Governor Asks DHS to Bring in Expert to Review Metro Area Child Welfare Practices
(Salem, Ore.) – Governor Ted Kulongoski has directed the Department of Human Services (DHS) to bring in an outside expert to conduct a review of its child welfare practices and operations in the Portland metropolitan area.
In the last two weeks, DHS Director Gary Weeks initiated Critical Incident Response Teams in two separate cases in the metro area; one involving a five year old girl and a second involving a 15-month old boy. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and DHS have been coordinating on both cases to ensure that the other children in the homes are safe and that the state-level reviews of these cases do not interfere with the local law enforcement investigation in each case.
"The new Critical Incident Response Team process has responded to the recent child abuse cases in the Portland metro area with the urgency that they deserve," said Governor Kulongoski. "I am concerned, however, that both of these high-profile cases occurred within the same region of the state within a relatively short period of time and that both reflect decisions made about child safety. That is why I have called for DHS to bring in an independent expert to look systemically at how decisions about child safety are being made in our child welfare system. The review will focus on decision-making in the metro area but could have implications state-wide. It is imperative to be sure that the state is doing all that it to can to prevent such tragedies from happening again."
The Governor expects this independent review to coincide with the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) review of the two specific cases in the Portland metro area.
Gary Weeks said the independent assessment could lead to recommendations for improvements the department could apply throughout its child welfare system.
Media Contacts:
Marian Hammond, (503) 378-6169
Anna Richter Taylor, (503) 378-6496
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