NW Illinois News

In a press conference on Friday, Illinois House Republicans renewed their calls for reform within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) after a recent audit revealed serious failures within the agency. The two-year investigation found that DCFS had violated multiple state laws designed to protect children, raising concerns about the agency's ability to fulfill its crucial role.

The audit uncovered several alarming findings, including DCFS taking between 431-906 days to inform schools about investigations of abuse and neglect, despite state law mandating notification within 10 days. Additionally, DCFS delayed reporting cases of infants testing positive for drugs to law enforcement for 218-290 days.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie expressed frustration at the lack of transparency and accountability, stating, "We've seen what happens when we're left out of the conversation, when there is no access, when there is no accountability. There's federal investigations, there's corruption, and Illinoisans can't wait."

Republican lawmakers have proposed several bills to address these issues, including the implementation of a DCFS caseload tracking system, the requirement of an annual report on ongoing child abuse cases, and the establishment of mandatory intact family services for at-risk families. Unfortunately, these proposals have faced resistance from House Democrats, stalling their progress.

Republican Spokesperson on the House Adoption and Child Welfare Committee, State Representative Steve Reick, believes that a complete overhaul of the agency is necessary. In his words, "You could replace Marc Smith with St. Germaine Cousin, who's the patron saint of abused children, and nothing would change. Responsibility for this adverse opinion lies squarely at the feet of the governor."

House Republicans are committed to finding bipartisan solutions to address the failures within DCFS. For more information on the press conference and the full report, please visit here.