DCF: Reunification with family ‘inexplicable’
Agency makes policy changes
David Almond’s return to an unfit and drug-riddled home while under state care was “inexplicable,” according to DCF Commissioner Linda Spears, and ultimately led to his death.
Now, Spears said, the agency is implementing policies to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
Almond, 14, of Fall River died of starvation in October while under the care of the
Department of Children and Families, a “multi-system failure” compounded by the pandemic, according to a Wednesday report from the Office of the Child Advocate.
The young boy who had autism had been removed the home of his father and girlfriend in 2017, but was returned along with his brother Michael in early 2020 — a decision made without solid reasoning, according to the report.
“The circumstances in this case are inexplicable to me. There is no rationale that accounts for the decision to reunify these children given their risks and their concerns with his family,” Spears said in a press conference.
The Office of the Child Advocate outlined several recommendations to prevent future tragic cases, all of which DCF intends to implement, Spears said.
Such changes include hiring a director of disability services, reviewing the department’s supervision policy, which will be updated by July, revising virtual visit guidance and developing a new reunification process that includes the use of a research-based tool, among several other steps.
Maria Mossaides, director of the OCA, said the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education should be granted the authority to issue statewide school attendance standards that could dictate the number of absences or days without family contact before action is taken.
Colleen Quinn, spokeswoman for the Executive
Office of Education, said in a statement, “Under DESE regulations, school districts must have a system for tracking attendance and teachers and administrations must regularly communicate with students as well as parents and guardians.”
Fall River Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Malone said changes have also been implemented on a district level. In the fall, the school committee adopted a new attendance policy ensuring students appear on camera during remote class to be marked present.
School staff have also received additional training, and the district identified the top 50 neediest families, which will prompt closer supervision.