office personnel at DYFS acknowledge that DYFS is dysfunctional, wasteful and out of control. Ten of the positions will come from the Sun Coast Region, which covers the Tampa Bay area. Region where another child was murdered--due to cw lying on visitation records. Lawmakers gave DCF some extra money for child safety, but an amount far less than what even Regier and Gov. Jeb Bush had said was needed. DCF exposed its nature of targeting those families who are presumed to be naive about the child welfare process. Hence, they inflate their numbers in Lakeland by chasing *fat* 8 yo boys from a family of big-boned folk. Unfortunately 20/20's John Stossel poked fun at the dysfunctional DCF. Florida's reputation as a dangerous place to be a child at-risk is not helped with these cuts to management," said Jack Preschool would help beleagured families more, says researchers. inadequately supervised, as evidenced by their continuing - and deadly - Supervisors are those who get tired of riding around in cars--goofing off. state supervisors are needed to monitor contracts and quality. What qualifications do these folk have to MONITOR CONTRACTS AND QUALITY? The agency needs more supervisors of front-line workers, not fewer. Most likely DCF needs to restructure down to much smaller size--and implement more effective reforms. Preschool, drug treatment centers, immigration tracking, for example. http://www.CPSWatch.com/fl/ |
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