Governor Jan Brewer is taking a closer look at allegations that several recently reported child abuse incidents in Arizona occurred despite numerous complaints to the state’s Child Protective Services Agency. Governor Brewer canceled a trip to the Conference of Border State Governors in Mexico to meet with Clarence Carter, her Director of Economic Security, to voice concerns and said of CPS, “It’s something that’s high on my agenda.”
In one event, a 6-year-old boy died after being admitted to a hospital emergency room with a brain bruise and other injuries. According to an internal CPS report, the agency had five prior notifications of abuse and neglect of the boy while in his parents’ care, though his parents have pleaded not guilty to child abuse charges.
At Governor Brewer’s meeting with Carter, she requested a “broader process that looks at the overarching child welfare system.” Amidst concerns of investigation backlogs and workers’ caseloads above state standards, advocates for children’s programs in Arizona believe that CPS has suffered from budget cuts resulting from the state’s financial crisis. During the review, Carter will also focus on making internal improvements and believes that organizational changes are necessary before deciding if additional funding is warranted.
Comments are closed.