Auditor says DCF skips follow-ups
The Department of Children and Families has failed to follow up on reports of suspected child abuse or neglect, according to state Auditor Suzanne Bump, citing a soon-to-be-released audit.
Bump told Herald Radio’s “Morning Meeting” her office has been looking into whether the required reports were made to DCF — and whether DCF took steps to intervene — after examining Mass Health data.
“We saw that, according to Mass Health data, kids were being injured, were showing up in emergency rooms and yet there didn’t seem to be a result of DCF action,” Bump said yesterday, noting the audit will be out in a couple of weeks.
“I can share with you, there have been some deficiencies in this regard,” Bump said without elaborating.
DCF attributed the issues to the administration of former Gov. Deval Patrick, saying in a statement: “Prior to the initiation of this audit, under sweeping reforms implemented by the Baker-Polito Administration, numerous policies were revised and updated, including the District Attorney Referral policy to ensure all referrals are appropriately made. The timeframe of this audit starts in the prior administration, and since taking office the Baker-Polito Administration has made systematic changes at DCF to lower caseloads, increase the number of licensed social workers, and revise clinical and operational policies. Continuing to work closely with the Commonwealth’s Child Advocate and the State Auditor, we will closely examine the audit recommendations and prioritize the safety and protection of children.”
State law requires adults who care for children, including doctors, teachers and school officials, day care providers, and social workers, among others, to report signs of abuse and neglect to DCF.
Bump said the audit will be released early next month.