Wex Wimpy
September 2nd 03, 05:35 PM
Review: DCF cases were closed too early
By Derek Simmonsen staff writer
August 30, 2003
ST. LUCIE COUNTY -- After months spent clearing a backlog of cases at
the Department of Children & Families, an internal review
found some of the cases were closed too soon, potentially leaving
children at risk.
In District 15, which covers St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and
Okeechobee counties, officials found 19 percent of the cases were
closed before they should have been, according to DCF figures. Out of
those cases, 12 percent involved situations where children
were at immediate risk of harm.
It was the second-highest number in Florida, behind the district
serving Palm Beach County, which had to revisit about a third of its
cases.
More than 200 cases were reexamined along the Treasure Coast, but
there were no instances where a child had actually been
harmed, said Vern Melvin, District 15 administrator. In a small
percentage of cases, children were taken out of the home after the
case was reopened, he said.
"For all of those cases we did a follow-up review right away," Melvin
said.
Last December, DCF Secretary Jeff Regier mandated that the department
cut its backlog of overdue cases by June 30. A case is
overdue if it is not completed within 60 days.
Since the backlog cuts began, state officials have called for a
monthly "quality assurance review" to make sure that overdue cases
are cleared properly, Melvin said.
Statewide, child-welfare investigators closed nearly 30,000 open abuse
and neglect projects between September and June. Since
Regier took office in August 2002, the number of backlogged cases now
stands at about 2,000.
Regier disputed that so many children were at risk after their cases
were closed, saying that many were deemed at risk because
paperwork was incomplete. Once the audit found cases had been
improperly closed, they were reopened, he said.
"Rather than proof of inaction, discovering these issues simply proves
that the process works," Regier said. "It functioned as it was
designed to do."
The agency has been under heavy scrutiny since officials discovered in
April 2002 that Rilya Wilson disappeared from state care for
at least 15 months before anyone noticed. The 5-year-old Miami girl is
still listed among the missing.
"It is just a matter of time before something happens to one of these
kids," said Cheleene Schembera, a 30-year social services
administrator in Florida who worked most recently as a temporary
district administrator in Miami.
Schembera was leading the DCF's Miami district during the end of the
backlog project and recalled being concerned about the
method administrators employed. She said by setting strict deadlines
for reducing the number of open cases, the agency increased
the potential for mistakes.
Melvin disputed the notion that the June deadline was a factor,
instead pointing to the effects that high turnover rates and a staff
shortage had on the number of backlogged cases. Those factors likely
contributed to the amount of cases that had to be revisited
locally, he said.
District 15 had 2,226 overdue cases in December, but managed to cut
the number down to 28 at the end of June.
"Being able to reduce the backlog -- that's going to help drive down
the caseload sizes," he said.
Several new changes, including the addition of six investigators to
the district, have helped keep the current number of overdue
cases low, Melvin said. The area now has 40 investigators handling
cases, which is about the number needed to handle the regular
volume of calls, he said.
Before the monthly inspections began this year, District 15
investigators had to revisit about a third of their cases, but now
only revisit
about 14 percent to 15 percent, Melvin said.
"Fortunately our staff has been learning from the concerns that have
been outlined in these reports," he said.
Investigators average about 10 new cases each month, in addition to
the older cases they pursue, he said. The review process and
additional staff members will help keep investigators from getting
backlogged again, he said.
"I think the next few months are going to see us doing the best job
we've ever done," Melvin said. "We are 110 percent committed to
not getting ourselves in that jam again."
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/trib_local_news/article/0,1651,TCP_1107_2221089,00.html
By Derek Simmonsen staff writer
August 30, 2003
ST. LUCIE COUNTY -- After months spent clearing a backlog of cases at
the Department of Children & Families, an internal review
found some of the cases were closed too soon, potentially leaving
children at risk.
In District 15, which covers St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and
Okeechobee counties, officials found 19 percent of the cases were
closed before they should have been, according to DCF figures. Out of
those cases, 12 percent involved situations where children
were at immediate risk of harm.
It was the second-highest number in Florida, behind the district
serving Palm Beach County, which had to revisit about a third of its
cases.
More than 200 cases were reexamined along the Treasure Coast, but
there were no instances where a child had actually been
harmed, said Vern Melvin, District 15 administrator. In a small
percentage of cases, children were taken out of the home after the
case was reopened, he said.
"For all of those cases we did a follow-up review right away," Melvin
said.
Last December, DCF Secretary Jeff Regier mandated that the department
cut its backlog of overdue cases by June 30. A case is
overdue if it is not completed within 60 days.
Since the backlog cuts began, state officials have called for a
monthly "quality assurance review" to make sure that overdue cases
are cleared properly, Melvin said.
Statewide, child-welfare investigators closed nearly 30,000 open abuse
and neglect projects between September and June. Since
Regier took office in August 2002, the number of backlogged cases now
stands at about 2,000.
Regier disputed that so many children were at risk after their cases
were closed, saying that many were deemed at risk because
paperwork was incomplete. Once the audit found cases had been
improperly closed, they were reopened, he said.
"Rather than proof of inaction, discovering these issues simply proves
that the process works," Regier said. "It functioned as it was
designed to do."
The agency has been under heavy scrutiny since officials discovered in
April 2002 that Rilya Wilson disappeared from state care for
at least 15 months before anyone noticed. The 5-year-old Miami girl is
still listed among the missing.
"It is just a matter of time before something happens to one of these
kids," said Cheleene Schembera, a 30-year social services
administrator in Florida who worked most recently as a temporary
district administrator in Miami.
Schembera was leading the DCF's Miami district during the end of the
backlog project and recalled being concerned about the
method administrators employed. She said by setting strict deadlines
for reducing the number of open cases, the agency increased
the potential for mistakes.
Melvin disputed the notion that the June deadline was a factor,
instead pointing to the effects that high turnover rates and a staff
shortage had on the number of backlogged cases. Those factors likely
contributed to the amount of cases that had to be revisited
locally, he said.
District 15 had 2,226 overdue cases in December, but managed to cut
the number down to 28 at the end of June.
"Being able to reduce the backlog -- that's going to help drive down
the caseload sizes," he said.
Several new changes, including the addition of six investigators to
the district, have helped keep the current number of overdue
cases low, Melvin said. The area now has 40 investigators handling
cases, which is about the number needed to handle the regular
volume of calls, he said.
Before the monthly inspections began this year, District 15
investigators had to revisit about a third of their cases, but now
only revisit
about 14 percent to 15 percent, Melvin said.
"Fortunately our staff has been learning from the concerns that have
been outlined in these reports," he said.
Investigators average about 10 new cases each month, in addition to
the older cases they pursue, he said. The review process and
additional staff members will help keep investigators from getting
backlogged again, he said.
"I think the next few months are going to see us doing the best job
we've ever done," Melvin said. "We are 110 percent committed to
not getting ourselves in that jam again."
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/trib_local_news/article/0,1651,TCP_1107_2221089,00.html