A recent audit from the Illinois Auditor General has found that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) continues to face longstanding problems. The report showed that 29 out of 34 issues identified were repeats from earlier years, indicating ongoing mismanagement under Governor Pritzker’s administration.
Lawmakers have expressed concern that the agency’s failure to resolve these issues is putting children at risk. The death of 18-year-old Mackenzi Felmlee, who had been known to DCFS, has increased calls for changes within the department.
State Senator Li Arellano Jr. stated, “these repeated failures are unacceptable and that it is time to implement meaningful reforms that hold leadership accountable and better protect children in the agency’s care.”
Arellano, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 2025 to represent the state’s 37th Senate District, succeeding former senator Win Stoller.
The full audit report can be accessed here.
