He Didn't Even Bother To Show Up
The late data and alarming updates from The Department of
Child Safety received an unfavorable
reception at a recent Joint Legislative Budget Committee meeting.
DCS officials finally provided some of the information they
are obligated to report, but Governor Ducey’s handpicked agency director, Greg
McKay, didn’t bother to attend. Maybe it was because the report was not
only nearly three months late but it also showed that things are getting #WorseNotBetter
for the crisis-stricken DCS.
Caseworker staffing levels continue to drop, while the
backlog continues to grow. The agency now has even fewer case-carrying
caseworkers than it did in September of this year. The number slid from 972 to
930, which is a far cry from the 995 case-carrying caseworkers in the agency had in May 2014.
And the backlog
is at 14,899 cases, which includes nearly 2,000 more cases than when DCS
was created back in June 2014. When Gov. Ducey installed Director McKay, they
claimed reducing the backlog was a priority. But actions speak louder than words
and a columnist recently wrote that:
Governor Ducey has failed to show leadership on this issue
since he took office. Ducey appointed McKay to head DCS but did
not allow legislators to fully vet his qualifications. Ducey’s DCS
leadership team also included a deputy
director who quit after four months, and an expensive business consultant
who left the agency last month without leaving any clear evidence of his work.
Director McKay missing his own agency’s review committee is just the latest
grievance. Arizona’s children will not be better off until the governor takes
real responsibility. Some are
beginning to question how long the governor can continue
to support his appointee.
#AskDuceyWhy he is not holding the agency director he
selected accountable for the thousands of Arizona kids who may be in jeopardy.