WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Indiana House Democrats say they’re worried about state of the Department of Child Services.
House Democratic Leader Terry Goodin from Austin, Indiana issued a statement today in the wake of the first progress report evaluating DCS, issued by The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group.
DCS’ evaluation by The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group comes after the resignation of DCS director Mary Beth Bonaventura, last month.
Bonaventura wrote in a public resignation letter to Governor Eric Holcomb, “I choose to resign, rather than be complicit in decreasing the safety, permanency and well-being of children who have nowhere else to turn.” Bonaventura claimed Holcomb’s appointee to the agency was detrimental to integral department functions and was putting children’s lives at risk.
Goodin also expressed his concerns about the agency in a written statement that reads, “The problems facing DCS are so extreme that I would not be surprised if we end up with a complete overhaul of the agency itself… It appears that this work will take much longer than the March 15th deadline for this year’s Legislature.”
According to their website, The Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group is a private, non-profit organization developed to assist child welfare, mental health and juvenile justice systems. Bonaventura took a job as special counsel to Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill earlier this month.
